The latest trends in food preparation
The culinary scene has always been fast-moving, and it shows no signs of changing as the world recovers from COVID-19. Businesses risk losing customers if they don’t keep up with their evolving demands. One of the strongest trends emerging is that of food sustainability and safety. Find out how to highlight your response to these trends in the kitchen and on your customer’s plates.
Adopting 'hyper-hygiene'
Moving forward, customers will want to be reassured that their food has been prepared to the highest hygiene standards. Whether you’re welcoming customers through the door or offering takeaway services, it’s important to meet these standards. And it all starts with your food prep. Go back to basics with FREE food safety training through the UFS Academy Food Safety course.
Hygienic food prep all starts with a clean kitchen.
Make sure raw foods and the utensils you use to prep them are kept separate from cooked food, and raw meat and fish are kept separate from other ingredients. Your chefs should know that there are separate knives, bowls and boards for these, and preventing cross-contamination of food is important.
Check the temperature of foods when they are delivered, especially in warm places like the GCC. If you find your ingredients aren’t well chilled, you should avoid serving them and contact your supplier.
And don’t forget, if you have a busy team, use labels to add to your food stating when it was prepared. This makes sure you don’t serve anything that’s past its best.
Offering delivery? Adopt these best practice tips
Some industry leaders believe that diners will stick with more home cooking and takeaways even after the COVID-19 pandemic has passed. Food safety and hygiene will still be a concern for many, even if they’re eating at home. It’s the responsibility of chefs to keep standards high when food is leaving the kitchen for delivery. A great way to do this is to choose long-lasting ingredients which will travel well, even in warmer weather. Knorr Professional Teriyaki Sauce is a good example of this, plus it will help give your Asian-inspired dishes authentic flavour.
As well as ingredients, choose your delivery team carefully and make sure they adhere to high hygiene standards like proper protective gear.
Sustainable food trends
The focus on health doesn’t just stretch to kitchen hygiene – it’s a trend that diners are keen to see in the meals they order. They’re looking to ingredients that are said to boost immunity, improve sleep and reduce stress. With new reports like the Future 50 Foods, there is a growing emphasis on being transparent about the environmental impact of food. These trends are both reflected in the growing demand for plant-based meals.
Pushing your plant-based options isn’t just good for public health and the environment; it could also benefit your bottom line. Plant-based diners have been shown to spend 65% more, while the dishes themselves can be up to 25% cheaper to produce.
If you’re redesigning your menu to improve your sustainability credentials, try focusing on these criteria:
- Colours – bright foods in a variety of colours will look enticing and help pack your plates with micronutrients.
- Food groups – keep these varied, and don’t be afraid to explore ancient grains, sprouting beans and seeds, or even various forms of algae and fungi.
Choose local producers where possible – buying local cuts transport costs and means you know where your food is coming from.
To help your business thrive in the ever-changing food industry, it’s important to win the trust of your customers and cater to their priorities. Kitchens and menus must adapt to meet the growing concerns are hygiene, sustainability and the impact food has on health. By building your response to these trends into your business, your food prep can be the first step in leading the way.
