The year of eating better

Neeta Lal

Each New Year, gastronomes and industry pundits are most intrigued by what the year’s most defining culinary trends would be. While 2019 was about innovative dining concepts, will 2020 proffer any new ideas to take the gastronomic world by storm?

Mindful consumption

Sahil Arora, Executive Chef of Shangri-La’s at Eros Hotel, New Delhi, says mindful consumption and ethical dining will in. “Blame it on the scare of climate change and its ramifications or a quest for wellbeing in an increasingly stress-prone world, seeking healthy food choices will be top of the list for diners. According to a recent survey, 69 per cent travellers proactively seek wellness foods while eating out. This will lead to an upsurge in the popularity of organic produce and super grains which are must-haves for all hotels now,” explains the award-winning chef. As a corollary to the eat healthy movement, small plates will dominate big portions at restaurants.

“Another interesting trend will be artificial sweeteners paving way for natural ones. Earlier, people moved away from sugar to honey and jaggery, but now fruits like pineapple, sweet potato or pomegranate will provide the sweetness. Craft beers and mocktails will grab limelight too.” Mindful eating will pave way for another ancillary development — awareness among kids about healthier food choices, a trend further bolstered by the exponential growth of TV food shows. “The consciousness about food among the younger demographic will push hotels to be more conscious of their kids’ menu. Our menu this year will not feature the usual suspects such as bangers and mash or cheese sliders. Only nutritious/inventive dishes will be offered to the little ones. Even my seven-year-old daughter talks about sushi and different types of pasta, not because she is a chef’s daughter but because this is what kids in her class are bringing to school!” says Chef Arora.

Use of long-forgotten ingredients

According to Executive Chef Dharmen Makawana of Leela Palace, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, as a corollary to the accent on wellness, use of ancient recipes and long-forgotten grains will also witness a resurgence. Grains like teff, kamut, ragi and buckwheat will dominate spa and restaurant menus, complementing main courses. While the use of healthier grains — marking a move away from staples like wheat and polished rice — is already happening, their uses will become more prolific in shakes, salads, breads and confectionery too. Nutritionists say ancient grains like amaranth are high in protein, brimming with the goodness of calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and vitamin C. Amaranth makes for a good protein shake with almonds, baked for energy bars with dates etc. Millets will also score high on popularity. Not many know that India is one of the world’s largest producers of millets in the world. The versatile grain is gluten free, high in antioxidants, loaded with magnesium and can be cooked like a rice dish or breakfast cereal, added to bread or popped like corn.

Desi ho!

Chef Vinod Saini from Leela Palace foresees a comeback of Indian cuisine. “People want to get back to their roots and ghar ka khana will be an essential component in their quest for rootedness. So I see an augmented popularity of desi food in the coming year.”

The chef, who also conducts a masterclass in Indian cuisine for hotel guests, says a good barometer of the popularity of Indian cuisine is the huge demand for his culinary classes these days.

“These classes have me teaching enthusiasts about two-three regional Indian dishes, a behind-the-scenes look at the kitchen, and information about Indian spices, vegetables and other ingredients.”

Celebrity chef Ritu Dalmia opines that diners’ demand for novelty will propel restaurateurs to approach food more innovatively. She says her restaurants will continue to present ‘food with a twist’. The cookbook author and TV host recently relaunched her restaurant Diva Spiced with quirky dishes like samosa kadhi (crispy samosas dunked in besan kadhi), root vegetables and tofu tikki, etc. “Good food is that which surprises diners with its novelty and freshness,” smiles Dalmia.