Not a single day goes by without hearing about climate change, environmental issues, population growth and technological advances. Of course, all of this has a direct link to food and our meals of the future. Let's get out the crystal ball and try to see what the chefs can offer us in the not-so-distant future ...
First, there is an issue with the resources available, their distribution around the world and waste. With the warming of the planet, could it be that fruits and vegetables of completely different varieties can now be grown in Quebec? Let's think about citrus fruits.
It is possible that local growers develop this new market. Restaurant owners would find local suppliers for different, cheaper, and fresh foods at other times of the year. These foods would be passed directly from the producer to the plate. Several levels of savings would be achieved, including the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
On the other hand, urban agriculture, currently in full growth, will continue its development. Restaurateurs are more and more tempted to embark on this adventure in order to reduce costs. In the same way, they take the opportunity to make their own preserves and thus offer more Quebec products year-round.
This aspect of climate change also has its dark side as we find fewer animals or wild fish in our forests, lakes and rivers. Chefs will then have to turn to meat or farmed fish. A challenge remains: to offer a responsible and non intensive breeding, that is to say to offer better living conditions and a healthier diet for the animals.
Also, we should not forget the "zero waste". Many chefs have a mission to use almost 100% of food, even the least noble parts of meat, for example. They can make broths, soups and practice to think outside the box.
Thanks to technological advances, it is also possible to believe that the preservation of food will take another turn. The happiness of enjoying local fruits and vegetables all year long is perhaps not so far away.
In conclusion, we believe that the menu of the future will be composed of the same ingredients that we are used to eating today with the difference that the food will come from local producers, from their fields to our plates directly. The flavors will remain the same and, in some cases, will be improved. The world of catering will adapt again!
