International Observatory for Food Service Concepts

Institut Paul Bocuse and Food Service Vision have launched an observatory that aims to identify and understand new food service trends and concepts from around the world. 

In a globalised world, it’s important to be able to track different trends from across the globe to uncover innovations, ideas and developments.  In the space of just a few months, thanks to highly original approach the observatory has become a proactive and creative monitoring tool that enables our students to play an active part in food service innovation.

To successfully carry out this project, a community under the name of Curioseaty has been created benefitting from an international network of 3,500 students and alumni present across more than 80 countries worldwide.  Our Bachelor’s and Master’s degree students work as ambassadors tracking and testing new food service concepts during their university exchange programmes, trips or business placements overseas.

Each location they visit gives rise to a written report plus photos cataloguing the type of food service, offer, trend (locavorism, sustainable development, convenience, wellness …), design and innovations identified.

For example, our two globe trotters, François Jestin – a Bachelor’s degree student in Hospitality Management and Nicolas Gruner – a Bachelor’s degree student in Culinary Arts Management, are currently putting to good use their ‘Student Hospitality & Culinary World Tour’ to identify a range of innovative food concepts. Recently, they shared with us their discovery of the Sufra Café concept, a traditional Jordanian restaurant that defends not only local traditions, but is also an immersive experience for the customer. The restaurant is located in a typical Jordanian house that has been designed to blend into the local neighbourhood so that customers feel part of the culture of the country.

Camille, who became a trend chaser during her overseas student exchange programme, tested the Insects in the Backyard concept. The concept is the first-ever gastronomic restaurant in Thailand to offer its customers insect-based dishes, representing a break with tradition and offering a sustainable solution to the problem of protein intake for years to come.

After just a few months of existence, the Observatory has already identified more than 200 concepts from almost 50 different countries. Our students’ written reports on concepts are analysed by Food Service Vision, the experts in out-of-home food consumption. This enables food service professionals to better understand world food trends, and offers them both inspiration and innovative ideas on a plate!

The Curioseaty community offers our students unequalled opportunities to discover new cultures and understand the future of food service. At Institut Paul Bocuse, we like to remind the up and coming talent of the restaurant industry that it’s essential to think international when creating new concepts.