Trends we spotted | Week 6
Trends in het kort
At hospitalitytrends.eu we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the smaller trends we use in our weekly column ‘Trends we spotted this week’.
This week, among other links to articles about the culinary development in the East of Europe according to Michelin and would you eat squirrel? Furthermore, a link to an exhibition about manhole covers in Tokyo and a new platform foodies should definitely check out, maned Njomly! And London has the first underground farm, the Growing Underground! By the way would you like to eat a polenta dish right from the table?
Click on the title if you like to read the full article. Enjoy reading!
Tokyo will soon host a festival that celebrates the country’s eclectic manhole covers
Japan’s manhole covers often display eccentric designs that speak volumes of the country’s culture and history. The unusual trend was started in the 1960s when a public relations approach wanted to get more people aware of the new post-war sewer systems. And in honoring and keeping alive this very tradition, the Manhole Festival will be held in Shinjuku Takashimaya department store in Tokyo to exhibit various manhole covers from around the nation.
Njomly | New platform for foodies
Njomly is a new platform for foodies. The Belgium-based site sells delicacies and hard-to-find ingredients from 11 renowned shops across Europe. Introduced this month with participating parties like Van Tricht Cheese Refiners, once named the ‘best cheese shop in Europe’, they also sell the dry aged beef of the Butcher’s Store in Antwerp. But also fresh fish from De Jager, Royal Belgian Caviar, wines from Vinifera, chocolate from Jitsk. Check their website in the link for more details.
They created a livestreaming feature that lets customers interact with top chefs and specialists, who teach viewers about their specialties and cooking techniques.
Zagreb and Dubrovnik added to Michelin Guide Main Cities of Europe 2019
The Michelin Guide Main Cities of Europe 2019: Restaurants & Hotels will be available on March 27, 2019 and Zagreb and Dubrovnik, Croatia’s foodie hubs, have been added to this year’s edition. This Michelin Guide offers a range of restaurants and hotels in 38 European cities. The guide is in English, with recommendations made in alphabetical order by country. Each city in the guide will have a “short description, list the not-to-be-missed points of interest during a quick visit, and highlight specialties of the local cuisine.”
In Croatia, there are currently 62 restaurants labelled with Michelin plates, a symbol that indicates “restaurants where the inspectors have discovered quality food,” or stars. Zagreb restaurants Noel, Apetit City, Zinfandel’s, Takenoko, Mano, Dubravkin put, Boban, Mundoaka, Bistro apetit by Marin Rendić, Agava, Gallo and Le Bistro Esplanade are in the prestigious Michelin Gourmet Guide for 2018, while Pelegrini in Šibenik, 360º in Dubrovnik and Monte in Rovinj boast a Michelin star.
Grey squirrel is on the menu in London
The rise in popularity is believed to stem from diners’ growing interest in sustainable, cruelty-free food, which sees them turn to “wild meat” from animals which would have been culled anyway. The grey squirrel is one such animal, classed as an invasive pest which has few predators in the wild and out competes the endangered red squirrel. For example Ivan Tisdall-Downes, who runs the restaurant Native in London’s Borough Market, makes a squirrel ragu by slow cooking the meat from its hind legs. Read the whole article with even a tasting review at the website of the Telegraph.
Restaurant Fortina | Polenta feast served on the table
A huge polenta dinner for 2-20 people at restaurant Fortina in Brooklyn, New York. Chef and owner Christian Petroni explains this peculiar polenta table dish in this video by Thrillist Food and Drink.
Marriot International trained staff to recognize the signs of human trafficking
Marriott International has trained 500,000 hotel workers to recognize the signs of human trafficking. The company’s milestone, reached during National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, underscores global commitment to safety and human rights. Marriott launched its mandatory human trafficking awareness training program for on-property staff in both managed and franchised properties in January 2017, underscoring ongoing efforts under the company’s robust sustainability and social impact platform, Serve 360: Doing Good in Every Direction.
As part of National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, Marriott is pleased to report that hundreds of thousands of associates have stepped forward to understand and stop the exploitation.
Growing Underground | The world’s first underground farm
Below the streets of Clapham, in a former air raid shelter, you’ll find Growing Underground, the world’s first underground farm. Founders Richard and Steven are finally opening their tunnels for tours, so you can discover this unique farm’s fascinating history and learn all about its future in a sustainable world. Read more at the website of Secret London.
