The New Rules Of Dining Out

As the world opens up, here are some important changes to keep in mind when travelling for a fine dining experience

- Magandeep Singh

This may sound drastic and yet hardly unbelievable, but the pandemic and its aftermath will change everything about civilisation as we know it. Most of these changes would normally have taken centuries to precipitate, but now stand superlatively sped up with Covid-19 acting as the unwanted but inevitable catalyst.

My recent trip to Europe made me see things as they stand: similar, yet somehow different, revitalised, but also apprehensive and uncertain. While smaller eateries are managing to cope better given their ability to adapt and swim with the tide, the bigger, more prominent establishments are still struggling to eke a path out that could help them sustainably grow in the future. People are tired of the term 'pivot' from Michelin-starred joints doing burger pop-ups to top-rated bars doing home delivery of cocktails the focus is now shifting on putting out products and services that are pandemic-resistant and won't succumb to the next lockdown or curfew, no matter what brings it on. This is where the new fine dining Qi is at.

PROVENANCE:

When the world shut down, so did supplies, and many a country had to look inward to find ways to keep stocks replenished. Le Syndicat is a bar in Paris that focuses on local spirits. It has done that since much before the pandemic, mind you, but the last two years made this local sourcing more relevant and possibly even became an advantage, especially when supply chains stood disrupted or delayed and extremely overpriced. No wonder it is one of the finest bars in Paris, and you'd be hard-pressed to recognise all the elixirs they work with. Maybe it's time for a similar bar right here in India. Toddy, Feni, Kesar Kasturi, let's get creative.

SETTING: