FCSI sees the future of food in terms of community

The fortieth edition of HostMilano will once again see the presence of FCSI, Foodservice Consultants Society International, the international consultancy association for the design, management and organisation of services in the hotel and professional catering sector, “and we give thanks for the excellent longstanding cooperation with Host,” says Martin Rahmann, president of FCSI–EAME. He gave us his thoughts on the future of catering. “The focus is on products from the regions and sustainable goods management. Dishes are regional, seasonal and of a high quality, with an outstanding increase in the popularity of premium fish, sushi and pizza in all its various forms. Vegan and vegetarian are growing in importance, while allergies and religious regulations will continue to grow in importance. Brands and firms must be made relevant to people and street food markets will contribute to that, but street food cuisine must also be about authenticity, with genuine ingredients from regional producers. The presentation of dishes continues to gain in importance and natural ideas such as hollowed fruit and vegetables will become popular offerings.”

How do you see restaurants in five years’ time? “One trend is towards the self barbecue restaurant. There are also big growth opportunities in home, delivery, take away and snacks to go. As for restaurant concepts themselves, the focus is also on authenticity, individual and minimal concepts. Devising new forms is another important area of interest. Individual concepts will turn into systems which will be of more local, national and global significance. Individually-run restaurants will gain in importance and will sustain their market share, while operations without concepts and low product quality will gradually disappear from the market.”

Are differences between countries still relevant or will they tend to disappear? “In 2030 food will be seen as a community experience. Because of the ever more pressing requirements of people in their daily working lives, communication during meals will become increasingly important. People in many countries are becoming lonely, both mentally and spatially. So in the future food service will need to offer scope for exchange, community and communication. This is a global trend which will gain in importance in all countries around the world in one form or another.”