The first thing you have to learn if you are going to study a degree in gastronomy is that this sector is always defined by a series of trends that will define or condition the type of dishes you are going to prepare. And it is important that you know them to be able to integrate them correctly in your menus. In this way, your restaurant will maintain its personality without losing the train of time.
What dominates and will dominate the gastronomy sector during the next years?
Nowadays there is more sensitivity than ever towards what we eat, and the effects it produces. It has gone back a bit to the old Hippocratic saying «let food be medicine.» Looking for physical and mental well-being, the need to increase the consumption of vegetable proteins, fiber and micronutrients is increasing. And that’s precisely what you can start to find on many restaurant menus across Europe.
Many places even try to offer a balanced menu in terms of macros (carbohydrates, vegetables and proteins). So that the heaviness that we usually feel when eating out largely disappears. These are new models, with smaller portions, to offer a sufficient and healthy meal. So that there are no leftovers and that the consumer is satisfied but not exhausted.
Many restaurants are finding ways and means to return to what was done before, to the recipes of our grandmothers. For example, stews are again the order of the day. This responds to a certain nostalgia but also to the need to reconnect with the roots. And, also, it is something that will benefit your restaurant.
Think that these types of dishes are based on the idea of kilometer zero. Look for seasonal food to cook from local producers, as was done in the past. Therefore, it will also allow you to save a lot on its production. And with the case of broths or stews, you can make large quantities in large batches, without major complications.
For this reason, many modern restaurants return to the original, as a form of innovation.
The well-known kilometer zero. The public has become aware of how important it is to take care of the land and about the need to support local producers. This means: consuming foods that are around you.
Seasonal products and products from local producers will make your restaurant become a local reference, and in fact it is a strategy widely used today.
The two most popular today are breakfast/brunch and afternoon tea/snacks. They tend to be two meals that are not especially cared for, since there are not always a variety of options when you prepare them at home. That is why many restaurants are turning to meet this need. Consider it as a business model that you can also include in your premises when the time comes.
The pandemic greatly favored the expansion of this business model. Something that generally only had a presence in fast food establishments begins to take on a greater role in many places with a finer and more careful gastronomy.
In short, a career in gastronomy or a Bachelor’s Degree in gastronomy will also help you discover and assess all the commercial options and culinary trends for your restaurant. If you need to promote an existing business or to improve your professional profile with ad hoc knowledge, we invite you to partake in our gastronomy master’s degree.
