EHL Insights Report: Food and Well-Being 2025

"Evolving food attitudes shaping the future of health, hospitality and education"

EHL is justifiably proud to announce the launch of the Food and Well-being 2025 report. The report is written with the contribution of Intesa Sanpaolo, with the aim of collaborating on research, industry and education projects to drive innovation in the international hospitality sector.

The Food and Well-being 2025 report, accompanied by a host of related activities, has been carefully crafted for the global hospitality industry from restaurateurs and hotel operators to large-scale food service players, as well as related stakeholders such as educators and policy makers.

Based on the future of food and its critical intersection with well-being and hospitality, this report provides thought leadership and actionable strategies to empower industry stakeholders wanting to redefine the food landscape. 

Written by EHL experts and professors, and led by EHL Innovation Hub, it is designed to offer a wide range of insights and examples of evolving food trends based on in-depth interviews and research analysis from the field.

The Food & Wellbeing Report shows how research-backed insights are cornerstones of the EHL Innovation Hub, guiding innovators and industry leaders. By examining both short and long-term trends, this report provides the tools to stay ahead, proactively shape the future, and drive business-ready innovation in hospitality and related industries.

Insights from the report:

Food as the cornerstone of well-being: Evolving beyond its traditional role as a source of sustenance, food nurtures not only the body but also mental health and the fabric of community. The concept of Food Well-Being (FWB) captures this multifaceted impact, highlighting food's role in bringing pleasure, purpose, health, sustainability and a sense of belonging into our daily lives. This premise becomes a key definer of the modern hospitality industry.

Consumer trends and the conscious shift: Consumers are making more mindful food choices, prioritizing health, transparency and sustainability. This shift is impacting hospitality offers, from personalized nutrition to plant-forward menus and tech-enhanced dining experiences. Understanding these new demands is pivotal across sectors, from industry to education, to inform the way businesses innovate and schools train future professionals.

Hospitality’s role in promoting well-being: Through innovative practices like planetary diet offers, social eating initiatives or just small shifts in their existing offering, hospitality providers can create environments that support both hedonic (pleasure-driven) and eudaimonic (purpose-driven) well-being. The report's findings uphold the growing importance of cross-disciplinary, continuous education to meet these expectations effectively.

Challenges and opportunities: While the rise of the conscious consumer signals progress, it also presents challenges, such as the increased spread of misinformation, systemic inequalities in access to healthy food and the complexities of sustainable food sourcing. Innovations in technology and education, alongside stronger commitments to shared responsibility, offer pathways to address these issues.

Opportunities for stakeholders: For hospitality businesses – developing new practices and offers in collaboration with innovators, nutritionists and local communities. For chefs and operators - leading through culinary innovation, advocating for nutritious, sustainable options without compromising on taste or experience. For policy makers and educators – creating curricula that align with the principles of well-being and sustainability.

The activities

EHL and Intesa Sanpaolo have incorporated industry and school activities in the Oltrepò Pavese region of Italy for promoting key messages from the report findings. These activities will bring together visionary entrepreneurs, schools and local companies, serving both as a launchpad for the report and a catalyst for igniting conversations about new industry roles and forward-thinking food solutions.

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A New Dawn for Fine Dining. The Trencherman's Guide Heralds a New, Wonderful Era for Hospitality

At the recent launch of the 31st edition of the Trencherman's Guide, the South West's original dining guide, Michael Caines MBE, chair of the Trencherman's committee, stated: "Many have declared a new dawn for fine dining in this post-Covid world and this 31st edition of the Trencherman's Guide proves it.

"In the South West and across the rest of the UK, the dining scene is evolving; there's no question about it,' says Michael, a leading light on the South West food scene who owns Michelin-starred Lympstone Manor in Devon, The Cove at Maenporth in Cornwall, and Mickeys Beach in Exmouth. 'Browse the pages of the Trencherman's Guide edition 31 and you'll find, more than ever before, the diverse ways that chefs and restaurateurs are extending their core business to incorporate a variety of dining experiences that don't compromise on quality.

"From wood-fired pizzas served on hotel terraces to family-friendly beach bars and fish shacks in pub gardens, authentic South West dining experiences are now reaching out to an even greater audience, which is fantastic for everyone, including the region's food and drink producers. 

"The ceremony of multi-course meals and starched linen still holds huge appeal to those chasing a real sense of occasion, but it's now time to expand our perspective on the definition of the most exquisite dining experiences."

The annual epicurean bible for the region launched its latest edition on Monday September 25 at Ugly Butterfly by Adam Handling in Carbis Bay with a champagne reception and exquisite four-course lunch. 

This year's guide, covering the entire South West region from Land's End to the furthest reaches of Dorset and the Cotswolds, features 106 restaurants that have surpassed the strict Trencherman's entry criteria. This year's members range from formal restaurants to dining pubs, bistros and even bottle shops.

At the helm of the guide is new editor Abi Manning, who describes it as "a true celebration of the best places to eat in the South West, in their many guises. The concept of fine dining isn't dead, but there's certainly a movement towards a more casual restaurant experience, as shown in our guide. 

"This is the direction the industry is now taking, as a result of food and energy prices putting pressure on restaurants, as well as the cost-of-living crisis for consumers. But quality is still the key and we believe a casual meal using hyper-local ingredients cooked extremely well is equally as valid as a multi-course tasting menu."

Abi points to the 25 new additions to the guide, saying: "It's evidence of the talent that continues to flourish in this food-rich corner of the UK." 

She went on to say: "The guide, and the independent dining scene, is moving into an exciting new era. We're incredibly lucky we have such an abundance of incredible chefs who are paving the way, and along with their teams are finding innovative methods to use the rich produce of our land and sea to create memorable dining experiences."

The guide launched in style at the event in north Cornwall, attended by Trencherman's members and guide partners Dole, The Eco Laundry, PKF Francis Clark, Hallgarten & Novum Wines, Navas Drinks and Trevethan Cornish Craft Distillery. Event suppliers included Yallah Coffee, Matthew Stevens Cornish Fish, Philip Warren Butchers and Otter Valley Farms.

A special and very sumptuous four-course banquet was created by four chefs who appear among its pages: Ugly Butterfly chef-patron Adam Handling (and this year's Champion of Champions on Great British Menu), Guy Owen of The St Enodoc Hotel in Cornwall, Harriet Mansell of Robin Wylde in Dorset and Nicholas Balfe of HOLM in Somerset. Each chef sought to highlight the bountiful produce of the South West, with ingredients including Somerset lamb, Cornish duck, Dorset dandelion root and Cornish seaberry. 

Order your copy of the 31st Trencherman's Guide here at trenchermans-guide.com. 

We at That's Food and Drink are certain that this guide will make an excellent Christmas gift for the foodies in your life.

(PICTURED: Chefs Guy Owen and Adam Handling, editor Abi Manning and chefs Harriet Mansell and Nicholas Balfe, image courtesy of Guy Harrop)