Asmita Mukherjee 
In an exclusive interview with Asmita Mukherjee, Chef Shantanu Gupte delves into the latest F&B trends observed in the hotel industry, shedding light on the rising emphasis on sustainable and local ingredients. From zero wastage initiatives to the incorporation of millets and the surge in vegan cuisine, he highlights the exciting transformations reshaping the culinary landscape.
Zero Wastage & Sustainable Food: Chefs are gearing to devise menus leading to zero wastage & reusability. More & more chefs & hospitality chains are focus on sustainable foods especially when it comes to using fish, rare meats & plants.
Locavore: This term was coined over a decade back but we see this being used in Menu planning very recently. The menus are made keeping local ingredients at the forefront within a 5 km radius reducing carbon foot prints.
Seasonality: The idea of using fresh in season produce to devise menus is on the rise. It has two primary benefits .IN season means the products is absolutely fresh & nutritious for the customer at the same time economical to use.
Millets: 2023 is the international year of millets designated by UN. Chefs are trying ways to incorporate this ancient Indian grain (actually a seed) into their menus. They are high in fiber & sustainable
Vegan: The purest form of vegetarianism is on a humungous rise globally. Today any good restaurant in a metro city will have a section or at least few options dedicated to vegans.
The last mile delivery is the final frontier of the Tech revolution which has swiped the Globe & India is amongst the leaders. With economically priced aggregator-basedfood deliveries allowing real time tracking & ease of payment options a large chunk of the urban population order food online at the comfort of their home. There has been disruption in the ratio of online deliveries vs offline dining in recent years.
What this means is no F&B establishment can be relaxed & get comfortable offering anything less than the best in food, service & ambiance. Cloud kitchens usually don’t requireExecutive & Head chefs. This means chefs have to move out of their comfort zone & get extremely creative with their menus.
In my opinion restaurant dining needs to be experiential & innovative to get the customer walking in your restaurant out of his home comfort. If restaurants are Offering the same food that is available through cloud kitchens at economical prices, then you are playing in the high-risk zone.
Along with having a fixed menu its important that the Chef & Bar tender personally attend to the guest & create ‘out of menu’ recipes as per the guest choice.
Usually, guests have a fixed choice chart of restaurants when it comes to celebrating their special occasions. So, it’s imperative that the restaurant staff are well versed with their 1st names & their choice in food or cocktails. The service staff needs to be polite & possess exemplary communication skills to dazzle their patrons. Restaurants can & should go to the extent of personalizing the crockery, napkins & table ware to the customers initials.
Luxury dining is not just about good food or service but that one off dining experience which their customer will cherish for a long time.
