The HostAmbassadors are out there gathering ‘intelligence’ for HostMilano. They are not exactly secret agents, but they do excellent detective work uncovering trends as soon as they appear all over the world, and then report back on them.

Green solutions, the localisation of work, but also efficiency drives and the externalisation of some processes are trends currently transforming the world of hospitality.

Peggy Li, a HostAmbassador based in China but with an extensive view on what’s happening all the way from the Levant to the Far East, tells us that the hotel sector in the Middle East now includes numerous environmentally-aware hotels and resorts, which have eliminated single-use plastic, installed low-energy lighting, introduced other energy-saving measures and started using more eco-friendly materials. To reduce their carbon footprint they are using renewable energy sources, most notably solar power.

One trend that promises some interesting developments is that of so-called ‘production kitchens’, as unearthed by Monique Ceccato, who writes from Australia. These are places where basic preparatory work is done for restaurants and bars, to reduce the workload of chefs and cooks, and speed up routine work processes generally.

Rosa Moraes reports back from a Brazil that is beginning to focus on the country’s natural attractions and its huge biological and cultural diversity, to increase international tourism and offer “green” structures and services. Meanwhile, Nancy D'Souza writes from Canada about the use of indoor farming as one solution to the problem of increasing food and energy costs and as a way round the problems caused by ever more frequent instances of extreme weather. Greenhouses, vertical farms and hydroponic methods are used to grow fruits, vegetables and herbs all year round, even in a cold country like Canada.

And indeed everyone now seems to be focusing on plants, with triple star-rated chefs now offering 100% plant-based menus (a trend favoured by Daniel Humm at Eleven Madison Park in New York, and Niko Romito at Reale, in Italy). Even ultra-traditional countries like Austria are now looking at ways of making vegan versions of traditional dishes, as Alexandra Gorsche explains.

For the past few years, the BeMyHost project has enlisted the services of a network of collaborators, to keep an eye on all sectors covered by HostMilano – Professional Foodservice-Bakery, Pizza and Pasta; Coffee-Tea, Bars-Coffee Machines-Vending; Gelato-Pastry; Furnishings-Technology-Tableware – and on consumer patterns. This is why Host, the next edition of which will be held from 13 to 17 October 2023, is not just a trade fair but also an international trendsetter operating all year round.