With the pandemic having disrupted the food and bev- erage industry so greatly, changes are inevitably on the horizon—whether it’s a growing interest in sustainability or getting back to basics in the kitchen. We asked chefs to fill us in on what 2022 will bring for food and what kind of changes they would like to see.

 

 

“We will see more unpretentious food, or at least I hope. I personally think you don’t need to put truffle on everything so you can mark up the price. And sometimes it’s not just about stories or where you came from. At the end of the day, as a chef, the only thing that matters is how true you are, which, in my opinion, is the best seasoning for the food you cook.”

 

 

 

“I think we’re going to see more usage of local ingredients next year, although that has already been on the rise over the last three years. But I think we will also see Thai ingredients gain more respect among locals who are keen to know where their food is coming from. There are also many chefs paying respect to the history of Thai cuisine, and we are seeing that in so many new openings, like with Chef Ton [Thitid Tassanakajohn] from Nusara, who leans on grandma’s recipes. History is so vivid now thanks to [chefs] who are really immersing themselves in old Thai recipes and poring over the [archives].”

 

 

 

 

“The goal for our restaurant is to be more flexible in [hardship] situations. In order to achieve this goal, we have downsized and simplified our oper- ations, made working hours more sustainable for the team, and put more focus on staff training. A lot of it came down to us having more time, [better] work-life balance, and just a healthier work environment in general. For the food industry, I hope that everyone is cautious and does not take the freedom that we have for granted.”

 

 

 

“Places serving food outside of any proper categorization would be great for the industry in Bangkok. I’m a huge supporter of what people call ‘fusion’ food, and it would be refreshing to see restaurants pushing the boundaries of cultures and ingredients to mix flavors on a more global scale. We live in a complicated world; I think food should reflect that. Similarities and differences in cuisine should be celebrated to the fullest. Hopefully we can move away from awards and accolades for the sake of them, and more towards honest cooking done with heart—neighborhood restaurants with bistro flair, serving food with high-quality ingredients that can satisfy the soul and spark curiosity, not just for social media flexing.”

 

 

 

 

“There will be more people who choose to eat vegetables but at the same time not give up meat. When they decide to eat meat, they will make bet- ter choices of where they come from: free range eggs, line-caught fish, etc. But across the industry, I would like to see more Thai chefs cooking and specializing in other cuisines, not only Thai. The world is open; I don’t believe that chefs should focus only on the type of food that they grew up eating. I also really want to see more restaurants taking initiative to make our world a better place in terms of waste management, less plastic usage, and sustainable food sources.”