Food trends 2017 - Jorge Lamport (Guatemala), owner, founder of Camille Escuela de Alta Cocina, chef and culinary consultant

Le Cordon Bleu, the leading Global Network of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management Institutes, is happy to share a vision of 2017 foodtrends in the world, through the eyes of its alumni.

Jorge Lamport (Guatemala), owner, founder of Camille Escuela de Alta Cocina, chef and culinary consultant.

What have you accomplished since graduating from Le Cordon Bleu?

Some of my favorite career accomplishments are owning and operating my own restaurant and culinary school, Camille, for 20 years. I have coached ‘Team Guatemala’ at the Bocuse d'Or on three separate occasions, I am a member of the Academie Culinaire de France (Americas Chapter). I have represented my country in several competitions and workshops. The thing I like most about my career is teaching, meeting new people, making friends and just being able to share and make people happy through my work. I would neverhave thought after studying at Le Cordon Bleu that I would be where I am, enjoying every moment of it. The thing is that my studies in Paris not only influenced my work but the work of many others I've cooked with and taught. Le Cordon Bleu's teachings are passed on and that is an amazing accomplishment!

What do your customers crave when they come to see/taste your work?

Guatemala is very easily influenced by outside trends, our customers are becoming more educated and are more curious to try new things. Right now we are very influenced by Guatemalan traditional cuisine and our customers have responded well to these flavors. Our most popular event is a supper club style dinner for more adventurous foodies with a prix fixe menu, nobody nows what they are having until they sit down and I think they get a thrill from the surprise.

What foodtrends do you foresee for 2017 and onwards?

People are much more conscious of the food they eat, and it represents. The trend here in Guatemala and in Latin America is reconnecting with our roots and presenting them in a new fashion. Typical and traditional flavors/ingredients but with a mix of techniques.

Looking back to 2016, what is the main evolution you have seen in the food industry in your country?

There has been a boom the last couple of years of smaller simpler restaurants, 20 seats and all done farm to table. There is still the push for big 100 seat restaurants with large menus but it's balancing out with smaller places.

Any aspirations for the future?

I am working on a project with a group of local chefs to promote our culinary traditions to show the rest of the world what we have been doing with our products and traditions. Our cuisine is just as complex and rich as any other Latin American country, I want people to get to know our country through our food! And I would love to showcase my work at Le Cordon Bleu students as a guest chef one of these days!