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When habits change with the speed of scrolling the phone screen. There is more new information, new content, new ideas and new products around us than ever before. It is impossible not to be impressed. That’s why when I’m asked about next year’s exciting trends, I write wishes rather than trends. I want the developments that catch my attention in the food and beverage world to turn into permanent habits, not short-term trends. Some of the internal and appetizing developments brought about by environmentally friendly, climate-friendly, healthy, correct products, production and producer-friendly dishes and approaches.
Ocean Farming
Spanish chef Ángel León has been known as the “chef of the sea” for years. At his three-Michelin-starred restaurant Aponiente , considered one of the best restaurants in the world, he creates wonders with ingredients from the sea that are normally overlooked or unknown. Years ago, we first heard from him about what ingredients that are not normally considered food can be transformed into in the kitchen, from phytoplankton to sea honey obtained from sea plants. Unlike restaurants of a similar level, Ángel León does not explore classically “luxury” products such as caviar and lobster, but the sea creatures found on the coast of Andalucia, with great curiosity and respect for the sea. Aponiente ‘s menu includes mortadella from sea bass, sausage from mussels, and a wide variety of dishes from sea plants, made with different techniques . I had the opportunity to taste most of them, and since I come from a culture that says “If my father came out of the sea, I would eat it”, I liked it even more than usual. However, what is most exciting today is the climate aspect rather than the taste aspect.
Rainforests are always talked about, but we know that marine plants play a big role in coping with the climate crisis. The latest material that Ángel León and his team are working on is the seagrass Zostera Marina, which has narrow, ribbon-like leaves. When they analyzed it, they saw that it had a texture between rice and quinoa. It’s like grain and contains Omega 3, vitamins A, C, D and E and of course it’s gluten-free. According to Ángel León, in the future we can benefit from this seagrass instead of grains grown in the ground. Considering the nutritional value and climate impact as well as the taste part, this discovery is very exciting. My only wish is that we do ocean agriculture more consciously and do not cause the same damage to the seas as we do to the soil.
Non-Alcoholic Pairings
In tasting menus, a different wine or drink is generally offered with almost every dish. However, the deepening of healthy eating in recent years is also reflected in drink pairings in restaurants. Today, all high-end restaurants offer non-alcoholic and low-alcohol pairings. In the past, when we talked about non-alcoholic drinks, we were only talking about non-alcoholic versions of the cocktails on the menu. Nowadays, there are exciting, delicious and most importantly, thoughtful drinks that go well with meals. Just like food, locality and micro-seasonality are extremely important. It’s no surprise that they’re generally almost the same price as wine pairings, because there’s a serious amount of time and effort behind them. Here are a few examples: The non-alcoholic tea pairing at Ikoyi , one of London’s coolest fine-dining restaurants , includes teas from different regions. In the presentation, information about each tea is given and it is served in traditional Japanese yunomi tea cups. Restaurants at this level of course also play with fermentation. Apart from kombucha, kvass and kefir, for example, we can come across tepache made with pineapple in a Mexican restaurant . One of the most popular flavors at Nobelhart & Schmutzig, known as one of the best restaurants in Berlin, is their own sour buttermilk. Some restaurants also offer their own inventions, with flavors similar to wine and beer. Flavors such as juniper seed, beetroot and clove syrup stand out among the ingredients of these non-alcoholic inventions. These drinks containing layers of flavor compete with meals.
Invasive Species on the Menu
As environmental awareness increases, we can come across more and more climate-friendly products on restaurant menus. One of these is invasive species. Silo in London, the world’s first zero waste restaurant , drew particular attention to invasive species in its dinner series organized with famous chefs. Considered one of the most invasive plants around the world, Japanese knotweed is a real nuisance, especially in the UK. If it accidentally appears in the garden of your house, it literally reduces the value of the house. This huge weed grows slowly but vigorously and destroys all other plants around it. If the signal coming from America is crayfish, it threatens the waters of England. They infest the food of other sea creatures and are harmful because of the fungi they carry.
Eating Athens
Last summer, despite fires and record temperatures, the number of tourists visiting Greece reached a record. The search for “Athens restaurants” on the internet has seen the highest values ever worldwide. Not for nothing, Athens is currently one of the most exciting food cities in the world. From the simplest souvlaki to traditional fish restaurants, finding good food in the city was never difficult. However, in the last few years, there has been a serious development in modern restaurants, with chefs working in other countries returning to Athens during the pandemic. In addition to fine dining restaurants with minimalist dishes, gastro-taverns with traces of different cuisines, where the menu changes almost every day, are noteworthy. Good products are at the forefront in all of them; Seasonality, locality and sustainability are taken care of. Here are a few suggestions:
Pharaoh makes a splash with its modern interpretations of classical Greek dishes, accompanied by natural wine, open fire and old records.
Don’t be surprised if you smell delicious honey-scented candles before meals at Linou Soumpasis , because this is an old candle production facility and they still make these candles right at the entrance. Linou, a modern tavern, attracts attention with its fresh, shareable plates.
Cookovaya has been considered one of the liveliest restaurants in Athens for some time now. Even though it has a more traditional stance than the new ones, it is still young and valid.
Vezene has been one of the best restaurants in Athens for many years. With an extensive but sensible menu and perfectly cooked dishes, this is a stop not to be missed.
Birdman is the relatively newly opened Japanese grill bar from Ari Vezene , who is behind Vezene . Excellent ingredients, extremely entertaining with modern interpreted yakitori options.
In its tasting menu, Soil uses ingredients grown in the chef’s garden and only grown in the region. It is located in an exquisite neo-classical house built in 1925, with high ceilings and calm decorations.
Delta is inside the Stavros Niarchos Foundation building , one of the most beautiful art centers in the world . The restaurant’s tasting menu, consisting of 12 stages, is extremely ambitious.
The Zillers is on the penthouse floor of a building overlooking the Acropolis, which was once the home of German architect Ernst Zillers. The restaurant, which operates as a hotel restaurant during the day, makes a splash with chef Pavlos Kiriakis’ innovative approach in the evenings.
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