New Year 2025: What’s the future of food?

Keep it casualColabarsquos The Tablersquos Will Aghajanian feels 2025 will be all about dining experiences that are casual and laidback with food thatrsquos thoughtfully crafted instead of being overcomplicated and intellectualised Like the use of steel plates at his restaurant or a 10 kg strawberry meringue pavlova that guests at a recent reverent event dug into with their glasses or the oldschool sundaes served in steel cups that are appearing in menus across the city ldquoThere will be a comeback of timeless classic dishes that evoke nostalgia and comfort instead of putting the spotlight on elaborate tweezerplated thingsrdquo he saysManuel Olveira SellerChef Manuel Olveira the visionary behind La Loca Maria Bandra and La Panthera BKC echoes this sentiment with his own culinary philosophy ldquoSometimes chefs get carried away with fancy techniques and intricate presentations making a meal feel more like a performance than a dining experience While creativity in the kitchen is essential taste should be prioritisedFlashy tableside gimmicks like smokeinfused nitrogen ice or fire can be entertaining but they often steal the spotlight from the actual flavours of the dish Beautiful food is great but whatrsquos the point if it doesnrsquot taste goodrdquo he asks On those lines Chef Alex Sanchez Cofounder and chef Americano and Otra feels that refined comfort foodmdashthink chefdriven tacos pizzas and burgersmdashwill be the in thing in 2025Conceptual fluidityKashmiri Morel Musallam and Rijul GulatiRijul Gulati Head Chef Indian Accent BKC feels menus in 2025 will break free from the traditional startersmainsdesserts framework Instead they will offer a seamless narrative tailored to individual preferences or shared experiences Think of lsquojourney menusrsquo that adapt to the dinerrsquos pace and palate and speakeasystyle offerings that prioritise intimacy and exclusivity These menus are about connection and thoughtful creativity where every dish feels like it was crafted just for youEntertaining at homeChef Manu Chandra cofounder LUPA and Single Thread Caterers Bengaluru predicts a manifold increase in the home entertainment scene ldquoThe focus will be on high levels of execution and curationrdquo he addsListen to the gutPinky Chandan DixitBeena Norhona Head chef of Gigi and Lyla says therersquoll be more focus on foods that boost health with gutfriendly ingredients and dishes that improve wellbeingMake it fineCorn Ribs and Alex SanchezSanchez feels there will be a surge in finedining restaurants with counter seating and tasting menus Gulati adds that the era of rigid rules in fine dining is fading Diners now seek a perfect balance of sophistication and comfort where highquality food and exceptional service meet a relaxed welcoming vibe Think restaurants with unpretentious plating open kitchens buzzing with life and an emphasis on enjoyment over etiquette Itrsquos fine dining but with your sleeves rolled upGoing localWill AghajanianA trend that will never go out of fashion Norhona says ldquoPeople will want food made with ingredients grown or found nearby celebrating local flavours and cutting down on longdistance sourcingrdquo Olveira adds ldquoWe need to move away from processed foods that disconnect us from fresh ingredients Embracing local produce leads to bettertasting food and helps our communitiesrdquo Sanchez thinks regional Indian cuisines will be highlighted in new and exciting ways by young and upcoming chefsAghajanian says ldquoEmbracing the flavours of our region over imported or frozen alternatives will be adopted The habit of turning to imported ingredients only because they are perceived as lsquoexpensiversquo when local produce offers the same if not higher quality must be refrained from We use baby pomfret and sardines from Sassoon Docks as the hero ingredients of appetisers at The Table or dried mahua flowers in a mole sauce and sweet winter green peas from Jaipur served with ricottaGulati too feels the spotlight will shift to forgotten regional recipes and Indigenous ingredients Think of chakra phalsa karanda black rice from Manipur and red rice from the Himalayas redefining fine dining ldquoFor me everything that grows within the country is local We are blessed with naturerdquo he addsGoing vegTacos and Beena NorhonaNorhona feels Plantbased dishes will take the next step with chefs creating exciting gourmet options that make vegetables the heroExperiencebased dining and barsChandra also predicts more engagement with the diners and more storyled dining will be the focusLetrsquos travelPinky Chandan Dixit cofounder Aamchee says enjoying seasonal produce is better than having global produce flown down when it is not integral to the dish How about you travel and enjoy the food at the source Even in India letrsquos travel to Shillong or Kerala to enjoy a dish and learn about where our foods come from and soak in the cultureAlso ReadFlavours of India A cultural journey through the kitchens of Mumbai Delhi Goa and RajasthanGlobal flavours sustainability Global flavours will continue influencing menus with chefs looking for unique flavour profiles and culinarystyle mashups This trend reflects dinersrsquo growing appetite for bold unexpected combinations that tell a story through food Chandan says ldquoPeople want to know where their food comes from so restaurants will focus on working with local farmers and producers Diners care about the quality of their food and want it to be authentic And as sustainable and wellnessdriven dining takes centre stage donrsquot ask for guiltfree desserts If itrsquos a cheat day letrsquos own itrdquoBurgers make a return againGourmet Burger and Manu ChandraItrsquos 2025 and burgers still have the terrible reputation of being clubbed under the fast food category This must change feels Chandra On his menu at LUPA Bengaluru there is aged beef sharp cheddar housemade cucumber pickles on toasted potato bun and a lamb burger with a seared lamb patty with jalapentildeos chug mint and cucumber tzatziki marinated feta arugula and a toasted potato bunmdashall craft Gourmet burgers will be back in the spotlightSo last yeargtgt thinspAllencompassing multiAsian concepts Therersquos an oversupply says Chandragtgt thinspShock inducing street food combinations It was only for the gram says Chandragtgt thinspToo many choices on the menu Instead focus on smaller more straightforward menus with standout dishes says Norhonagtgt thinspProducing too much waste is criminal Instead work hard to reduce waste and find creative ways to use every part of the ingredient says Norhonagtgt thinspEdible gold overload Gold is pretty but letrsquos leave jewellery on our necks not our biryanis Food should sparkle with flavour not bling says Gulatigtgt thinspToo much storytelling Dining should be about savouring the moment not enduring a TED talk Keep the tales short crisp and disruptionfree says Gulatigtgt thinspTruffle products Truffle fresh oil etc on everything must stop says Sanchezgtgt thinspInstaworthy food that prioritises looks over substance says Sanxhezgtgt thinspBestof listicles says Sanchezgtgt thinspSmall portion sizes are a big no no says Chandangtgt thinspAvocado toast Please leave says Chandra