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The rise and rise of premium fast food, and what it means for UK caterers

June 29, 2016 11:41 am

For foodservice and catering companies, premium fast food is on the up, says Food Manufacture magazine. Consumers are after more luxurious choices: Smart Group stated in late 2015 that their clients were looking for “imagination, experience and perfection - whatever the budget.” Caterers Hickory have noticed a surge in “sociable eating” through sharing platters - a trend recognised by others and praised for creating an informal and relaxed eating environment.

On restaurant tables, supermarket shelves and caterers’ menus, international street food is being embraced across the UK food industry.

High street trends

Today, premium fast food is taking up more and more of the UK high street. Chips are increasingly offered with a variety of toppings; the number of street food vendors is growing, and more restaurants are popping up that...

The remarkable rise of Asian food in the UK and Europe

June 22, 2016 10:07 am

There’s no city in Europe where you can’t find Indian, Chinese and Japanese food. The love of Asian cuisine is firmly entrenched across the continent and especially in the UK, with suburban takeaways and upmarket gourmet establishments alike doing a roaring trade. We’ll look at how Asian food arrived here, and why has it stayed and spread so far.

Spice along the Silk Road

Asia and Europe have long shared trade, with the ancient Silk Road route bringing goods from China and India through the Middle East and into Europe. The route has been trodden since Roman times, and along with silk and jewellery, traders used it to bring spices and new flavours to Europe. During the Middle Ages, spices came to be highly prized and increasingly important in European cooking. Cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and black pepper Read More

The real value of the Asian food market

June 15, 2016 5:26 pm

There is no doubt that the global Asian food market has grown exponentially in the two past decades: The Washington Post claims that the Asian takeaway market alone has increased in size by 500% in the since 2001.

There’s much to indicate that the UK market is playing its part in this - but what’s driving this rise in popularity?

The rise of street food

Street food is fresh and cheap, offering foodies chance to experience a wide array of cuisine at affordable prices. According to the Street Food Report 2014, 47% of its 150 interviewees planned to eat more street food in the upcoming twelve months, and 37% said they would spend much more than a fiver.

Our increasing interest in health will only encourage growth further. The Waitrose Food and Drink...

Why London is the food capital of the world

June 8, 2016 11:40 am

With 8 million residents packed into 600 square miles, London is home to nearly every race, culture, personality and ethos. And the people have to eat - which is what we believe makes London the food capital of the world. Let us explain:

The world in one city

Culturally, London is a melting pot; a microcosm of the entire world crammed into nine Underground zones. With a diverse culture comes fantastic food: Jamaican roti in Brixton, Pakistani biriyani in Newham, Sichuan mapo doufu in Chinatown, and every imaginable Indian curry on Brick Lane. You can find any cuisine here, if you look for it. The best bit? Authenticity. Attracted by the opportunities in London, families from all over the world have brought their amazing food to the city and set up fantastic restaurants. There’s no need...

The evolution of naan: a history of India’s best loved bread

June 1, 2016 10:19 am

Whether it’s a coconut-scented peshwari to the minced-meat-stuffed keema, for many, an Indian meal isn’t complete without a fresh, fluffy naan bread to soak up all the gravy. First mentioned by Indo-Persian poet Amir Kushrau in 1300AD, it’s a bread with an illustrious history, and one that has seen a great deal of change over the years.

From royal beginnings…

Naan is traditionally cooked in a tandoor oven and consists of flour, yeast, sugar, salt, ghee, water and yoghurt. Its origins are contested: some say its creation was the result of an experiment after the arrival of yeast from Egypt, but many believe that it was invented by the Mughals and Persians - and its name does originate from the Persian word for ‘food’. The naan’s popularity...