Food & Spirits Magazine #15 | Page 9

This genre has brought us Iron Chefs, Top Chefs and chefs that appear to be certifiably nuts (Gordon Ramsay, anyone?). I grew up in the age of Julia Child, Escoffier and James Beard – simple, elegant, classic. Today’s aspiring culinary students can look to a long list of mentors that could include Eric Ripert, Thomas Keller or Charlie Trotter for inspiration. The more adventurous will undoubtedly be drawn to the emerging practitioners of modernist cuisine (aka molecular gastronomy), though they loathe that moniker. These luminaries are led by Ferran Adriá, Heston Blumenthal and Grant Achatz, to name a few. I see the trend of the highly skilled, adventurous (even avantgarde) chef- driven restaurants to increase. There is so much creative energy emerging from this class of chefs today that the proliferation of these smaller and unique venues is eminent. Grey Plume owner and Chef, Clayton Chapman is leading the charge, and many others will be answering the call. “Food trucks find their niche in various locales, days of the week and times of the day.” As for the sustainability movement, it may be slow to grow, but it is a force to be reckoned with, for sure. Personally, I would love to see significant growth in this segment, which would lower the price of non-GMO, sustainably raised and organically grown products. Having a wider profile for these foods would help increase the interest in healthier alternatives for those trying to manage their health with diet, or those suffering from food sensitivity or allergies. The growth of allergy sensitive items is growing yearly, with glutenfree products leading the way. Both local and national restaurants are taking heed, offering menus directly geared to those who suffer from some food related malady. Locally, ‘health food’ stores are agai ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????)???????????????????????????????]?????????????????)?????????????????????????????????????????(+?q?????????????????????????)????????????????????$????????)????????????????????????????t()???????????()%??????????$?????e?????????????????????????????????????????)?????????????$??????????????????????????$??????????????)???????????????????????????????????????????????????)??????????????????????????????????????????????????????)???????????????????????????????????????????????)????????????????????$???????????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????5??-???????e????????????????????)?????????????????????????????????? ??????????????)?????1????e?????????????e??????????????????????????M???????)????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????+?L??????????????????????????????????????????()Q???1???????????????????e???????)???????????? ???????()=???????????????????????????????????????????????????)??????L??????????????????%?????????????????????????????)???????????????????????????????????????????????)???????????????????????????????????????????????????)????????????????????????????????????????????????????????)????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????)????????????????????????????????????????????????????)????????????????????????e????????????????????????)???????=?????????1???????????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????)????????????????)%???????????????????????????????????????????????????)?????????????????????a??????????d??L????????????????????????)???T?L?????????????????????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????????????????????????????????)??????????????????????????????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????????????????????????Q??????)???????????????????????????????????????????????)????????????????????????????????????????????????????)??????????????????????? ???????????? ?????????????????)???????????????????????????????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????????????????????????????)??????????????()????)??????????)??????%????????????? ??????????()?????????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????????????????+?????????????????+???!?????????????+???M?????????????)?????????????????????????????????????)???????????????????????????????????((?((