Towards the end of each calendar year, we like to take a look back at how the industry has shifted, the trends that have taken off, and try to pre-empt the future face of the industry. This year we are embarking on the same assignment, however the impact Covid lockdowns have had on the industry, especially in Melbourne, and to a lesser extent Sydney, we know that the future face of the industry may have been changed forever.

The hospitality industry - restaurants, cafes and the very people that operate these establishments - have received considerable customer backlash of late as they seek to receive advance payment for future table bookings. Venues are requiring pre-payment as a strategy to reduce the costs of no-shows which slow their financial recovery caused by the pandemic. By establishing a degree of commitment from their future customers, restaurateurs can eliminate the considerable financial harm caused by the unconscionable conduct of some customers.

We live in a digital era where we are all critics. Social media and the Internet, in general, drive our ability to offload our opinions on every element in our lives. Food is a major part of this because our exposure to food globally has dramatically changed. We can view the latest trends from around the world while sitting on our couches. All businesses, but especially F&B operators, need to adapt to this new normal and recognise that their presence cannot just be confined to within their four walls.

Use social media but use it tastefully. The key to remember is that the online personality of your business has to match both the in-store experience and the profile of your customers. Use digital communications to draw customers in and then deliver the best. Represent who you are and what you have to deliver. Above all, be genuine and be real.

Generally speaking, vegetarian and vegan lifestyles can be extremely healthy when eating a plant-based diet full of wholefoods, fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, legumes etc. Recently, however, there has been an influx of a wide variety of new vegan and vegetarian processed products that do not provide consumers with all of the health benefits you might expect from adhering to a meat-free diet. It is important to ensure that you read the back of the package to really understand what is packed into these faux meat processed foods that may negatively impact on consumer’s health.

Will Guidara, one of the owners of Eleven Madison Avenue in New York, has been quoted as saying that it’s “compassion and passion [that] gives a fantastic dining experience.”

As every successful restaurateur will tell you, passion is the reason that they started their venture in the first place. It’s what continues to drive their activities. But passion alone can only take you so far.

Jay Rayner, the UK food critic, has recently written that he, “does not regard the table primarily as a place of nutrition. That’s just something which, happily, comes with the territory. It’s a place of joy.”

In 2017, we explored food and hospitality from all angles delving into what it means from a social, technological and economical perspective. We went back into what food means on a very fundamental level through to what food and hospitality will mean in the future and landed on the fact that food and hospitality are mainstays in modern precincts and developments for the life it brings to a space and the experiential aspect of enjoying a meal that current and future generations are seeking. From how to design a menu through to what tech disruption is causing in the food and hospitality industry, here are our most read articles of 2017. 

Francis Loughran, founder and managing director of Future Food, foresees more beautiful cafes and restaurants in our malls and high streets as operators move beyond just food and focus on design-driven spaces and genuine customer service. Read Future Food's ten predictions for food, beverage and hospitality trends that will surface in 2018.