“For things to remain the same, everything will have to change.” But how true is that famous line from Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa’s ‘The Leopard’ today? We might conclude that some quite exceptional and disruptive changes have been taking place in the hospitality sector are. But in actual fact, many of those changes are simply an acceleration of processes that were already under way, especially those of digitisation and the introduction of new technologies. A range of solutions which already existed that have turned out to be uniquely suited to how we satisfy the demands of the present, and thus also of the future.

“In the kitchen I foresee an even bigger push towards food safety and the technology that makes this possible,” says Dieter Xiao, Corporate F&B Director of Norwegian Cruise Lines Holding. “This may mean less physical contact with the ingredients by human beings and greater automation involving the use of robots. As strange as this may sound, humans are often the ones contaminating the food. We already have blenders, choppers and many other machines in kitchens. The next step is clear.”

Another technology accelerating its entry into kitchens is information systems that do not just contain recipes, but have other functions like costs, inventory, purchasing and traceability. “While this already exists in some way or another, it is still not prevalent yet, as most don’t have a front-of-house module. In my opinion they need to be one and the same. In the front of house, I see quicker implementation of technology in many ways, from virtual menus and wine lists that offer food pairing suggestions to touchless payment options, automated food delivery systems electronic bar drink dispensers etc.”

Another front on which existing innovations will be consolidated and indeed take on an even more important role is that of technologies aimed at creating a more sustainable future, including in packaging.

“Finally,” Xiao ends by saying, “I like that there finally seems to be real concern now for the quality of the air that we have in our venues and how this affects health. Having attended the last edition of HostMilano, I can confidently say that the level of innovation and creativity in Europe, and particularly in Italy, is unmatched. And as such you are very well positioned to lead in this field and deal with any new requirements efficiently.”

From Qatar, Husni Jarrar of Kitchenco, a company that designs and supplies high-end professional kitchens, gives us a sense of the demand for the introduction of IoT coming from the sector: “In many projects we are using systems to ensure the safety of food and machines safety by controlling the rise and fall of temperatures in refrigeration or cooking equipment also by diagnosis of equipment failures and through re-programming of some equipment. These systems are available on the market as separate systems or embedded in the equipment and can be used as an option as per consumer requests. They are mostly used in high end projects like 5-star hotels or production facilities. As a trading company we don't look for these systems unless the customer asks for it, or if it is specified in the project.”