Qualitaly_121

FEB. MAR. 2021 X completely rethought in terms of its offering. The menus will have to carry items that are unrepeatable, and procedures that are almost unattainable, when compared to those experienced at home. The proposals must be impossible to replicate at home. Pre-packaged food (to be offered mostly during the lunch break) or semi-finished products to be completed at home can also be offered in restaurants. This scenario is fundamental for the survival of the system: the near future necessarily requires the identification of new areas of consumption. And not only that: strategies can also give rise to new products to be sold not only on premises but also through delivery and the online market. And on this point, Ken Harris, managing partner of the Cadent Consulting Group, argues that suppliers will select ingredients by working closely with the supply chain to optimise, re-evaluate and distribute even on a large scale exclusive products made in restaurant kitchens. The impact of the crisis on personal income and finances is something to consider. Attention must be paid to the fact that the budgets reserved for big meals out have changed. Going out is more of a pleasure than a need, so consumers will want more service and pampering. Atmosphere counts, now more than ever. THE CUSTOMER WANTS TO RETRACE THE UNIQUENESS OF THE RESTAURATEUR They follow him on social networks, visit his restaurant, praise him, try to emulate his exploits. This has also been noticed through television programmes. The restaurateur, with the help of his chef, must identify with the customer and provide him with interesting offers. Something previously said but worth repeating; the mood today is quality, especially when it comes to food. This is why one way forward could be to visit the Coldiretti markets. In the United States, many restaurateurs source their food from Farmers Markets. Locally-sourced ingredients are now an indispensable reality. Menus must also be lean, simply written and clear. We must focus on a few winning items. The restaurant must be recognisable by dishes that identify it well. A reduced proposal leads to selection and savings. Ingredients must not be wasted, let alone thrown away. It is better to have a streamlined but high-profile warehouse. SOME INDICATIONS FROM A SURVEY Al.ta Cucina, mediatech company and food community that brings Italian excellence to the world, recently presented the data of a survey that reached over 4 million cooking enthusiasts. It is called “2020 in the kitchen” and it presented a picture almost bordering on the paradoxical of the year that we have left behind and that has radically changed the life and consumption habits of all of us. The stormy past few months have been instrumental in discovering, among a little fake news and many certainties, that carbonara with cream should be banned from every table and that Hawaiian pizza (the one with pineapple) is something to run away from. This is a formal indication for those restaurants that are recklessly daring and have not realised that food is no longer just conviviality but an expression of roots, respect, culture and traditions. It will be difficult for the improvised to stay afloat. Healthy, hearty bowls with cereals such as bulgur, quinoa, chia seeds or spelt, with roasted vegetables and mushrooms, soya sprouts and seasonings made with herbs and refined spices, will be essential if you want to get off on the right foot. And 2021 will be the year of carob: a low-sugar, antioxidant-rich vegetable that is fantastic as a natural sweetener. Just as communal gardens on balconies or communal spaces are swarming, a restaurateur could follow in the same footsteps by cultivating an exclusive vegetable garden in a courtyard, perhaps even maintaining a micro-greenhouse on the premises. A QUESTION OF FEELING Whether he lives alone or not, the customer is always searching for a look, a consideration, a thought. Let’s welcome them with care, let’s ask them what they would like to eat. It is true that not only restaurants, but also customers, suffer from irregular openings. Some indications and MAGAZINE