The goal for independent restaurants in this environment is to pivot, learn, grow and adapt and become aware of food trends. The trends will help restaurants in 2022 to keep and attract new customers.

Diners today are Instagram conscious, internet savvy, Yelp aware, and Google Reviews fans. Diners are fanatics about the quality of their food and where it is sourced from. They want locally sourced ingredients, chemical-free, color-free, and free of GMOs. Eating healthy is the benchmark. Diners are aware of the footprint on the environment that food not sourced locally causes.

I talk to Professor Aris Moussoulides from Larnaca College in Cyprus about food trends.

Aris please tell me a little about you? 

I was born and raised in Nicosia, Cyprus. After graduating from the Swiss Hotel Management School Les Roches (Diploma in Hotel Management) with Merit in 1990, I completed in 1992 a Master of Science degree in Hotel Administration at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland. After working in top positions in the Swiss and Cypriot Hotel Industry for more than a decade, I joined academia in 2001 working as a tenured lecturer at the then-largest college in Cyprus as well an Associate Researcher on various projects at the Athens University of Economics and Business Management (as a team member of ReSEES). On 9/2/2016 I successfully completed a Dprof (Doctor of Professional studies degree) in Hotel and Tourism Management at Middlesex University, UK and that was a milestone in my academic career as well as my personal life.

Currently, I am employed at the “Larnaca College” where I hold the rank of Full Professor and Head of the Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management! At the same time, I am also employed as a Senior Researcher at the world-renowned “International Center for Research on the Environment and the Economy”, working as a full research team member on two EU and one UN-funded project. My current research interests and publications are found in the fields of Sustainable Development, Service Quality in Hotels, and Seasonality in Tourism.

As a professor in a hospitality school, what is your goal in teaching the students? 

My main goal is to pass to them the knowledge regarding Hotel and Tourism Management that I have gained in the three Academic Institutions that I graduated from as well as the knowledge that I have gained during the many years of experience that I had in top management positions in the Tourism Industry.

How important is food in the overall curriculum? 

Food is extremely important since it is a vital element of the Hospitality Industry.

Tell us about the new food trends in Cyprus? 

The latest trend in Cyprus is the creation of small, family-run Cypriot taverns, mostly situated in small villages, that are offering a different type of meze dishes (various small dishes of traditional food items similar to the tapas dishes in Spain) which apart from the local element in them include also the element of experimentation with new ingredients and tastes. 

What is one trend that you like and is sustainable? 

I really like the new trend of the small family-run Cypriot taverns (mentioned above) that are mostly situated in small villages because they offer a sustainable product that respects and supports the local environment, the local community, and the local economy. In order to justify my position let me just tell you that these establishments operate in small villages, normally in premises that have a strong local character (architectural wise), hire local staff from the local community, and buy mostly local ingredients.

No matter what trends come and go food needs to be tasty? 

Definitely because at the end of the day food is a product that needs to be appealing to the palate of the customer.

How has food changed in the last three decades? 

It has become more sophisticated with new trends and ideas influencing international chefs from all over the world. At the same time, it has also become healthier with the inclusion of lighter dishes that have gained popularity over the years (for example sushi meals).

How does eating healthy impact us overall? 

Eating healthy has many advantages. Firstly it fights physical health problems that are related to obesity such as diabetes and heart problems as well as helps immensely with mental health problems including depression. Then it increases productivity and generally leads to a better quality of life.

What advice you would give to students wanting to get into hospitality? 

My advice is to go for it! This is a wonderful Industry that opens many professional doors worldwide and has a lot to offer to a young graduate. Let’s not forget that Tourism (the Hospitality Industry is a sub-sector of the Tourism Industry) is the largest employer on earth. And as I always say to my students all that you need in order to be successful in the field of expertise is a solid education, common sense, discipline, and willingness for hard work.

How do you balance faith family finances and food as a professor? 

With great difficulty, due to my very busy schedule, and some correct time management which is a skill that I have acquired during my undergraduate studies in Switzerland.

The post The New Food Trends in Cyprus appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

Live a life that is well balanced; don’t do things in excess – Daniel Smith

Balance is a feeling derived from being whole and complete; it’s a sense of harmony. It is essential to maintain quality in life and work – Joshua Osenga

As I read the headlines for the last couple of weeks, it has become depressing. A famous entrepreneur who was famous for focusing on success dies in his early 40’s. The final six months of his life were drugs and alcohol. The entrepreneur was paying people a salary to hang out with him. Another entrepreneur was talking about working 80 hours a week. I looked into his personal life. He has four kids from four different women and was asking the journalist who was interviewing him to find him a date. Another spiritual guru was caught in the act of infidelity and drugs. The song continues.

The pursuit of excess or just focusing on one aspect of your life puts the other essential areas out of balance. Everything in life needs balance.

Feeling lonely by not leading a balanced life

The phone rang. In my 15 years on Bay Street, the phone rang constantly. The reasons are to make or cancel a trade, to get a quote, to inform us about a change, or to invite us for a lunch presentation or news announcement.

There were some calls you just ignored. For instance, a call from a stock promoter. However, this was an important call. He had just retired as the CFO of a major mining company. We talked for a while. After that, I asked him how things were going as it had been six months into his retirement. He was shaking and trembling on the other side. He was lonely and bored to death. The latest surveys from the US, Canada, and the UK all show that the baby boomers are lonely after retirement.

Mr. CFO was 60 years old and for the last, three and a half decades had worked in mining operations in the US, South America, and Southeast Asia. He had a fancy condo in the city, a condo in Florida, millions in the bank account. Above all, he was alone, lonely, bored and scared. In conclusion, he called because he wanted to talk to someone.

What is your purpose in life?

In other words, all his life he had focused so much on his career that he never focused on his wife. The kids were raised by nannies and he never formed a bond with them. The wife had left him. The kids had no time for him.

In addition, he made the mistake of replacing his work identity with his personal identity. Similarly, the identity of a husband, brother, uncle, son, father, and volunteer all took a back seat. Above all, it was always that quarterly report and making the analysts happy. It was about meeting targets and getting compensated for it.

The truth is that the work identity ends at some point. The title, place in the organization chart, the work ethic makes us feel worthy. However, we fail to find a balance.

Therefore, I asked him if he had a purpose for his life now. I honestly believe the question was in another language from his response.

After that, I asked if he was ready to embrace change and how did he prepare himself.

Did he volunteer at all?

Did he ever share his money with charities to make a difference?

Did he have a vision and mission to enrich other people around him?

Life is a circle. We reap what we sow.

A balanced life includes

In conclusion, a balanced life includes having a dynamic faith, a loving family, supportive friends, and eating healthy food as it is important for us emotionally, mentally, psychologically, physically, and financially.

As you go on your daily life today, stay connected, enrich your life by taking a friend out for a meal, give to charity, buy a sandwich for the homeless person sleeping on the street, smile, reach out, give a hug and make a difference.

In a world filled with COVID, we need to make a difference and be game-changers in society.

The post Discover Reasons to Live a Balanced Life appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

What is Advent?

Advent is derived from adventus which in Latin means ‘visit’ or ‘coming’ of something very important. Christians focus on the advent of Christ when He was born in Bethlehem and the second that is yet to come.

Advent Calendar

The start of Advent is exactly four Sundays before Christmas and it ends on Christmas Eve. Christmas starts on Christmas Eve and ends on January 6^th.

The themes of advent

Advent has purple, dark blue, and pink themes attached to it. The purple or dark blue represents royalty, nobility, repentance, and seriousness. Jesus was of royal lineage from the house of King David. Joy is a small motif in Advent and is represented by pink. Red, green, white, silver, and gold are linked with Christmas and the weeks leading up to it. White represents holiness, joy, and light and is the correct liturgical color for Christmas.

For Christians who follow Advent, the first, second, and fourth Sundays of Advent are purple and blue Sundays. The third week is pink Sunday. The jubilant color of pink is a reminder that Advent makes Christians eager for Jesus Christ, the Son of God who came to us the first time in the flesh.

Christmas is the celebration of the humble birth of Jesus Christ to the Virgin Mary in a barn in Bethlehem.  The angel appears to the astrologers and tells them to visit the newborn king. They bring gold, frankincense, and myrrh as gifts. Therefore, at Christmas in churches, you will see a barn, with Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus in a cradle, animals, and the three wise men. On top of the Christmas tree is a star. The angel that appeared to the wise men told them to follow the star and that will lead them to Jesus.

The time-honored customs of Christmas that include feasting, lights, mistletoe, giving gifts, and the Christmas tree have no biblical roots and are secular. Santa Claus comes from Saint Nicholas of Myra, in Greece who was known for his generosity towards the poor people.

The look of Santa Claus comes from Germanic folklore and Scandinavian religions that existed in Northern Europe. The Dutch pilgrims who came to the United States in the seventeenth century brought Sinter Klaas the Dutch legend and this became the American version of Santa Claus. Americans adopted this concept into Santa Claus, who comes from the North Pole on a sleigh and gives gifts to good boys and girls on Christmas Eve.

For Christians, Christmas embodies the spirit of giving. It is a time to celebrate with family, and friends and to give money and time to charities.

Advent Wreath

The artifact that represents Advent is a wreath. It is a circle of evergreens. There is one white candle in the middle, surrounded by four candles, three purple, and one pink. The wreath is in the shape of a circle that reminds Christians about the unconditional love of God and his endless mercy. Hope is represented by the greenery of the evergreens.

Advent Candles

The purple candles are lit on the first, second, and fourth Sunday. The pink is lit on the third Sunday. The white is lit on Christmas Day. Once the candle is lit, then certain scripture is read from the bible about the coming Messiah. The previous candles are also lit. So, on Christmas Day all five candles are lit.

Origin of Advent

The historical origin of Advent is from the fourth century. The Bishop of Turin in 415 AD and the Bishop of Arles in 502 AD mention preparation for the birthday of Jesus Christ. It became official when a synod was held in 581 AD at Macon in France. The synod proclaimed five Sundays but was reduced to four Sundays by Pope Gregory VII. Various synods came later regarding rules and regulations and the final one restricted the celebration of marriage during this time. In 1720 AD at the council of the Ruthenians, a fast was ordered for Advent.

Christmas

Christmas is Christians celebrating the all-powerful enigma of God coming to earth in human flesh.  God becomes a man and dies to save mankind from sin and death. Christmas is twelve days to focus on how Jesus Christ revealed Himself to mankind.

December 26^th, 27^th, and 28^th are called witness days. In Acts 7:54-60 St. Stephen is the first Christian Martyr. He was stoned by a crowd. December 26th is in honor of St. Stephen. December 27th honors St. John who was an Apostle and Evangelist and who wrote the Book of St. John in the Bible. John was the closest friend of Jesus and the disciple who was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write the book of John. December 28th is in memory of the baby boys killed by King Herod in his endeavor to kill Baby Jesus.

The three do not have anything in common but help Christians understand Christmas better. St. Stephen died willingly to defend and preach the gospel.  Apostle John endured hardship, exile, and persecution because of the gospel. Innocent kids were killed by King Herod. These three days remind Christians that we live in a broken and sinful world. Christ was born to save mankind. He suffered, was crucified on the cross, and died for the sins of mankind. It is also a stark reminder of how powerful and dark Satan is.

The Eighth Day of Christmas is a tribute to the circumcision of Jesus Christ as per Jewish law. It is at the circumcision that he is given the name of Jesus formally. This is important for two reasons. In the Book of Genesis 17: 1-13, circumcision is a clear sign of God’s promise to Abraham and his progeny. When the flesh is cut and blood is spilled it is a prediction of Jesus Christ dying on the cross for the forgiveness of sins. The second is in Matthew 1:20-21 where the angel tells Mary that her son will ‘save people from their sin’.

The birth of Jesus is mentioned in two of the gospels and by the 4^th century was celebrated on December 25 in the Julian calendar and January 6^th as per the Gregorian calendar.

Photo Credits:  Waldemar Brandt Vidar Nordli-Mathisen Julian Hochgesang  Kelly Sikkema Debby Hudson Carolyn V Jon Tyson Mateus Campos Felipe  Sandra Grünewald  Gian Reichmuth Max Beck Dan Kiefer Nine Köpfer  Ben White Jude Beck  Aaron Burden

The post What is Advent and Christmas appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.