The Next Course: Reinventing the Modern Urban Restaurant

Since its inception in Paris over 250 years ago the restaurant has been a welcome essential element of city life. With urban regions rapidly growing around the globe todays restaurants will play an increasingly vital role in sustaining communities. As with other modern necessities the restaurants standard model would benefit from some timely innovation. The best and simplest way to kick-start that innovation is to ask a few good questions.For The Next Course sustainable foodservice consultant André LaRivière challenged notable chefs and restaurateurs suppliers and city planners with what if? questions. For example what if restaurants were to localize product sourcing as much as possible? What if restaurants were to convert to renewable energy and use less of it? Their answers--and the dialogue they inspire--have the potential to future-proof urban dining. Not everyone agrees on the ideal way forward but given whats at stake they all want to be ready for the next course.