Page 74 - HH Dec Jan

FOOD & BEVERAGE

“WHEN PEOPLE ARE TENDING TO
THEIR OWN COOKING, THEN OVER
TIME IT’S NATURAL TO WANT TO START
MIXING THINGS UP. THE NATURAL
REACTION IS TO ADD A BIT OF SPICE
TO LIVEN FOOD UP… AS TRENDS GO,
ONLY SEE THIS INCREASING.”

DINING IN
“In the same way, the fact we were not going to
restaurants hasn’t meant we had stopped eating –
instead, people were discovering and developing new
ways to enjoy food at home. As someone passionate
about food, I can only support that; even if it’s cost me
millions,” Gordon says, referencing the huge losses
suffered during the repeated lockdowns.
“If mum or dad isn’t having to leave the house at 7.30
to head to work, it follows that breakfast can become
much more of an event,” he says. “Forget a bowl of
cornflakes – there is now the possibility of embracing
foods that take longer to prepare first thing, because
it’s time we have.”
“While you can never beat the experience of going to
a top restaurant and being treated to the tastes, the
flavours and the ambience of top-level cuisine, it’s fair
to say we should all broaden our horizons at home,
however we can,” he explains. “Thankfully the supply
lines of food have been unaffected by the pandemic,
and there are other things that have sparked our
interest, such as the recent trend of meal delivery
recipe boxes. These have certainly helped in giving
people the confidence to try something new.
“It is an interesting market and one that is
developing all across the world – people have always
wanted to cook properly, albeit they’ve been held back
by a paucity of proper ingredients or lack of confidence.
Subscription boxes meet them halfway, and these
companies have done very nicely out of lockdown. It’s
something I expect to explode globally.”

REWORKING THINGS
As for the decorated chef’s own fortunes, he has over
two decades of experience, financial security and
level-headedness to call upon in navigating a path
through the greatest pandemic of a generation. What’s
more, being Gordon Ramsay, he’s also stubbornly
confident the food industry will emerge out the other
side stronger than before.
“It sounds ridiculous to say that, but producers,
hosts, retailers and everyone else involved in getting

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