Trends

Going back to nature

Using plants and their by-products in food isn't a passing fad. It's bringing the health conscious back to hotels and restaurants and is emerging as a valid business proposition for the latter. By Sanjeev Bhar

Chefs strive tirelessly to whip up tasty morsels. Recipes conjured from ingredients off-the-shelf no longer attract the experienced gourmand. Today, trends such as slow food are hitting headlines with increased regularity. This is why chefs are constantly looking out of their kitchen and into their gardens to discover what they can dish out next. Interestingly, this turn to nature is bringing back the smile back on the face of satiated guests.

Nature's kitchen

Organic food is finding favour in kitchens today. Chefs are looking at ways to cut down on using ingredients, which contain preservatives, and are opting for fresh food. Apart from this, worldwide they strive to substitute naturally grown food in place of genetically modified cereals, fruits and vegetables and factory produced meats.

Speaking of the negative impact of conventionally grown food, Devraj Halder, executive chef, Uppal's Orchid - An Ecotel Hotel, New Delhi, opines, "The easy availability of chemical-based growth enhancers, artificially-induced hybrid varieties of seeds and harmful pesticides are steadily depleting nutrients in soil. They are also preventing recycling of the top soil for subsequent harvests."

To connect the kitchen with nature, organic food has stepped in. Not only that, chefs are moving to ingredients and recipes which have been passed down through generations. With health on the forefront, chefs are using natural plant products that add spunk to the food and impart health benefits. "Saffron is virtually used in most Indian cuisines. Neem is used in certain recipes to ward off infections. Flowers and their derivatives, such as cardamom pods, cloves, etc are used extensively," adds Halder.

Today spices and flavourings are a must in almost every cuisine. It is the terroir that affects each ingredient. There is only one original and that cannot be substituted. Ansted states, "Truffles are traditionally from Italy. Ginseng comes from Korea. Coffee originated in Jamaica, and vanilla from Madagascar. Today, these specialties are cultivated in different surroundings. But the former are all unique. This is because of the combination of soil, sun and rain in the place of their origin, which influences their flavour. It makes them incomparable to their doppelgangers found in other parts of the world."

Down memory lane

Tracing the history of spicnce of usage in human history of spices is by traders in caravans. "The popularity of spices and herbs increased bes is David Ansted, executive chef, Shangri-La Hotel, New Delhi. He says that the earliest recorded instaecause they could be stored without refrigeration. People were often faced with the choice of either eating rotten meat and vegetables or starving. Spices helped them preserve this very food, and infact, were used for medicinal purposes as well," he says.

Beyond spices, flowers too floated into the kitchen. Halder adds, "The usage of flowers in cooking can be traced back to the Roman, the Chinese, and the Middle Eastern culture. This was also popular in the Victorian Era. It has now come back in fashion again. Edible flowers have become the new rage in haute cuisine. Broccoli, Artichokes, Saffron, Banana Blossoms, Leeks, Chives, Capers, Spring Onions are all flowers or parts of the botanical flower. These give menus a new dimension."

Food percolated to festivities and religious ceremonies too. Chef Ansted says, "Food and drinks have always been an important part of celebrations and religious events. It had been a natural component in bringing people together. In the past 15 years there has been a food revolution taking place around the world which has sparked an interest in different cuisines."

Racking up sales

Apart from satiating taste buds, food holds a strong business proposition too. This calls for focussed marketing.

Halder agrees, "Marketing food has taken a fresh shape over the past few years. It is influenced by demands of customers. Competitiveness due to the boom in hospitality as well as restaurants has also channeled the need for marketing. Quality and taste can no longer be compromised." As people's knowledge of the nuances of food increases, it is but natural that cuisine will be used as a promotional tool.

Recently, Uppal's Orchid held a food festival. The theme? Horoscope influenced cuisine. It won accolades for its innovation. "We have hit the market time and again with health food festivals. We used a different theme each time such as 'Go Organic', 'Natural Healers', 'Saatvik Bhojan' and now, the latest, 'Flowery Recipes.' Justice is being done to ethnic cuisines too, be it Balti, Coorg, Kathiawari, Rampuri, Purani Dilli, etc. The important fact remains that we are getting closer to nature with each passing day," sums up Halder.