This is how top chefs see the future of the hospitality industry: socially engaged, innovative and exceptionally delicious

Society is increasingly focusing on healthy living, a good work-life balance and the future of the planet. For decades, the hospitality industry stood precisely for meat, fish, wine and hard work without a private life. Those times are over. At Horecava, there is therefore a lot of attention for social trends and social changes in the culinary world.

The chef has long since ceased to be the anonymous kitchen captain; modern chefs are increasingly a public figure. They are often opinion leaders, influencers, prominent media figures and drivers of lasting change. Through Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, even small restaurants or emerging chefs can become world-famous without the help of traditional media. Chefs like René Redzepi (Noma) and Massimo Bottura (Osteria Francescana), for example, use their fame to launch initiatives against food waste and for sustainable working practices.

Chefs are also the stars at Horecava. Like Redzepi and Bottura, Jef Schuur is a top chef with a mission. He not only wants to serve sustainable fish dishes in his own Texel restaurant, but also to inspire and inform other chefs. Supported by three international three-star chefs and marine biologists, he is shaping the Sustainable Fish Symposium in cooperation with Horecava. Here they will explain why fish species with a fast life cycle and a low position in the food chain are often a better choice than large, long-lived predatory fish. You will also learn what is wrong with our current fishing seasons, which are based on the time of year when fish are easiest to catch; not on what would be more favourable for fish stocks.

At Horecava, you can also join top chefs during Taste of Horecava. The chefs show what innovative cooking techniques and ingredients they use and where the culinary catering industry is heading in the future. It is a place for networking and inspiration. At the NK Koken, visitors will see as fly on the wall How top chefs create dishes with their teams.

At horecava is a Taste of Wine Professional Theatre, where enthusiasts and professionals will discover the latest trends, techniques and flavours and taste wines from Georgia to New Zealand. One such trend, which by the way you see not only in drinks but also in food, is a penchant for a healthy lifestyle.

Thus, high-quality alcoholic beverages used to be an important part of fine dining. These days, many top restaurants have options for creative, non-alcoholic pairings. These have the same culinary sophistication as wine and often come from artisan producers. Chefs and sommeliers work together to create high-end mocktails, 0.0 wines, fermented drinks like kombucha and even non-alcoholic spirits. This is done with the same attention to balance, flavour and complexity as traditional wine pairings.

Catering businesses are also increasingly concerned with their social impact, which will also be highlighted at Horecava. Restaurants are going more for plant-based options and working with local farmers and producers to reduce the distance food travels (and thus their carbon footprint).

Another trend is the increased focus on personnel. Burnout and stress were a big problem in the industry, especially in the high-end segment. Now the focus is much more on preventing downtime. This is done by, among other things, letting hospitality businesses open less often, flexible schedules, fixed days off, four-day working weeks, shorter shifts, better planning and focusing on quality rather than quantity.

Horecava has been the meeting place for professionals in the world of eating, drinking and sleeping outdoors since 1957. The largest trade fair for the food service and hospitality industry in the Netherlands attracts 60,000 visitors each edition. They are looking for inspiration, want to network and have real heart for their profession. Horecava is the start of the new hospitality year. The fair features exhibitors divided into the following categories: food & wine, fast casual, cold drinks, coffee, tea & cocoa, bakery & patisserie, interior & design, mass catering and tech & services. There is a special focus on personnel challenges, innovation and sustainability, and visitors will discover the latest industry trends, developments and tastes at Horecava.