THE WOODLANDS (HOUSTON), TEXAS Napa Valley
to the landmark Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu’s North
Shore to the extraordinary ONE Bal Harbour Resort & Spa in Miami
and the exotic Santa Barbara Beach & Golf Resort, Curacao .
“There is nothing more
personal than food,” says Executive Chef Victor Scargle of Bardessono Hotel and
its acclaimed restaurant, Lucy. “Consumers today have an amazing personal
connection with what they put into their bodies. Fresh, local, in season – it’s
what every informed consumer looks for” Chef Scargle continued, “This really
isn’t new – it’s what our grandmothers did day after day. They knew exactly
what their family dined on as they had grown it in the garden and purchased it
from the local butcher. It was fresh, in season, and bursting with flavor.” Mr.
Scargle concluded, “Across the nation, this is what consumers want today – not
much has changed from grandma’s table!”
Dining Trend #1
Chef Crafted... It’s one
of the hottest trends in the culinary world. Whether smoking, canning, putting
up jams and relishes, pickling, or farming... Chefs today are personally
creating every component and ingredient in their kitchen for total control over
quality and flavor with what they’re serving each evening. Many learned these
skills organically at the knee of their grandmothers and are taking these
forward into the 21st century culinary experience.
Dining Trend #2
3000 Years of Protein
Perfection! The gluten-free, superfood Quinoa is among the top ingredients
chef’s use this year. It’s no wonder as
quinoa is ideal for breakfast as a muesli, or for lunch and dinner as a side
dish. The rich protein grain was first domesticated three millennia ago by the
Andean peoples. The Incas considered the high protein food to be sacred. And, the United Nations General Assembly
declared 2013 as the "International Year of Quinoa!”
Dining Trend #3
Parental Controls! Moms and dads are demanding healthier
preparations for traditional children’s menu selections - grilled over fried
for the perennial kids’ favorite, chicken fingers; baked over deep fried for
potato “fries” of all varieties; hummus and fresh fruit dips over fat-laden
sauces. As any parent knows, breaking kids eating habits is nigh impossible, so
they’re making sure these habits are as healthy as possible.
Dining Trend #4
Smoke, anyone? Smoking has been around as a preservative
since the first fire was set. But it’s only now that “smoked” has moved out of
the smokehouse and into everything else. How about smoked cocktails, or smoked olive
oils, or smoked heavy cream for sauces... or even smoked water – yes, smoked
H2O! And the cooking with tea trend of the last few years – it’s evolved to
smoking with coffee and cocoa.
Dining Trend #5
Tell me again,
specifically which boat was involved?
Guests are becoming increasingly more insistent on knowing about the
specific origin of food they enjoy, including the waters where their salmon was
fished, the name of boat and the name of captain. To say “Wild Caught” no
longer suffices. In the same vein, guests want to know the history of a
restaurant they’re about to dine within, and even of the surrounding region.
Dining has become a
comprehensive experience, much like a century ago when the oysters eaten for
dinner were observed being gathered that morning in the harbor just beyond, and
the restaurant reflected the character of its neighborhood. Dining today is interactive with guests
peppering the wait staff and chef with questions about sustainability,
responsible husbandry, and local chef-prepared ingredients.
