On the Menu | The future of food in Asia is about comfort dishes as ‘accessibility trumps exclusivity’
Chefs at a Bangkok event epitomised a focus on heritage over haute that Marriott International’s Future of Food 2026 report says is trending
Every so often, I get the chance to share my opinion on the trends that defined the year and what may be on the horizon. This year, my two cents were included in Marriott International’s Future of Food 2026 report, released last month.
The comprehensive 41-page dossier is a compendium of insightful and challenging perspectives on where dining and food culture is headed, peppered with the opinions of thought leaders and industry experts, including hoteliers, chefs, journalists and entrepreneurs.
Among the findings, the report showed that the importance of traditional cooking methods and ingredients – as well as respect for culinary heritage – continues to be upheld across Asia.
Personally, I see this as a response to the homogenisation of culture, fuelled by the omniscient algorithm of our social media channels. After all, when food starts to look the same, and chefs – consciously or unconsciously – begin to mirror global trends on the plate, adhering to one’s culinary identity becomes a small act of resistance.
For Petr Raba, vice-president of food and beverage for Asia-Pacific (excluding China) at Marriott International, there were ample reasons to double down on the concept of traditions when designing the second edition of the hotel group’s Luxury Dining Series.