If life was a Hollywood movie, somewhere in 2020 an unappreciated scientist (possibly with an alcohol- or marital issue) would have risen up from his beakers and, against all odds and with a smashing soundtrack, would have obliterated the virus, saved humankind and gotten the girl as well!
Somehow, I have visions of Bruce Willis in there somewhere. And explosions.
Alas this is real life and when, last year, Mother Earth came knocking on the door, it was to make it abundantly clear to us humans that she was still, fully and firmly, in charge of matters.
In recent memory, outbursts of rejoicing, liberty and freedom have always arrived at the coattails of larger-than-life disasters: the roaring twenties after WWI and the Spanish Flu, the atomic fifties and swinging sixties after WWII. Life in technicolour, lived to the fullest.
While we’re collectively waiting for short skirts, new music and a cultural boom, there is still a lot of stuff to be sorted out. So here’s what we think might happen in 2021!
out and about
Like a pearl diver breaking through the surface and gorging on long breaths of delicious fresh air, people will get out and about as soon as they can and will – in an act of pure rediscovery - feast on life, on food, on experiences, on stories.
from comfort food to unique dining
More than ever, people will want to enjoy the whole food experience: from wholesome, comforting and delicious foods on one end, to occasional unique experience dining on the other. Think Michelin-starred restaurants, tasting experiences and private dining in every shape and form.
take away and delivery, with a twist
Adding to the above, takeaway and delivery – beyond the staple fast foods – will not go away anytime soon. On the contrary, when senses, cravings and incomes return, there will be an ever-larger demand to savour remarkable restaurant experiences at home.
In fact, the only limit to what you can serve at home will be location. With the traditional big boys in delivery restricted firmly to urban areas, the rest of the country will have to rely on local eateries for delicious deliveries, which gives those businesses a perfect launchpad to bounce back and grow.
Plant-based -isms: beyond the hype
Vegetarianism has been around for a long time and the hype has died down of late. And thank goodness for that! No longer a hype, vegetarian foods finally have a chance to be all they can be: a true, integral and delicious part of real or normal foods.
Veganism (or vegan) is set to break through into the mainstream this year, apparently. That’s about the fourth year in a row we’ve read that statement in all the relevant magazines. Our guess is that it won’t happen. Not unless - like it’s cousin, vegetarianism – it sheds its baggage (the admonishments from “experts”, the in-crowd mindset,…) and becomes what a lot of people crave for: honest, delicious and straightforward good food!
What we will see in 2021 is more and more chefs and restaurants in all segments creating lovely plant-based dishes without the bells and whistles of any -ism attached!
Foodservices or Food-as-a-service?
As far as we’re concerned, the food services industry was already overdue for a good shake-up before Covid-19 hit us. New ideas, new models and new methods were needed if we wanted a future that didn’t look exactly like our past!
We thought that, if anything, our business would become one of food-as-a-service. With a modular and flexible approach that would suit the needs of every customer. With a new mix of regular business, convenience and retail. What Covid-19 did to our business only confirmed us in our beliefs.
So we spent the latter half of 2020 developing a range of brand-new, modular food concepts and models to serve our clients and guests in 2021 and beyond.
Have a look at The Workshop, our first new concept to make it onto our web site. More will follow soon!
2021 will be nothing if not uncertain, exciting and, hopefully, very very busy. And very delicious!
Our new concepts will shake up food services as we know it
Get in touch and be the first to know what we have in store for our clients and guests!
