What direction is Ho.Re.Ca heading in? As we await the chance to see all the latest innovations and trends for ourselves at the 43rd edition of HostMilano, at Rho FieraMilano from 13 to 17 October, HostMilano’s social team and monitoring body have identified some of the new ideas in the sectors covered by the event.

We begin with food service: some of the most state-of-the-art establishments, like CocinaHermano Torres in Barcelona and Verso in Milan, are experimenting with a new format that goes beyond the “traditional” chef’s table and places the kitchen at the centre of the restaurant. This takes the dining-out experience to a whole new level: the barrier between the kitchen and the dining room is removed and chefs and diners share a single dimension.

Meanwhile that ancient and highly traditional dessert – gelato – is the subject of a major contemporary revamp, with the concept of sustainability at the centre of developments. What might be described as the “farmer’s gelato” sees nature and science becoming inextricably bound up with one another. On the one hand there is a return to the land, with much attention being paid to ingredients, including some long-forgotten native species, while on the other efforts are being made to recover waste, and more and more master gelato makers are working in collaboration with cooks, pastry chefs, chocolate-makers, nutritionists and wine producers who share the same approach. The aim is to offer an ever more wide-ranging product selection, and to enable gelaterias to extend their scope and sell products all year round.

The world is changing, and with it the world of design, which is now being called upon to interpret a desire for spaces and interiors inspired by the concept of wellbeing as seen in wellness establishments: soft, relaxing atmospheres, a palette that draws on the colours of the desert and evokes a welcoming sense of peace and quiet. And that is precisely the approach taken, for example, by the Living Bakkali restaurant in Valencia.

A word, finally, about the world of mixology, which is enjoying a truly golden moment right now. There are many different trends, including so-called mindful drinking: a healthier approach that sacrifices none of the originality or flavour of the drink. Today, even the world’s top bars offer low- or zero-alcohol cocktails. That trend has also been embraced by restaurants, which in Italy too now offer cocktails paired with the menu.

Mixology is also picking up on some of the latest interesting trends around today, including the Japanese practice known as ‘omakase’, where all decisions on the customer’s culinary adventure are left to the chef. The bartender proposes a series of drinks to be tasted in a precise sequence, creating an experience where customers let themselves be taken on a sensorial journey. These “liquid menus”, which change with the seasons, are to be found for instance at Gen Yamamoto in Tokyo, where a single bartender serves three menus with four, six or seven drinks to a maximum of eight customers.

Technology is also keeping up with the times. Betterverse, is a virtual, collaborative and engaging realm that offers transformational, educational and ‘explorational’ experiences. Brands have started using gamification strategies (i.e. borrowing ideas from the world of video games) to involve customers in this as yet unexplored territory. Bacardi, for example, has created the first distillery in the metaverse: called Angel's Envy, it takes participants on a virtual educational tour of the production process, ending in the preparation of a cocktail.

To keep up to date on all the latest trends, follow Hostmilano on the main social network channels using the address @hostmilano.