The competition in the restaurant business isn't just getting harder in London, but all over the world. Clients have higher expectations, so it's becoming essential now for any restaurant to be ahead of the trends, from tableware to service to desserts. You have to be sharper to stay relevant, even if you have a big name, like The Dorchester. We might do a cassoulet, for instance, a traditional dish from the southwest of France. It's always been on the menu and you have to be ready for when a customer comes in and wants it. But you couldn't rely on that dish any more. It's like haute couture in fashion – Chanel is deeply rooted in French fashion culture and there's an element to it that's unchanging, and that's something we like. But, by the same token, it also has to do something that's fashionable.
At the moment, I think there is demand for two very different types of dining experience – the very luxurious, super-fine dining, which is especially big in Asia now, and then for much more casual, contemporary dining, more accessible in terms of feel and price. You might expect the latter to be taking over as we all get more relaxed about things, but actually that's not the case. And I think the demand for fine dining will last – because most cities around the world can't offer that experience and wish they could.
Of course these days fine dining isn't just about French food. That's a cuisine that is doing well again because it too has innovated. But today we can't say that one kind of cuisine is better than any other. Sure, French cuisine has excellent technicians, but that's not everything. In fact, what is exciting is that culinary excellence is being found everywhere. Every week I discover a new chef with new ideas and that is opening dining out to a whole world of diversity.
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That isn't to say there aren't over-arching themes. In the past ten years we've gradually seen more mindfulness towards sustainability, for example. We have to change how we consume food if we want to have the food to eat in the longer run. That's why I introduced an emphasis on vegetables and grains at my restaurant at the Plaza Athenee in Paris. OK, so more traditional clients had to visit two or three times before accepting that idea, but 80 per cent of the regulars did at least keep coming back. They see it as a new kind of dining experience and get addicted – which is pretty funny really.
Even the behind-the-scenes business is changing for the better now, too. I've never really gotten involved with the business side. I've left that to collaborators. I've always found that sharing a dinner is much more fun than negotiating a contract. But you can see how the industry is shifting to make it more appealing to younger people to work in. Yes, the hours are still tough and unsociable. But they can see the possibility for their careers to evolve at a much faster pace these days. It's that younger generation, after all, that will keep restaurants dynamic.
ALAIN DUCASSE is considered to be one of the world's best chefs – he was the first to own three restaurants in three cities, each with three Michelin stars. This summer, he celebrates the tenth year of his eponymous restaurant at the Dorchester hotel in London; alainducasse-dorchester.com
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