GENERAL
Chef Ivor Jones
Chef Patron, Chefs Warehouse Beau Constantia For Ivor Jones, 2025 was all about rising costs.“ The cost of ingredients has skyrocketed … it’ s been a real challenge,” he says. Add in higher wages and increasing expenses, and every menu decision becomes a strategic puzzle.
On the diner side, special dietary requirements have also skyrocketed.“ Every table comes with a list of‘ can’ t haves’,” he says – a big change from when he started, almost two decades ago.
Staffing remains the ever-present headache.“ Finding and keeping good people is tougher than ever,” Ivor says, echoing a theme that recurs across the board.
Looking to this year, he predicts a major rethink around value. Dining out is becoming a more intentional act, which opens doors for“ local, community-driven spots that serve great food at prices that still feel fair.” But he’ s quick to point out that fine dining isn’ t going anywhere.“ People are still looking for those special, memorable experiences” – as long as they feel worthwhile.
He’ s personally excited to immerse himself in new flavours:“ I’ m heading to the north of Thailand for three weeks to cook … I can’ t wait to dive into the local ingredients and flavours there.”
As for steering his own restaurant through whatever comes next, his philosophy is refreshingly grounded.“ You can’ t control everything in this business … so I focus on controlling what I can,” he says. That means staying flexible, keeping standards high, and holding onto“ the joy of cooking.”
Chef Kerry Kilpin
Executive Chef at Bistro Sixteen82 and Tryn at Steenberg Farm Kerry Kilpin saw 2025 reinforce a truth the industry keeps circling back to: adaptation is constant, and there’ s no room for complacency.“ Guests are more informed and expect real value, honest food, and a proper experience,” she says. Rising costs forced hard decisions across the board, pushing chefs to rethink menus, portioning, and waste – all while keeping quality front and centre.
“ There’ s a definite shift back to simple, flavour-driven dishes done really well, with seasonality and sustainability now expected, rather than nice-to-have,” adds Kilpin. At the same time, the widening skills gap has made training and mentorship critical.“ Keeping standards high means investing time in young chefs more than ever.”
Diner behaviour has shifted too. People may be eating out less frequently, but expectations have sharpened.“ When they do go out, they want it to really count,” she says.“ Guests are also more aware of ingredients and appreciate transparency and seasonality. Overall, they want a genuine experience, nothing over-complicated: good, honest, flavourful food, and warm, attentive service.”
Behind the scenes, the biggest challenge has been balance.“ Maintaining quality amid rising costs has been a constant juggle,” Kilpin admits. Add to that a younger workforce that’ s more sensitive to hours and kitchen pressures, and the need for change is unavoidable.“ We’ ve had to adapt how we train, communicate, and structure the kitchen to work with this new workforce. It’ s pushed us to work tighter and more intentionally.”
Looking ahead to 2026, Kilpin believes success will favour restaurants that remain grounded. Restaurants that stay simple, genuine, and adaptable will do well.“ Honest, consistent food and seasonality will stay key,” she adds, noting that staffing will be a big focus.“ We’ ll need to work with the new generation and be more flexible, and this may mean hiring more hands, as the health and happiness of your team is key to your business’ s success.”
She doesn’ t chase trends, but she remains deeply inspired by ingredients and technique.“ Local, seasonal produce is inspiring, and I like seeing traditional methods used in new ways: smoking, curing, and pickling in particular. I also love working with simple techniques that bring out maximum flavour without overcomplicating things.”
As for her own kitchens, the path forward is clear.“ It’ s about staying flavourful, consistent, and delivering value across the whole experience,” Kilpin explains. Continued investment in training, adapting to how the new generation works, and constant refinement – all without losing honesty or heart – will shape what comes next. TT
12 TRADE & TASTE / 2026