We’ve just about managed to get rid of the smoke and mirrors, aka an obsession with nitrogen and all things molecular, as well as our demands for truffle everything. But there are still some things it’s now time to outgrow and leave behind in 2019.
Gin: We’re all ginned out – now it’s on to mezcal and tequila! Much as we love our friends at Greater Than and Stranger & Sons for making us proud with some fantastic Indian made gins, we’re ready to get into the ‘spirit’ of the next big thing. So no more requests for gin bars, please, and enough of the multitude of flavoured tonics (we still love you Svami) – it’s not G&T – it’s M&T and we want it straight on the rocks.
Avo toast: Mexico and New Zealand are about to run out of avocados and it’s no thanks to us. There’s more to life than avo toast, but we’ll only ever know if we bother to look further down menu and order other dishes. You may not believe me, but avocado toast is the #1 selling dish on our menu, and there isn’t even a close second. We’re not about to take it off, but what is it about this combination, can someone please explain it to me?!
Foraging: We’re usually a little late to the party but this is one that has gone on a bit too long. Forget our ancestors, even Noma made foraging famous too long ago for it to still be considered cool. It’s amazing to cook with wild ingredients, but let’s face it, it’s meant to be driven by a real need, the life and soul, the philosophy of a restaurant, not a marketing gimmick. Leave the ants alone, please.
Deep discounts: For all the love and effort that goes into creating a great dining experience, restaurants need to ditch the discounts and have the confidence to charge what we deserve. It’s time to stop creating a discount addiction for our diners and restaurateurs, and compete on quality not quantity. Surely, it’s food before price that makes diners decide where they’d like to dine. So let’s focus on the food, and not the price, and not allow the aggregator apps to take over our choices.
