THERE are several
buzzwords trending
throughout the food
industry at the moment, says
founder and creative director
of experience design agency,
Studio H, Hannerie Visser.
Dining has become
about an experience, she
says. “But it is easy to get
swept up in a concept and
presentation; the actual food
and how it tastes should
always be the priority,” she
says. “Everything that is
prepared should have a
purpose, and not because it
will look cute or cool.”
Health, sustainability and
ethical practice are also
becoming non-negotiable.
“People want to know the
story behind the food that
they eat – where it was
grown, by whom and how,”
Hannerie says. These are
the things that matter in
the culinary experience, and
for gala events it is
no different.
Go casual
Long gone are the days of
the formal sit-down gala
dinner with waiters in bow
ties courteously serving
a beautiful plate of food.
“Casual dining is in,”
Hannerie says. “In fact,
street food is very popular
at the moment. Lots of
organisers are getting food
trucks to serve at events –
from the truck. It’s a casual
affair and provides guests
with more options as to what
they want to eat.”
Food is art
Conceptual dining, brought
on by international food
designers like Bompas and
Parr and Marije Vogelzang,
is an exciting new trend
that is taking the current
food environment by storm.
“We are seeing very exciting
food experiences emerge,”
says Hannerie. “And there
are many options to choose
from. For example, glow-inthe-dark
jellies and breaking
food baked in clay with
hammers are becoming very
popular.”
Intertwining food and art
creates a real experience
for guests unlike anything
they have ever encountered
before.
Bigger portions are back
The trend towards bitesize
meals might not have
completely passed but
there is a definite move
away from small titbit
portions.
“Family-style dining
featuring food served
in bigger bowls or large
platters from which guests
can dish for themselves is
fast becoming a trend,” she
says.
Promoting a more convivial
atmosphere, family-style
dining adds to the relaxed,
casual atmosphere that is
currently being sought after
rather than the formal gala
dining experience.
Delicacies of a different kind
There has been a move away
from the tried-and-tested
produce that everyone knows
and is used to, Hannerie
adds. Not only are chefs
experimenting more but the
introduction of produce that
is not usually expected has
become very trendy.
“I am seeing things like
goat meat and insects being
used more often on menus,”
she says. Anything from
grasshoppers to crickets to
mealworms is becoming a
culinary trend.
A full sensory experience
The importance of how food
looks is nothing new and
over the past few years
major efforts have been
made to create visually
pleasing dishes.
The influence of sound on
the taste of food, however,
is fast becoming just as
important, she says. “There
is definitely increased
focus on the entire sensory
experience rather than just
the food itself, as all the
senses impact on your
eating experience.”
