As any chef will attest, the food business can be a difficult gig at the best of times. But the past 12 months in particular have thrown unprecedented challenges at the industry, with franchise restaurants seemingly bearing the brunt.
While economic uncertainty has proved to be one major hurdle, Australian cooks are also having to deal with a phenomenon that is changing the way many are viewing and eating food across the country – reality TV. Amid a general media focus on diet and nutrition, the growing popularity of television programs that combine gourmet celebrity chefs and nutritious, home-prepared food has led to a so-called ”MasterChef effect” on eateries across the country.
This is perhaps no truer than in the realm of franchised food chains, which are being put on the frontline of having to provide fast food that can meet consumer needs for fresh, fast and healthier eating.
However, Matt Moran, head chef of the Sydney-based restaurant Aria, and a regular guest judge on MasterChef, believes many franchised eateries are operating at odds with the ideals of the show and gourmet cooking as a whole. Read more.