Les Dames d’Escoffier London create a bi-annual culinary symposium and tour of the London and international food scene exclusively for members of Les Dames d’Escoffier. The event offers the opportunity to experience, discuss and debate emerging global food trends.
Modern Cooking
Today’s over-scheduled, over-programmed families appreciate meals made at home, but also crave the convenience of meal kits, simple and flavorful recipes, and speed scratch ingredients. In the UK, chilled meals that can be picked up on the way home from work provide quick and delicious meal satisfaction.
Consumer Insight
Service Matters – food and hospitality industry professionals believe that outstanding service can be a game changer for restaurants. A recent Culinary Visions Panel Survey of consumers in the US, Canada and the UK found that the majority of consumers in all three countries agreed that a server who loves the food and can describe it in appetizing detail impacts their decisions when dining out.
Trend Watch
Dumpling Shops – fresh dumplings are made to order with authentic ingredients.
Comfort Bowls – 40% of crockery sales in the UK are bowls; Buddha bowls and a wide range of global chicken noodle soups offer comfort and satisfaction.
Sharing Life Around the Table – whether at home or away from home, food creates community. As consumers are sharing the responsibility of eating from the local harvest, community supported agriculture (CSA) programs continue to grow.
Handcrafted by Experts – food and beverage items created by experts with a passion for the craft seem to have no limit in their appeal.
Elevated Street Food
Some of the most captivating street foods are found in back alleys and under railway beds where artisan food and beverage makers set up their production kitchens and their impromptu serveries. Popular vendors were those who offered craft gin, Scotch eggs made with a range of sausage flavors, and barbecued oysters that were shucked to order, slathered in butter and gently smoked on a grill.
Implications for Food Marketers
No compromise satisfaction – consumers are unwilling to compromise taste for healthfulness.
Redefining indulgence – an all organic pub in London has been proving that healthfulness and responsibility may be the new indulgence.
Losing Fear of Fat – the allure of low fat and fat free offerings is waning, as enlightened consumers are enjoying the gratification of olive oil, cheese and yogurt without added sugars.
Taste Talk Tweet
- Indulgent street food like whole pork roasts
- Local mushroom varieties from street vendors
- Certified organic gastropub – first of its kind in UK
- Hand-crafted cultured butter and honey
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