Farm-To-Table Restaurants In India Grew By 60% In 2023: Reports

The seventh edition of the Godrej Trends Report 2023 reveals that the number of farm-to-table restaurants in India surged by 60% in 2023. The report shows that consumers across varied categories, diners and consumers are moving towards local ingredients and cooking components.

There is an increased demand for regional Indian cooking mediums, for instance, like ghee and natural seed oils.

Community-supported agrarian products and seasonal, native ingredients are also growing in popularity. The report clearly suggests a shift towards locally produced, seasonal and traditional eating across home cooking and the F&B sector.

“This year, I am personally excited to see growing international interest and recognition given to India for its rich culinary diversity, along with a growing demand for culinary knowledge and skills across all segments,” said, Tanya Dubash, Executive Director & Chief Brand Officer Godrej Industries Limited & Associate Companies.

“We have so much to offer to the world, and the industry will do well by investing serious time and resources into research and documentation of our inherent wisdom so that we can collectively reap the benefits brought in by the global interest in our future propositions.”

The report which has been put together by a consortium of 350+ culinary personalities, including celebrity chefs, home cooks, bloggers, and healthcare has shed light on the rising popularity of flavours associated with nostalgia with menus inspired by culinary heritage coming out on top again.

The Menu Inspirations segment reveals that besides a 60 surge in farm-to-table restaurant concepts, there has been a 75 % rise in menus inspired by culinary heritage. “Menus inspired by culinary heritage have come out on top because these recipes and dishes have goodness, sustainability, finesse, technique, science, history, flavour combinations, fascinating ingredients, and above all stories in their favour! Multiply that by the staggering diversity of India’s food landscape, and there is so much that restaurants can offer and diners can explore!,” says food journalist and author Kunal Vijayakar, as part of the report.

The report also reveals that more and more people are interested in indigenous cuisine and traditional techniques. There has been a 54 % rise in the demand for tribal or indigenous cuisines and a 53% spike in the popularity of mountain cuisines of India, particularly North-East India’s micro cuisines.

“There is increasing interest in hyper-local and foraged ingredients. These practices have been common in tribals and indigenous people across the country but are now becoming mainstream. The modern dining experience is more than just food; it’s a holistic experience. People want to know the story of their food, and how and where it is sourced from and the communities and the people who cook it,” says chef Dhanashree Goregaonkar, as part of the report.

Locally-made global ferments are also in demand and the report also shows that health/immunity-boosting functional foods held their own ground last year. There has been a 57 % uptick in the popularity of locally-made global ferments.

Chef Manish Mehrotra shed some light on this trend, in the report. “Cheesemaking and global ferments are gaining prominence. They sound more exotic. But, fermentation was always part of Indian culture. In my kitchen, we source black carrot kanji in season from a home chef and regularly use cheeses like Kalari from Kashmir. That said, it is great that the spotlight is on fermented foods because it will bring out and preserve the hidden gems and traditions of our culinary culture,” he said.

“The hunt for ‘funk’ & umami will continue on the plate, thanks to the steady rise of ferment-loving millenials, because of whom fermentation has accelerated faster than a viral Instagram post! Happily this will drive interest in traditional Indian ferments perfected by our mothers, grandmothers & those who came before them,” says Chef Rohit Sangwan.