Serving change

In 2020 we learnt to bake and cook like star chefs and tide over the itch to dine out It threw us the challenge and now 2021 will implement trends formed out of the changes the year that went by brought us With tables filling up at restaurants and cafeacutes the pandemic has brought with it some new trends and old beliefsSumit GambhirComfort is keyOn top of everyones mind is comfort food it never goes out of demand no matter the situation In the pandemic it has become more elevated more decadent says Sumit Gambhir of Woodside Inn a gastro pub in Colaba Bandra and Andheri Recently they shuttered their restaurant at Kala Ghoda The Pantry and turned it into a home delivery model Here we always focused on local produce and healthy options What happened in the last few months is that people started ordering elevated homegrown ingredients at home says Gambhir pointing to burrata farmtotable fresh vegetables and capers and even Assam black riceXacuti made from mock meatBuilding immunity and healthy eating has become a lifestyle choice Its pushed small and midlevel restaurants to add local produce to their repertoire he adds We will reintroduce burgerinabowl a concept we had launched a few years ago Casual and comfort food will reign but so will dishes that are a chefs take on casual dining Sticking with the idea to reduce cold salads their bestseller so far has been a warm turmeric chicken salad served with ghee vinaigretteSairaj DhondBetter ingredients to the forePeople are more concerned about eating healthy and have become conscious of whats on their plate This consciousness will increase in 2021 with more people adopting vegan healthy and alternative foods believes Sairaj Dhond who recently launched jackfruit meat under Wakao Foods a sustainable foods brand that provides meat varieties from raw jackfruit to readytocook jackfruit teriyaki and butter chicken optionsMoina OberoiOptions such as jackfruit vegan meat which is the perfect plantbased alternative will be on the rise especially since it is versatile and inclusive for people with diverse dietary preferences Wellcooked dishes will be preferred over raw food due to concerns surrounding the virus Thus readytoeat or readytocook packaged food will be on the rise With the overload of experimentation at home during the lockdown people will move back to homecooked traditional flavoursAmi ShroffThat gut feelingMoina Oberoi founder of Moos food says although the food industry both FampB and FMCG struggled logistically and infrastructurally in the pandemic the demand for food was surprisingly strong during the last quarter of 2020Gauri DevidayalSales trends have pivoted towards two extremes healthier food and comfort food People are more aware of functional foods like probiotics because the term immune system has been rolling off tongues more than ever before I project 2021 to be a year of extreme health and extreme indulgence This means consumer behaviour will grow more conscious of sustainable food as well eating more fresh and local be it healthy or indulgentMellow submarine premix by ShroffStill time for barsWhile home food took a restaurantstyle outcome drinks too got a shot in the arm Mixologist Ami Shroff says it will be a while until the bars will be able to be back in their best element Till then premixes are the rage Drinking at home straight drinks are not the lazy answer To keep the thirst for good drinks going we created premixers from a sour mix of hibiscus flowers brewed with kokum with lime and jaggery to a coldpressed apple blend with ginger lemongrass and a hint of turmeric and orange We hope to create a sustainable and inclusive approach while providing delicious and natural cocktail premixers The bottle tags are made of seed paper with an optional bamboo basket packed in jute pouches or newspaper bags made using origami she addsQuality pleaseIn contrast Gauri Devidayal of Food Matters that runs The Table Iktara and The Magazine Kitchen and Miss T believes there will be no major change Turning healthy and adding foods that improved immunity was a kneejerk reaction it is a good thing but it will never be in the fore as far as restaurant dining is concerned In the past few months people started stepping out and it may not be as rampant but they want to enjoy good comfort food This phase has seen a correction and got restaurants to focus on quality over price as people are certainly more selective about where they go But when they are out salad isnt necessarily the first option she opines