Woking ahead

As we neck towards walking into a situation that is best defined today as an ‘uncertain mess’, seasoned chefs tell Madhulika Dash that there is an urgent need to reinvent so as to stay ahead of the curve

Who knew that one of this century’s biggest challenge will come from a virus — an unpredictable creature — that will leave us grappling with the cobweb of uncertainty? But they say within such disaster lies opportunity to rebuild. As the lockdown comes to an end in a graded fashion, we reach out to some of the city’s leading chefs to give us a glimpse of how things will trend for the dining space? Will there be a new way of eating out? What will be the new food indulgence — and is there a modicum of silver lining that would help them (and us diners) wade through the testing times to once again arrive at the gastronomical fanfare the city of Bengaluru was known for not so long ago?

Fascinatingly, even amidst the well- known grim situation, for most seasoned chefs, the cycle of change has already begun to take place, albeit in “smaller fractions with a good chance that re-tweaking would be required to suit the larger need.” Says seasoned Chef Consultant Nimish Bhatia, “the lockdown period has made all of us realise that there is no point procrastinating over what we can do or what will happen, and two, reinventing the wheel will be the only way ahead to survive — at least for the next few months.” In fact, adds Chef Bhatia, “reinventing will be a constant not only for existing businesses but also those that were marked for their debut. What would remain to be seen is how well one would be able to observe the situation and change pragmatically.”

It is a view that many chefs across India, who, along with their team, have been the support back-houses to the government (and will be doing so while you read this piece), agree to wholeheartedly. “Of course, we can all make an assumption of what the next few months will mean for business, but that will at best be a supposition with a fifty-fifty chance of success/the desired outcome,” says Chef Vikas Seth (Culinary Director, Embassy Leisure), whose team has been at the forefront of delivering food to those in need in spite of the challenges of a lockdown.

Hygiene & health

If we were purpose clean in the past, says Chef Sabyasachi Gorai (Culinary Director, Bob’s Bar), “we will now shift to a level that is clinical. Sterilisation would certainly be the order of the day with more emphasis laid on not only food handling but also on the health of the servers. There will also have to be some sort of format created for the front of the house services that will for the next few months at least, keep the physical interaction to a bare minimum.”

Fascinatingly, adds Chef Gorai, “most commercial kitchens already follow a very high standard of hygiene when it comes to storing, prepping and cooking of food. Kitchens — both conventional and new age — have over the years evolved to make the spaces efficient not only in terms of the production but cleanliness too. Some of these practices will find its way in front of the house as well as part of the service redesign.” Concurs Chef Sharad Dewan (Regional Director, Food Production, The Park Hotel), who feels that these measures in a way will help rebuild the “brand trust among its diners.”

Rise of incognito kitchens

One of the obvious changes in restaurants will be the person to floor ratio. Restaurants that have worked during the lockdown have already put a system in place of leaner teams that work in shifts. While it has been effective at present, with the economy resuming work, it would prove to be a challenge. This is when, says Vineet Manocha (SVP, Culinary, Lite Bite Foods), “central kitchens will become the backbone of most businesses — at least those that have a slew of restaurants. These kitchens are often built for bulk cooking, they would be able to undertake part of the outlet pressure without compromising on quality.” And while central kitchens work perfectly for all forms of Indian cooking and catering, restaurants that are based on cuisine that needs exacting standards may find it a challenge.

That’s when, says Chef Seth, “incognito kitchen spaces will come into play. These dedicated spaces work well as small production units that can be used for volume prep and even R&D units that would rework the menu keeping with the changing dining patterns.”

Takeaway, the new eating-out

If there is one thing that would continue post the lockdown, it is the demand for restaurant-style food, says Chef Dewan, “it may be more as a need to change palate than out of habit as it was before. But it is a kind of eating out that will continue with a gradual increase in people visiting the restaurants.” And here is where the opportunity would lie for brands not only to reinstate faith in their patrons and new diners with quality, wholesome food that’s priced reasonably, but also for the industry revival, adds Chef Dewan, who believes that takeaways will be the medium that would in the future decide not only what the average diner will eat, but like to eat as well.

Going forth says Chef Manocha, “who knows these menus could prove to be the new canvases for chefs to experiment on effectively, given the large segment of working populations that such facility caters to.”

Rise of app menu

Yet another facet that may finally see its debut in the service ‘sun’ will be virtual ordering. You know, the aspect where you can order your meal using an app instead of a paper menu and a server standing next to you. In fact, says Chef Gorai, “in the current scenario, a lot of brands will turn to technology to find a more plausible way to keep the front of the house human interaction to the bare minimum — and for good reason too. Going ahead, I am hoping to see a lot of app-based menus and platforms that would make ordering as personalised as possible.” It would be a similar scenario for bars as well, says Aman Dua (Head Beverage, Raahi), “who feels that the future of bars will be a mix of both DIY cocktails and that of pre-made cocktails in jars for most of the classics. “These will essentially be drinks that will be delivered to the table with a bucket of ice that would be added to get the taste right.”

Re-source models & menus

One of the brilliant aspects of the Bengaluru dining market is its progressive approach to food. A facet, says Chef Seth, “that has allowed chefs to experiment with local ingredients no matter what the restaurant’s primary cuisine is. One example of this has been working with locally grown avocados and making our own cheese, in-house. Incidentally, we are not the only ones to indulge in such culinary playoffs. Bengaluru is filled with restaurants that have used local produce to bring in that interesting twist while working with some traditional cuisine. In times to come, this adaptability will be our key asset when we reinvent our offerings, which would be a mix of taste, gourmet and health.” In fact, adds Chef Bhatia, “this need to look local will lead to newer collaborations not only with various stakeholders of the food business but allied services too.”