THE CHANGING FACE OF FOOD

From ghost kitchens to upcycled ingredients that would otherwise have gone to waste, the rapidly changing food industry is being fuelled by environmental and economic social change.

GHOST KITCHENS

Ghost kitchens began appearing well before COVID, but lockdown has certainly accelerated their rise. A ghost kitchen is a professional food preparation and cooking facility that is set up for the preparation of delivery-only meals.

Ghost kitchens have emerged to capitalise on the rising popularity of ordering out instead of dining in, with a growing number of New Zealanders preferring to eat in the comfort of their own homes without having to wait for a table or for their food to arrive. The country’s first ‘ghost restaurant’, Hot Lips, popped up on Auckland’s Ponsonby Rd in 2018, operating solely on Uber Eats, specialising in Tennesseestyle chicken and cauliflower. Since then, ghost kitchens have continued to grow in popularity as the overheads are lower, but all the benefits of online delivery remain.

With COVID-19 continuing to affect the traditional restaurant model into 2021, it’s predicted to be a continuing trend for the year. In Christchurch, TUCK (Tuam Cloud Kitchens) opened last year, offering up to 20 commercial kitchens for small businesses needing extra cooking space to produce food specifically for delivery.

FOOD ARCHITECTURE

With major food-related challenges facing modern society, including sustainably feeding a growing global population and stemming the increase of diet-related chronic illness, food scientists are turning to what’s known as food architecture and functional foods to create healthier, tastier and more sustainable foods.

Professor David Julian McClements from the University of Massachusetts’ food science department says food architecture can be defined as the “art and practice of designing and fabricating foods”. Think healthy processed food that taste good. “It is possible to create healthier and more sustainable processed foods by the careful application of science and technology,” says McClements.

UPCYCLING STARS

As more people and companies are looking for ways to reduce food waste, upcycled foods, made from ingredients that would have otherwise been food waste will continue to grow in popularity. The United Nations estimates the waste of some 1.3 billion tonnes of food each year is causing economic losses of $750 billion and significant damage to the environment, so it’s a huge global issue.

The Upcycled Grain Project was started in 2020 by Lower Hutt-based gourmet cracker and condiment producer Rutherford & Meyer. It uses grain from brewers around New Zealand to create health-focused snack foods.

When making beer, brewers steep malted barley to give body and flavour. They keep the liquid to make beer, then discard the grain. These grains are actually sugar-free and packed with protein and fibre, so it made sense to upcycle these natural ingredients to produce the Upcycled Grain Project’s range of crackers, bars and bites.

OUT AND ABOUT

After a year of cancellations and postponements, here are some summer foodie festivals we’re looking forward to visiting:

The Cromwell Food & Wine Festival on 2 January is in the beautiful sheltered garden of McNulty House. There will be live music, good food and wine tasting to enjoy. cromwellheritageprecinct.co.nz

The Katikati Avocado Food & Wine Festival on 9 January at Uretara Domain has cooking demonstrations, live music, and avocados ... lots of avocados. katikatiavofest.co.nz

In addition to Dave Dobbyn and The Feelers for live music, the First We Eat festival in Tauranga on 30 January has four food zones: Sounds of the Sea, Plant Power, Rickshaw Ride and Stars and Stripes. From the titles, you can imagine what will be on offer as they seek to cover all tastes, dietary requirements and ages. firstweeat.co.nz

The Sarau Festival on 31 January celebrates the fabulous Moutere Valley and its people, together with the local horticultural industries. Expect cooking demonstrations, cream teas and around 200 market stalls, selling everything from garlic to strawberries. saraufestival.co.nz

On 20 February, Orton Bradley Park plays home to the Banks Peninsula Festival – a vibrant showcase of music, food, beverage and culture from around the region. facebook.com/bankspeninsulafestival

The 16th Twizel Salmon & Wine Festival takes place on 27 February, with boutique wines, craft beers, and delicious local salmon, at the new venue at Lake Ruataniwha. twizel.info