Food has always played a central role in hospitality—but its meaning and impact are rapidly expanding. As outlined in our newly released Food & Wellbeing Trend Report 2025, developed at EHL with a diverse group of global experts, food is no longer just about nourishment or indulgence. It’s about connection, regeneration, and the pursuit of personal and planetary health.
Download the report
At the intersection of hospitality, nutrition, and innovation, six interconnected trends are emerging that reshape how we think about food in service of wellbeing. These trends are not just signals—they’re opportunities to act.
1. Rise of the Conscious Consumer
Today’s guests are making more informed choices, prioritizing food that aligns with their health, ethics, and environmental values. Transparency, traceability, and authenticity are no longer optional—they’re expected. But with increased access to information also comes confusion. Consumers are navigating a sea of conflicting claims, turning to trusted voices—chefs, nutritionists, brands—for clarity. Innovators like Sinisana are using blockchain to bring traceability into supply chains, while pioneers like Franklin Yao’s YouKuai Group are responding to the growing demand for healthier options across Asia’s fast-paced markets.
2. Convenience Meets Personalization
Guests want it all: food that is fast, flavorful, and uniquely theirs. The rise of personalized nutrition, powered by platforms like ZOE and Omnos, is making tailored health a reality. Hotels and restaurants are now tapping into data—from biometrics to preferences—to offer customized meals and wellness journeys. At the same time, convenience remains crucial. From AI-curated menus to smart delivery services like iFood, businesses are showing that personalization and efficiency can coexist beautifully.
3. Eating for Vitality
Food is increasingly seen as a proactive tool for long-term health—fuel for both body and mind. The demand for mood-boosting meals, longevity diets, and functional ingredients is on the rise. Properties like Clinique La Prairie, Six Senses Ibiza, and Four Seasons Maui are integrating personalized wellness protocols into their food offerings, bringing science-backed vitality into the guest experience. This is about moving beyond calorie counts—toward energy and clarity.
4. Planetary Wellbeing Becomes Personal
The planetary plate is here to stay. From regenerative agriculture to climate-conscious menus, guests want to know that their meals contribute positively to the planet. Innovators like Dussmann Group are translating the principles of the planetary health diet into large-scale food service operations—shifting away from industrially produced animal products toward more plant-forward, nutrient-rich, and climate-aligned offerings. This isn’t just about reducing harm—it’s about creating net-positive impact through food, even in high-volume, institutional contexts.
5. Social Eating and Belonging
Food is a bridge—and in today’s fragmented world, its role in fostering belonging is more important than ever. As loneliness emerges as a global public health issue, meals are becoming catalysts for reconnection. Hospitality is being reimagined as a facilitator of human connection—through communal tables, intergenerational gatherings, and spaces that encourage meaningful interaction. Members of the Social Gastronomy Movement, from Brazil to South Africa, are using food as a tool for social inclusion—hosting shared meals that spark dialogue, build empathy, and bring marginalized voices to the table. Hospitality, at its best, reminds us that we’re not meant to eat—or live—alone. It’s about nourishment that feeds both body and community.
6. Co-Responsibility Across the Ecosystem
Finally, a fundamental shift is taking place: food and wellbeing are no longer siloed. They are shared responsibilities—between guests, operators, chefs, farmers, tech partners, and policymakers. The report emphasizes that impact will only scale through collaboration. Whether it’s through food literacy programs, sustainable procurement, or tech-facilitated engagement, everyone has a role to play. We’re moving from single solutions to systems thinking.
What This Means for Hospitality
Together, these six trends point toward a new vision: one where hospitality is a driver of wellbeing—not just for individuals, but for communities and ecosystems. As expectations rise and boundaries blur between health, sustainability, and experience, hospitality businesses have a unique opportunity to lead.But doing so requires more than adaptation. It calls for experimentation and cross-disciplinary collaboration.
Want to Go Deeper?
These themes—and many more—will be brought to life at the EHL Open Innovation Summit, taking place May 20–21, 2025, in Lausanne. As curator of the Future of Food track, I’m thrilled to welcome innovators, chefs, startups, students, and global hospitality leaders to explore real challenges and co-create future-ready solutions.
This is your invitation to not just read the report—but to join the movement.
Download the full Food & Wellbeing 2025 Report here
Register for the EHL Open Innovation Summit
Let’s rethink food. Let’s reimagine hospitality. Let’s regenerate together.
