What is the future of Fine Dining and Gourmet restaurants?

First of all, we have to understand that, even if we sound predictably, every crisis does really open many more opportunities than a stagnation or stability time. It’s the same scheme of functioning as in the economics: only the most creative, strong and brave survive and go forward. Crisis is the time to act, to find new ways and ideas, trying to adopt them to the reality of your restaurant. Crisis does not last forever and after such notoriously difficult times “ a breath of fresh air” comes and a new chapter begins.

For instance, Rene Redzepi has now transformed his Noma 2.0 into vine&burger place where everyone can spend a very few money in a comparison with what a degustation at Noma costs normally and enjoy the time and food between the greenhouses of the immense territory of Redzepi’s restaurant. Chef wants to stay close to Danish people and want them to retake on their habit to go out in the most “comfortable” way as it’s possible, without any white tablecloths and chandeliers.

In Milan happens the same: 1 Michelin star chef Yoji Tokuyoshi shares the vision of  Redzepi and converts his Fine Dining place into a new concept of casual “Bentoteca” with a very democratic price plates and with a possibility to have both lunch and dinner and, as well, an aperitif. Both of the restaurants showcase the way to re-open a restaurant as something new on a temporary way, in order just to keep in touch with clients, continue on working and covering at least expenses, serving at this time a way more simpler gastronomic proposal. this is the way to survive number one.

As a second idea how Fine Dining and Gourmet sphere will be able to survive is the opportunity to rely on delivery. Firstly, barely everyone was skeptic but now many restaurants confess that even after the end of the emergency, delivery option will remain. Bright examples are Le Gabriel restaurant with 2 Michelin stars in Paris’ La Reserve Hotel or Clamato - fish and seafood restaurant by Bertrand Grebaut, chef of Septime restaurant in French capital.

Third idea is to become more local both in terms of clients, and in terms of products as it’s always been. That particularly means that from now restaurant will not rely anymore so that much on the international clients, but will try to attract local ones. Rodolfo Guzman from Borago restaurant in Santiago de Chile says that now the main goal is to fill the restaurant with Chilean people.

Speaking about the local products, which has already been a trend to use for, more or less, 3-5 years already, now it’s time to be dedicated to them fully. Mauro Colagreco, from Mirazur restaurant, called n.1 in the world in 2019 by guide “The World’s 50 Best restaurants” has promised that his gardens will be expended and that his own farm might be created.

As an answer to the new digital world and as an another idea how to keep on working, is the concept of online restaurant already successfully adopted by chef Vladimir Mukhin from Moscow’s “White Rabbit” restaurant. During the quarantine, Vladimir and his team has delivered to-be-prepared dishes to the clients and then, all at the same time, they were supposed to be connected in Zoom to listen to Valdimir’s guidelines on how to prepare their dinner and spend the time together. Moreover, Mukhin went forward and has offered the 4-hands dinners with Jorge Vallejo, Gaggan Annand and Dominique Crenn.

The last one, sees the future of the Fine Dining in a prospective of even more human oriented sphere, where everything will be about relationship between people and values the restaurant gives. Dominique Crenn used to talk a lot about humanity during this quarantine and has proved her words with actions: the only 3 Michelin star female chef of the U.S.A. has delivered countless meals to the medicine stuff of the hospitals and from now she encourages us that it’s not the end.

However, someone does not want to change anything, like Niko Romito from 3 Michelin star Casadonna Reale in italian region of Abruzzo. Chef is convinced that the true luxury of the Fine Dining will survive in any way as it’s values will never be underestimated and that’s why he will not change anything neither the prices nor the attitude in his restaurant.

Undoubtedly, these were the positive and hopeful ways to cope with the current difficulties, but, unfortunately, every crisis ports some sad factors and these are some bunkruption announcements and closings. In this was, Kadeau restaurants in Copenhagen and in Bornholm in Denmark were proclaimed to be bankrupted and only after some months of long negotiations some hope came: kadeau in Bornholm reopens in the mid June. The destiny of the Copenhagen’s branch is still unknown.

What to say? Taking into consideration all the things chefs said, the recovery phase seems to be long and gradual, many efforts should be put in order to “reincarnate” and in order to come back to the previous, habitual times. But there is always a place for hope and love, that’s why, a brightest future is not far away.

“If I were really afraid of problems, crises and stagnant periods or an empty restaurant, or maybe I didn’t understand that anything happens in life, I would never open a restaurant and have not experienced so many years of work with it. Everything happens in life, and you need to be able to go through any of its periods, because there is always a future waiting for us” - says Ferran Adria and there are no better words describing the way why Fine Dining and Gourmet restaurants will survive.