#rest101

[juliadancel]

FOOD IN 2018?

Every year the restaurant business get bigger. In the past year, people have grown more accustomed to vegan, organic and gluten-free diet. In Vancouver alone, there are about 50 vegan and gluten-free stores that opened just in my area. In addition to that, some of the top five trends that I found going around are:

1. Breakfast all day, anytime

-  Some of my favorite fast-food restos have finally made a their breakfast menu stay for 24 hrs., not just until 11 AM, and I think that is one of the best things they have ever done. They are already very popular, with people wanting to eat breakfast and not just in the morning but all day long

2. Open Kitchen concept

-  The increased interest in delicious, healthy food has influenced new trends in appearance in the restaurant business. Over the past year, the open kitchen format has become popular in Europe and the USA, where a restaurant's guests can watch the cooking process and assess produce quality. When customers see the entire workflow from the inside, they don't doubt the freshness of the produce and the quality of the restaurant staff’s work. In addition, the time spent awaiting the order is much more exciting than the view from the window or on the TV screen.

3. Food delivery services

- Nowadays, you can order food online and get them delivered to your door. Vancouver has a handful of food delivery services that you can either call or go to their website and order. Online food-delivery platforms (UberEats, Skip the Dishes, Foodora, etc) are expanding choice and convenience, allowing customers to order from a wide range of restaurants with a single tap on their mobile device. People accustomed to shopping online through mobile apps or websites, with maximum convenience, increasingly expect the same experience when it comes to ordering dinner.

4. Locally and ethical food source

- Local produce is an excellent alternative to imported varieties. First of all, imported suppliers demand higher prices, which is why so many restaurateurs have switched to more profitable collaborations with local food suppliers. Today people pay much more attention to what they eat, and their desire for locally grown produce is growing as well. The best way to get fresh fruit and vegetables for your kitchen is to find a local farmer's’ market with unique and varied produce. This may inspire you and your chef to create new dishes for your menu. It will always be beneficial if you write on your menu which local farm you are cooperating with so that guests know for sure that you are serving food cooked with fresh ingredients.

5. Instagram worthy or not?

-  You know when you’re about to take a bite of your delicious food and your friends screams ‘NO, DON’T EAT IT YET! I NEED TO TAKE A PICTURE’ because I’ve had my fair share of that. It’s like the camera eats first. However, on the other hand, if you want to know more about what’s the latest scoop in food/beverages, look for chefs and even bartenders in 2018 to introduce more food and drink options that focus on vibrant and exciting colors that guests will be sure to photograph, to share on Instagram or other social media networks.

[droutea-blog]

In times of stress, i believe in the saying: don’t hate - meditate! Here are 5 mindful ways to keep your cool anywhere - whether you’re at work, stuck in standstill traffic, or beating deadlines on a midnight shift.

1. Recognize your stress. Oftentimes when we’re stressed, we don’t quite realize it’s happening. The first step is to realize its presence and acknowledge the feeling of what it’s doing to us.

2. Allow yourself to do nothing. We’re so used to being constantly busy that we rarely realize that this is precisely the root of the problem. Take time to slow down and just be present, wherever you are. Allowing your thoughts to settle and drift will surely slow down the building of tension in your body.

3. Listen to music. Music is power! Listening to music can significantly affect your mood. It needn’t even be the classics; let your body decide what you need, and allow the music to lift you out of your loop.

4. Breathe Deeply Almost everyone knows this one, but do you know there’s a correct way to breathe? “Belly breathing” is a breathing exercise that can help relieve anxiety; slowly inhale air into your lungs and feel your belly expand. You can even place both hands on your belly to feel it consciously. There’s a visual breathing guide available to help you. In this triangle breathing video, simply match your breathing to the way the triangle expands and contracts on the screen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXItOY0sLRY

5. Try a Walking Meditation If you’re sick of sitting still and have the mobility to move around, a walking meditation may be the exercise you need. First, find a clear path you can safely walk across. Then, you make your way across, step by step, and try to be conscious of your movements - the way you hold your balance, your speed, and where you place your attention.

Hope that these tips would help and work out for you!