What a week this has been for everyone. An absolute torrid whirlwind of uncertainty and crippling doubt just right out of nowhere. These kind of situations make you reflect and think on the things that are important, the necessity’s versus the can do withouts. I, along with many others, work in an industry that is deemed to be a luxury commodity in times like this. Bars and restaurants rely on people doing exactly what they can’t do at the moment, socialising. Prior to all of this happening, we have to ask ourselves the hard question of ‘were we non consciously slowly self isolating ourselves anyway?’ The fact is that it was reported that last year a 1/3 of Britons were now regularly eating every meal on their own. The Guardian, Table for one: how eating alone is radically changing our diets, 2019 These were frankly staggering stats that have crept up on us at an alarming rate. Due to lifestyles, work commitments and technology we are becoming solitary people in what is becoming an ever increasingly solitary world. “...were we non consciously slowly self isolating ourselves anyway?”As an industry the concept of dining has and continues to be questioned on a daily basis. As peoples habits evolve so do their diets, their routines and wants and desires. Consumers today (a word I hate as it sounds like we the people are animals at a zoo) are smart, world savvy and ‘woke’ individuals. That being the key word, individuals. You no longer can categorise people as groups defined by social status, education, gender or ethnicity you have to see people for what and who they are. As people have evolved the hospitality sector has, albeit initially reluctantly, evolved with it. The rise in the success of companies such as Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat are one of these many adaptations that have proven to be successful. In unprecedented times people adapt and do extraordinary things. There are stories coming out of the USA, which has seen many if not all restaurants and bars cease trading, where restaurant owners have totally adapted their business model to deal with this. Take one of Seattle’s top fine dining destinations Canlis for example. They are bringing their food to the people. With their website landing page stating ‘Times are changing and so are we. For Now’ “Canlis asked themselves one question ‘what would we look like from scratch?”With their main restaurant closing they were adamant in keeping on their 115 employees. So by setting up cheap to build pop ups they have created sub brands such as the bagel station and burger drive thru which ultimately was only possible by the community pulling together. Local fishmongers weren’t selling stock so donated the produce free of charge. There was also the mammoth task of being able to produce the demand for 1000+ burgers a day running off one fryer. This was again only made possible by a local kitchen equipment supplier who donated two additional fryers and a commercial mixer. In a week which has been full of doom and gloom for the hospitality sector then these stories need to be shared to show that adaption and not eradication is the means to prevailing and surviving.
Canlis asked themselves one question ‘what would we look like from scratch?’ And i think this is a question we all have to ask ourselves. By taking this bold approach, Canlis has now re-designed itself from a top end fine dining restaurant to a trendy mobile restaurant for the masses. It's given an opportunity for them to re-build a new identity. COVID-19 may sound like a 2019 comic book convention at the NEC, but it is dangerous, it’s invisible and it’s a killer but we have to do what we do best as people. Bang our heads together, innovate, create and adapt. If you’d like to read more on this amazing feat by Canlis then click here to read the full Fast Company article.
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Designer. Did a blog. Starting blog again. Early Thirties. Like Food. Like Drink. Like Music. Like travelling. If you like this blog get involved, comment and send me a story or a product, lifestyle, or way of life to promote.
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