Sydneysiders and Melburnians have not abandoned restaurants, while meat and three veg remains Australia’s most popular meal, according to two new surveys released this week. Research into credit card spending by American Express in Melbourne and Sydney showed that, despite restaurants remain a popular option for Australians, expenditure has come under pressure – particularly at fine dining establishments. The credit card provider conducted a survey with restaurateurs in Australia’s... ...Read more »

Portion control fails to consume shoppers, fine dining success is reliant on quality and ambiance and pasta thrives in challenging economic times, according to three new reports from market and consumer research firm Mintel. 100-calorie packs a tough sell: price and size deter hungry consumers 100-calorie packs were introduced earlier this century with great success in America and were designed to appeal to shoppers keen for a snack that wouldn’t pile on the pounds. Though weight and health... ...Read more »

Economic conditions remain less than ideal for restaurant launches but this hasn’t stopped a number of new offerings entering the market this year. Openings of hyped restaurants like Nuevo 37, MoMo and Rockpool Bar & Grill highlight that many are still prepared to take a chance on the Australian consumer, despite a 12% fall in industry profits last year. Another newcomer to the dining scene is Embrasse, a restaurant opened by Nicolas & Tara Poelaert, who were determined not to let economic... ...Read more »

An American survey has discovered the items consumers are most likely to cutback on, with fast-food one of the most “untouchable” categories. The survey, conducted by BIGresearch, found that Americans have redefined what’s “untouchable” and what is “expendable” in their lives to adjust to the current economic climate. According to the survey, eating at fast-food restaurants (36.6%) came out sixth on consumers’ list of off limit categories, following... ...Read more »

Norwegian chef, Geir Skeie, has claimed the top prize at the biennial Bocuse d’Or – commonly referred to as the Olympics of cooking. For more than twenty years the Bocuse d’Or has been staging the most beautiful gourmet creations in the world in the manner of a haute couture fashion show. Working in contest kitchens set up facing the public, 24 chefs from all over the world took up the challenge to create two perfect dishes within 5 hrs 35 minutes. Similarly to the popular Japanese... ...Read more »

Tokyo has solidified its reputation as a gastronomic capital, after again receiving more Michelin stars than any other city. The Michelin guide to Tokyo was released overnight, with the Japanese capital increasing their number of coveted stars to 227 spread across 173 restaurants – an increase of 36 stars and 23 restaurants on last year. The Michelin guide awards restaurants of high quality with either one, two or three stars, with three meaning the restaurant has “exceptional cuisine”... ...Read more »

As talk of economic turmoil continues to dominate media reports, food industry participants can’t help but feel it is only a matter of time before the downturn impacts on them – if it hasn’t already. However, in the case of economic conditions, it is important to remember that ‘what goes down must go up’. The impact on the food industry is fortunately softened by the fact that everyone still needs food, but some areas are still likely to suffer. Over the course of the next... ...Read more »

UK retailer Waitrose has seen demand for ‘restaurant-style foods’ soar as rising costs put greater strains on household spending. Sales of nibbles – from olives and dips to gourmet sharing dishes – are up 53% year on year. And sales of the supermarket’s ‘As Good As Going Out’ range of prepared meals have risen by 42% as some customers shun restaurant meals to stay at home. Sales of Champagne are up by a healthy 10% compared with 2007, indicating consumers are not... ...Read more »