Jaimy van der Linden Xiao Er Kong
4 min
INTERVIEW
The changing role of foodservice in our society
Culinary Director at Bon Appétit Marty Cattaneo about the pivot caused by COVID-19
Marty Cattaneo’s passion for cooking began at the age of fifteen as he dreamed of becoming a chef. He went to The Culinary Institute of America, and has recently taken up the mantle of Culinary Director at Bon Appétit Management Company at Google. Food Inspiration spoke to him about how COVID-19 is changing gastronomy and foodservice.
If you look at the world of foodservice, what are the biggest changes?
“Honestly everything has changed in the short term. This time will shape the future of our industry, taking into account new practices to ensure diners and employees will be safe. We will continue to see an increase in take-away business at restaurants. Self-service will no longer be offered. All items will be plated and packaged for guests. This is a massive shift for our food program and our guests. I also believe new innovations will reshape how we view foodservice and the role it plays in our society.”
I am very interested to see how the fine dining world will change with the times. Alinea restaurant in Chicago has shown that adjusting the business model is viable. Since the early stages of the pandemic Chef Achatz and his team have thought of ways to bring the sensory experience of Alinea to guests in their homes, including instructions for their famous dessert plated and eaten off the table top. The continued effort to push the limits and redefine the take out model is a real inspiration that our industry should take to heart. The entire experience from service to flowers from atmosphere to food all play a role as vital pieces of our business. Service in particular will need to flex with the times and provide a safe experience for guests.”
What do you expect the future of your restaurant and gastronomy as a whole to look like?
“I believe this time has shaken our industry to its core. Fine dining to fast casual to corporate dining to hotels have all had to either shutter their business or pivot to a new business model. I look to the future and see a bigger presence of ‘touchless’ experiences. Take out and delivery services will play a larger role than they have in the past.
Reservation platforms such as Tock will serve a larger audience, scheduling pick up times for take out as well requiring consumers to prepay for their reservations. This is critical to restaurant success moving forward.
“
Changing personal protective equipment will have an effect on the ability to taste the food”
What is the influence of COVID-19 on your way of working as a chef?
“COVID-19 will change our daily operation significantly. Safety continues to be at the core of everything we do. Within corporate dining, our Bon Appétit culinary teams have been working closely with the on-site facilities team to create a comfortable dining experience for our users amid so much change. From re-designing line flows to re-mapping out our back-of-house spaces, chefs have to completely rethink their service models. Of course with adjusted service models comes new schedules and rotations for our chefs. This challenge has really helped us think outside the box on how we can leverage our team of talented culinarians both in the kitchens and out in the cafes. Our teams will also have to wear additional personal protective equipment such as masks on a daily basis. We are looking into creative ways that our chefs can continue to show care and compassion to users through the cover of a mask.”
What is the influence of COVID-19 on your menu?
“We are finding a need to rethink our menus to serve items that can hold or travel well after being plated or boxed up. In the past we batch cooked ‘just in time’ as much as possible. In our new environment guests will pick up an item that has already been packaged ahead of their arrival. We must take into consideration the quality degradation of the product over time, the temperature of the dish when the guest eats it, and how it will look when the guest opens the package.”
“
The whole industry had to either shutter their business or pivot to a new business model”
What have been the most important lessons you have learned from the Coronavirus crisis?
“One of my biggest takeaways from COVID-19 is how inspiring it has been to see the restaurant industry pivot in a short amount of time. Many restaurants have shown incredible resilience, creating new concepts or models to drive sales during this difficult time. I have also been energized by how the restaurant industry has come together to fight for resources from our federal government. Independently, a restaurant has very little voice, but the industry has come together as one to fight for change and resources and has seen some early success.”
“
I look to the future and see a bigger presence of touchless experiences”
THE CHANGING ROLE OF FOODSERVICE IN OUR SOCIETY
“
I look to the future and see a bigger presence of ‘touchless’ experiences”
Culinary Director at Bon Appétit Marty Cattaneo about the pivot caused by COVID-19
Marty Cattaneo’s passion for cooking began at the age of fifteen as he dreamed of becoming a chef. He went to The Culinary Institute of America, and has recently taken up the mantle of Culinary Director at Bon Appétit Management Company at Google. Food Inspiration spoke to him about how COVID-19 is changing gastronomy and foodservice.
Jaimy van der Linden Xiao Er Kong
If you look at the world of foodservice, what are the biggest changes?
“Honestly everything has changed in the short term. This time will shape the future of our industry, taking into account new practices to ensure diners and employees will be safe. We will continue to see an increase in take-away business at restaurants. Self-service will no longer be offered. All items will be plated and packaged for guests. This is a massive shift for our food program and our guests. I also believe new innovations will reshape how we view foodservice and the role it plays in our society.”
“
Changing personal protective equipment will have an effect on the ability to taste the food”
I am very interested to see how the fine dining world will change with the times. Alinea restaurant in Chicago has shown that adjusting the business model is viable. Since the early stages of the pandemic Chef Achatz and his team have thought of ways to bring the sensory experience of Alinea to guests in their homes, including instructions for their famous dessert plated and eaten off the table top. The continued effort to push the limits and redefine the take out model is a real inspiration that our industry should take to heart. The entire experience from service to flowers from atmosphere to food all play a role as vital pieces of our business. Service in particular will need to flex with the times and provide a safe experience for guests.”
“
The whole industry had to either shutter their business or pivot to a new business model”
The changing role of foodservice in our society
What is the influence of COVID-19 on your way of working as a chef?
“COVID-19 will change our daily operation significantly. Safety continues to be at the core of everything we do. Within corporate dining, our Bon Appétit culinary teams have been working closely with the on-site facilities team to create a comfortable dining experience for our users amid so much change. From re-designing line flows to re-mapping out our back-of-house spaces, chefs have to completely rethink their service models. Of course with adjusted service models comes new schedules and rotations for our chefs. This challenge has really helped us think outside the box on how we can leverage our team of talented culinarians both in the kitchens and out in the cafes. Our teams will also have to wear additional personal protective equipment such as masks on a daily basis. We are looking into creative ways that our chefs can continue to show care and compassion to users through the cover of a mask.”
What is the influence of COVID-19 on your menu?
“We are finding a need to rethink our menus to serve items that can hold or travel well after being plated or boxed up. In the past we batch cooked ‘just in time’ as much as possible. In our new environment guests will pick up an item that has already been packaged ahead of their arrival. We must take into consideration the quality degradation of the product over time, the temperature of the dish when the guest eats it, and how it will look when the guest opens the package.”
What have been the most important lessons you have learned from the Coronavirus crisis?
“One of my biggest takeaways from COVID-19 is how inspiring it has been to see the restaurant industry pivot in a short amount of time. Many restaurants have shown incredible resilience, creating new concepts or models to drive sales during this difficult time. I have also been energized by how the restaurant industry has come together to fight for resources from our federal government. Independently, a restaurant has very little voice, but the industry has come together as one to fight for change and resources and has seen some early success.”
What do you expect the future of your restaurant and gastronomy as a whole to look like?
“I believe this time has shaken our industry to its core. Fine dining to fast casual to corporate dining to hotels have all had to either shutter their business or pivot to a new business model. I look to the future and see a bigger presence of ‘touchless’ experiences. Take out and delivery services will play a larger role than they have in the past.
Reservation platforms such as Tock will serve a larger audience, scheduling pick up times for take out as well requiring consumers to prepay for their reservations. This is critical to restaurant success moving forward.
4 min