John’s own recipe for success has been to provide stunningly beautiful, cutting-edge tabletop products, while supporting chefs. He excels in developing personal relationships and creating partnerships with organizations that also share his passion for difference-making in today’s world.
You might be wondering why we chose to focus on fine casual dining at Roots 2017: Innovate. Well, the reality is that fast casual as a dining experience has been called the “growth darling” of the culinary/restaurant industry, and there is truth in that phrase. People enjoy speed of service, especially since everyone is so busy. And, at times in our lives, we really do need fast service. But, we also believe that the casual atmosphere is a huge draw, and this panel will focus on what should be retained and what should be discarded during a restaurant’s transformation from a traditional fine dining experience to a fine casual experience.
And, as Miles points out, Roots itself is a culinary conference offered in a casual, relaxed atmosphere. “The intention,” he says, “has always been to use this conference to come up with creative, new ideas – and that has successfully been pulled off.”
When asked why he thinks this happens at Roots each year, he said the following. “Lee is bringing a defined group of people together, each with an interest in improving the quality of their operations, from the food to the service, and from communication to beverage offerings. All is done in a casual and open way that makes it easy for people to share their ideas in a relaxed venue.”
We also couldn’t resist asking John about plating, since that’s both his expertise and another focus of Roots in 2017. He compared plating for a chef to a frame for a great artist, part of the overall experience. “Our plating products,” he says, “are really defined for the consumer. The character and content of each plating style, whether extremely formal or casual or creative, matters, so we try to bring thousands of options to chefs and culinarians from around the world.”
You can find more information about John Miles and register for the event online. At the conference, you can benefit from insights and discussion shared about the concept of fine casual. How do fine dining restaurants transform their diners’ experiences? How do they provide the relaxing atmosphere found in fast casual restaurants while maintaining their exceptional quality of fine dining? We’d love to have you as part of this exploration!