Micro cuisines, hyper-local ingredients and plant-based diets; city-based chefs talk about the
biggest culinary trends of 2022
Karan Upmanyu
Karan, sous chef at Toast & Tonic, Bengaluru notices growing interest and exploration of plant proteins. He says, “Traditionally India has seen non-vegetarian consumers preferring to eat meat-based dishes when dining out. However, we are now seeing a phenomenon called ‘reducetarianism’, where meat eaters are reducing their consumption of animal meat. As a result, everyone, is excited to try well-crafted dishes made with alternative proteins such as tempeh and plant-based and cultured meats.” He feels, as a chef, this is an exciting challenge. “With growing conversations around sustainability and health, our scope is going to broaden vastly in 2022. I believe this segment is going to surprise the
carnivore and excite the vegetarian alike,” he concludes.
Regi Mathew
Regi, the co-owner and culinary director of Kappa Chakka Kandhari, thinks hyper-local ingredients are going to be an even bigger trend. People found it difficult to source imported ingredients during the pandemic and started looking for alternatives. This created a deeper understanding of hyper-local ingredients. He says, “Delving deeper into our cultures will be one of the most exciting things for foodies in 2022. Regional cuisine has already gained much popularity but with that extending to micro-cuisines, we open up to so many different flavours and tastes, and of course ingredients, that were hitherto not celebrated.”
Akash Tyagi
Akash, the chef de cuisine at Suzy Q by 1522, feels that as we enter 2022 with more uncertainty surrounding Covid-19, food trends will be impacted again. He observes, “I see more importance being given to probiotic foods. I feel the fermentation wave from the Nordic region will hit India big time. We can already see a lot of restaurants adapting that into their menu system.” Akash also adds that India will certainly see a lot of plant-based meat products on grocery store shelves.
Sombir Choudhary
Sombir, the culinary partner at Raahi Neo Kitchen & Bar says, “I believe traditional recipes and techniques will be the next big thing. Meeting friends and family is not easy right now, but this gives us an opportunity to feel connected.” He also adds that another reason behind it is the accessibility and availability of these old-school dishes in the city. Earlier, there was a huge demand for international
cuisines, so many restaurants didn’t position their brand around old-school dishes, however, that is slowly fading away now.
Vikas Seth
Vikas, the culinary director and chef at Sanchez, Sriracha and Hopshaus says, “Pop-ups of regional cuisines are highly popular nowadays.” He adds that there has been an increase in travelling restaurants and pop-ups, due to diners wanting to try new cuisines and experience different cultures. Chefs are now leaning towards starting their own delivery and outdoor catering ventures as an outlet for their creativity and to have the freedom to dabble in various concepts. Another trend he has noticed is a large portion of diners being focused on immunity-boosting, protein-rich and healthier options.
