A Growing Appetite for Local Gastronomy

Written for ETHospitalityWorld by The Economic Times

The food and beverage propostion is now becoming front of mind for hoteliers in India, as they not only seek to attract and diversify guest looking for the latest food trends, but also try and capatalise on new persepectives and expectations 


         

#India has always been a top destination for food thanks to the diversity and richness of its culinary traditions, especially when it comes to vegetarian recipes. The food and beverage proposition is now becoming front of mind for hoteliers in India, as they not only seek to attract and diversity guests looking for the latest food trends, but also try to capitalise on new preferences and expectations.

Here are few strategies that are on the menu:

Increased focus on sustainable sourcing

We are seeing growing awareness in #GenAlpha on the impact of food production on the environment. Hotels are placing more emphasis on sustainability in their food and beverage offerings, including sourcing locally, using organic produce, reducing food wastage, and offering different protein sources.

With an increased focus on health and wellbeing, more and more consumers are choosing to follow vegetarian and vegan diets, driving the demand for plant-based alternatives to meat and dairy options. At the same time, people are choosing to drink less alcohol or abstain from it, opting for alcohol free beverages and mocktails that are now becoming more mainstream and sophisticated.

Bringing high street restaurants in

Outsourcing specialty restaurants is today a win-win for hotels and F&B operators as this offers more variety to the guests, brings down fixed cost , and takes the revenue stream up for spaces that sometimes can be underutilized. Hosting food and beverage events, such as restaurant pop-ups, wine tasting, food festivals or culinary workshops can also be a good way to attract both hotel guests and residents and generate additional revenues.

Going local

When people travel, they seek authentic and unique culinary experiences and hotels are placing a greater emphasis on local and regional cuisines. From partnering with local farmers and chefs, to offering guests off-the beaten track culinary tours and workshops, hoteliers are integrating fun and creative ways for guests to really engage with the local food scene, which ultimately help sets their hotels apart from their competitors. More and more hotels are also hiring local chefs to support the community and bring authentic regional cuisines within their properties.

?Integration of technology

As technology and #AI continue to advance, hotels are innovating how they make food and beverage available to their guests through mobile ordering apps, virtual menus and even augmented reality experiences, all allowing for a more personalised guest experience.?