But in 2018, local just isn’t going to cut the mustard any more, with hyperlocal set to take its seat at the top table. Retailers will grow fruit and veg in the shop itself and diners will sit in restaurants surrounded by herb gardens and fruit trees. What separates local from hyperlocal is the immediacy of the sewing and harvesting experience. Sprouting is another food trend and watchword for the year ahead. When germinating seeds, it is all about the moment that a new plant comes into existence. Now ‘activated’, the seeds contain the maximum concentration of nutrients – and are ripe for harvesting. This is something that can be done at home – hyperlocally, if you like, to return to the subject at hand. Hyperlocal also applies to the tomato plant I have on my kitchen windowsill. This whole approach also ties in nicely to the central idea behind mindfulness.

We shop more consciously and actively select products that we trust. It is also a question of making the most of the produce. Famously, cooks work from ‘root to stem’ and from ‘nose to tail’ – using every last scrap and letting virtually nothing go to waste. Taking beetroot as a case in point, we only really think about the root of the plant, but the vitamin-packed stems and leaves are also edible. Less well-known cuts of pork, beef and chicken are also being valued more.

The other new food-related field of research, biohacking, takes a different approach, looking instead at what kind of nutrition is right for each individual. This involves ‘hacking’ the body, by changing behavioural patterns and monitoring how it responds. Scenarios include skipping breakfast, doubling down on evening meals and doing away with dairy at lunch time. Hack by hack, people arrive at the perfect nutritional blend for their particular constitution and, with any luck, stay healthy. Or they identify foodstuffs that have a positive influence on pre-existing illnesses, something that the Squirrel Restaurant in London has already taken to heart. Here, unusual nutritional advice is also available alongside the classic accompanying wine. High cholesterol? Hmm, then we recommend menu number one. Anyone who orders a genetic testing kit from US start-up Habit can use the results of their home DNA test as the basis of a tailored healthy eating plan. Look at it this way: you are what you eat.