For someone just starting out in food/restaurants biz I enjoy reading your take downs so much!! You can tell you’ve seen it all - the good and the bad and it’s a pleasure to learn from you! Thank you ! ❤️
Love this list and also seeing a lot of the same things in looking for in food writ large.
At risk of over indulging - my company Mez Foods is trying bring sustainability and nutrition to the hobbling chocolate market by making chocolate with mesquite pods rather than cacao. We’re still getting our paperwork and research together but hoping to be the first carbon negative “chocolate” asap.
Thanks for the thoughts on how to move the industry forward ❤️
I think it is worth noticing that the confectionery and pastry departments of gastronomy seem to be far more forward-looking than the rest in finding alternative solutions to known issues and pushing the boundaries of tastes. Kudos!
It definitely feels like a space that encourages play with flavor and texture more than others. It’s been fun to build and breakdown my own knowledge in confectionary as well
I love this, I agree on most points. When it comes to breakfasts, however, having lived and worked in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia and travelled extensively in SSA and Asia, I would always want a western option. Some mornings my body is simply not ready to have berbere soaked injera fir-fir or the similar pungent and spicy equivalent in another place. I think there is sth about socialisation of taste that is particularly strong when it comes to breakfasts. But yes to çilbir for breakfast almost any day.
That's fine by me. I think most days I would opt for a simple müsli with fruits and soy milk myself - but why not have the option? In Milan, there is a Chinese eatery offering Chinese breakfast. In Lisbon, several Pakistani and Indian establishments (whose customers are mainly Uber drivers) open for breakfast and serve their breakfasts. The Ritz in Lisbon serves a Japanese breakfast. Why not?
For example in Lisbon, all the joints opening recently have only pancakes, bagels and croissants: I would love to have the option to choose differently, and not being stuck between a croissant and a waffle all the time :)
I always struggle to read OG because I disagree with taking fanatical positions against meat. These are personal decisions and I respect your choices but do not appreciate anyone attacking other peoiples choices. On the other hand, I keep reading as it is worth being aware of polarizing opinions to see if there is common ground out there. I do niot agree with your views but I do respect them ☮️
There are many reasons why a person does (or doesn’t) eat animal-based products.
Then, separately from the individual choices, are the scientific truths: animal farming is a contributor to the environmental crises, excess meat is a contributor to poorer health, industrial farming is quite horrific, and ultimately, animals are cute, living being that would rather munch grass and apples than live in cages and then get slaughtered. And also, most of us with a knife in one hand and a chicken in the other could not make of that living chicken a meal.
But again, everyone decides for themselves.
This said, advocating for a “plant based diet” is the standard of all scientific literature - which doesn’t mean cutting off meat, but it does mean eating significantly more vegetables.
I doubt that this can be a “frantical position against meat”. If at all, it’s a fed-up position about excess meat and meat as the sole defining aspects of a certain type of westernized dining, focus on “el producto” when by “product” certain gastronomies only mean “meat”, and only giving dignity to meat within a menu.
Also, I think many in this industry agree on “more vegetables” as a banner to carry, even when serving meats, dairy and fish - also, some confess to have more fun with working seasonally-dependent and soil-born ingredients!
Others, however, seem prisoners in a cage of pigeon, “angulas”, caviar and meats, using those as “building blocks” of their culinary. And seem to be unable to escape their constructs.
Then, there is “the people” -outside the fine dining area, those who are not presented with the possibilities of choosing sustainable fishing or farming, and yet “feel the need” to fill their plates (or burger buns) with just chicken or beef, no matter what, “because it is always done like this”. Some are even “afraid” of vegetables and other stigmatize beans as “poor people’s food” and want to detach themselves from that perception.
I can’t wait to read it and continue this discussion, it’s probably the most complicated thing in gastronomy today (tied for complexity with the “colonial mentality” of fine dining towards the “global south”, and with the parameters of sustainability used by Michelin)
I use to eat alone almost 100% and the most awesome and absurd situation are the places where their "concept" is to share, and despite having a reservation for one person the waiter say: Our plates for sharing are...
😶😶😶 Really??? 😶😶😶 And it happens every other time 🤦🤦🤦
Love all this! I’ve been to the Duck and Waffle a couple of times in London (because it’s near my London office when I have to work from there — thankfully only once per year) and they do these “small plates” concept. Whilst the food is delicious, expensive small plates just make me feel really hungry. I’ve always had a big appetite so I just want a nice hearty meal that won’t set me back £100+ and make me feel hungry still (even if that hunger is just emotional 🤣🙈). I’ve also had tasting menus in Germany where the plates are small but you get eleven courses and don’t feel hungry. Go figure! I never thought of water based cooking (besides stews if that counts?) but I’m intrigued. Thanks for sharing. 🫶🏻 I love the way you write so passionately about food.
The whole experience there is spectacular but I can’t help but feel like these trendy fine dining places aren’t always worth the money but that’s maybe because I live in West Yorkshire and think a nice pub meal is heartier at a fraction of the cost! 🙈🤣
The “worth the money” is highly subjective- and perhaps goes down to our mood too: I had a BLAST at Ynnyshir in Wales two years ago, fine dining based on products and Chinese and Thai cuisine with a disco ball and deep techno blasting throughout the dinner, seated like in school. That was worth every penny!
Indeed! However, there’s magic in absolutely affordable dining. Like eating a crisp and warm apple just picked from an orchard, on a mellow autumnal walk, knowing that back home there’s a boiling pot with a warm and earthy soup waiting for us.
I do make my own soups as we try to be a no waste household so everything goes in for veg soup or chicken stock but I’ve yet to have this warm apple experience which sounds bliss. ❤️🤩
I've never thought I would see the F-bomb dropped so many times in a food piece... 😅
A foul-mouthed gastronomer, at your service!
For someone just starting out in food/restaurants biz I enjoy reading your take downs so much!! You can tell you’ve seen it all - the good and the bad and it’s a pleasure to learn from you! Thank you ! ❤️
Thank you so much ☺️ and welcome to the club too! It’s mad fun and a bit crazy!
Love this! I want restaurants to be affordable again but that is a distant pipe dream and I will just need to work harder 😊
I also want affordable restaurants that are worth visiting :) because they have a meaning, not just because they follow a formula to get an award.
Agreed! I don’t care about those stars much
Great post and this is not an unreasonable wishlist. Thanks for sharing.
Not unreasonable, but...I feel still too far-fetched.
Love this list and also seeing a lot of the same things in looking for in food writ large.
At risk of over indulging - my company Mez Foods is trying bring sustainability and nutrition to the hobbling chocolate market by making chocolate with mesquite pods rather than cacao. We’re still getting our paperwork and research together but hoping to be the first carbon negative “chocolate” asap.
Thanks for the thoughts on how to move the industry forward ❤️
I think it is worth noticing that the confectionery and pastry departments of gastronomy seem to be far more forward-looking than the rest in finding alternative solutions to known issues and pushing the boundaries of tastes. Kudos!
It definitely feels like a space that encourages play with flavor and texture more than others. It’s been fun to build and breakdown my own knowledge in confectionary as well
Oh yes :) culinary is (or can be) fluidity too!
Completely!
Great stuff, OG! Particulary about injeera for breakfast - really delicious with honey and butter.
Thank you so much! Now I am hungry too :)
I love this, I agree on most points. When it comes to breakfasts, however, having lived and worked in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia and travelled extensively in SSA and Asia, I would always want a western option. Some mornings my body is simply not ready to have berbere soaked injera fir-fir or the similar pungent and spicy equivalent in another place. I think there is sth about socialisation of taste that is particularly strong when it comes to breakfasts. But yes to çilbir for breakfast almost any day.
That's fine by me. I think most days I would opt for a simple müsli with fruits and soy milk myself - but why not have the option? In Milan, there is a Chinese eatery offering Chinese breakfast. In Lisbon, several Pakistani and Indian establishments (whose customers are mainly Uber drivers) open for breakfast and serve their breakfasts. The Ritz in Lisbon serves a Japanese breakfast. Why not?
For example in Lisbon, all the joints opening recently have only pancakes, bagels and croissants: I would love to have the option to choose differently, and not being stuck between a croissant and a waffle all the time :)
I always struggle to read OG because I disagree with taking fanatical positions against meat. These are personal decisions and I respect your choices but do not appreciate anyone attacking other peoiples choices. On the other hand, I keep reading as it is worth being aware of polarizing opinions to see if there is common ground out there. I do niot agree with your views but I do respect them ☮️
That’s fine, I guess.
There are many reasons why a person does (or doesn’t) eat animal-based products.
Then, separately from the individual choices, are the scientific truths: animal farming is a contributor to the environmental crises, excess meat is a contributor to poorer health, industrial farming is quite horrific, and ultimately, animals are cute, living being that would rather munch grass and apples than live in cages and then get slaughtered. And also, most of us with a knife in one hand and a chicken in the other could not make of that living chicken a meal.
But again, everyone decides for themselves.
This said, advocating for a “plant based diet” is the standard of all scientific literature - which doesn’t mean cutting off meat, but it does mean eating significantly more vegetables.
I doubt that this can be a “frantical position against meat”. If at all, it’s a fed-up position about excess meat and meat as the sole defining aspects of a certain type of westernized dining, focus on “el producto” when by “product” certain gastronomies only mean “meat”, and only giving dignity to meat within a menu.
:)
Well - I guess we agree more than we disagree. The menu at my restaurant is 1/2 vegetables and all our meats and seafood sustainably sourced.
I thin so too :)
Also, I think many in this industry agree on “more vegetables” as a banner to carry, even when serving meats, dairy and fish - also, some confess to have more fun with working seasonally-dependent and soil-born ingredients!
Others, however, seem prisoners in a cage of pigeon, “angulas”, caviar and meats, using those as “building blocks” of their culinary. And seem to be unable to escape their constructs.
Then, there is “the people” -outside the fine dining area, those who are not presented with the possibilities of choosing sustainable fishing or farming, and yet “feel the need” to fill their plates (or burger buns) with just chicken or beef, no matter what, “because it is always done like this”. Some are even “afraid” of vegetables and other stigmatize beans as “poor people’s food” and want to detach themselves from that perception.
It’s complicated.
Complicated - and not black and white - nor good vs evil. I think I will write a post on a middle way… :)
I can’t wait to read it and continue this discussion, it’s probably the most complicated thing in gastronomy today (tied for complexity with the “colonial mentality” of fine dining towards the “global south”, and with the parameters of sustainability used by Michelin)
I use to eat alone almost 100% and the most awesome and absurd situation are the places where their "concept" is to share, and despite having a reservation for one person the waiter say: Our plates for sharing are...
😶😶😶 Really??? 😶😶😶 And it happens every other time 🤦🤦🤦
“Chefs are NOT ON FIRE, but BOILING HOT” You should trademark that phrase! 😉
Steaming, poaching, simmering! So much flavor can be added and/or enhanced with these methods without losing the nutrients.
Injera Bread! Off to search for an Ethiopian restaurant!
Great article!
Love all this! I’ve been to the Duck and Waffle a couple of times in London (because it’s near my London office when I have to work from there — thankfully only once per year) and they do these “small plates” concept. Whilst the food is delicious, expensive small plates just make me feel really hungry. I’ve always had a big appetite so I just want a nice hearty meal that won’t set me back £100+ and make me feel hungry still (even if that hunger is just emotional 🤣🙈). I’ve also had tasting menus in Germany where the plates are small but you get eleven courses and don’t feel hungry. Go figure! I never thought of water based cooking (besides stews if that counts?) but I’m intrigued. Thanks for sharing. 🫶🏻 I love the way you write so passionately about food.
Thank you so so much!
I think Duck & Waffle interpreted this trend beautifully- but as any trend, they should be mutable and not become paradigms to define a category!
The whole experience there is spectacular but I can’t help but feel like these trendy fine dining places aren’t always worth the money but that’s maybe because I live in West Yorkshire and think a nice pub meal is heartier at a fraction of the cost! 🙈🤣
The “worth the money” is highly subjective- and perhaps goes down to our mood too: I had a BLAST at Ynnyshir in Wales two years ago, fine dining based on products and Chinese and Thai cuisine with a disco ball and deep techno blasting throughout the dinner, seated like in school. That was worth every penny!
🫶🏻 I suppose these things are rare experiences so they are “worth it” for that reason but unaffordable often. 🥰🤔
Indeed! However, there’s magic in absolutely affordable dining. Like eating a crisp and warm apple just picked from an orchard, on a mellow autumnal walk, knowing that back home there’s a boiling pot with a warm and earthy soup waiting for us.
I do make my own soups as we try to be a no waste household so everything goes in for veg soup or chicken stock but I’ve yet to have this warm apple experience which sounds bliss. ❤️🤩
I would love to give more than just one “heart” to this! You rock!
Thank you so much 😊