All you need is time…

In 2026, according to the Michelin Guide, one of the most talked-about shifts in the food world isn’t about gadgets, shortcuts or fancy plating but something much more old-fashioned: time.

Leading culinary voices, including the Michelin Guide, are pointing to a fascinating new trend for this year. They say that time in the form of slow cooking, fermentation, ageing and other patient processes is now being treated almost like a secret ingredient itself.

Instead of blasting flavour with salt or heavy seasoning, chefs around the world are letting dishes develop richness naturally over hours, days or even weeks.

At its heart, this trend celebrates the kinds of flavours you only get when you slow down. A head of cabbage left to ferment develops a tang and depth that fresh cabbage just can’t match (try Jaru Kimchi made in Dublin). Stocks that simmer gently overnight become savoury wonders. Meats and fish aged with care take on textures and nuances that impatient cooking simply can’t create.

It’s worth noting that this isn’t just about high-end restaurants. While Michelin-starred chefs are certainly embracing these techniques in innovative ways, many home cooks are already familiar with them, even if they didn’t know there was a trend attached. A slow-roasted Sunday joint, a jar of homemade pickles, or a loaf of sourdough left to rise overnight, these are examples of time doing the work for you. There’s something deeply satisfying about this approach, especially after years of recipes that promised flavour in 30 minutes or less.

Sure, quick cooking has its place when busy lives demand it but there’s a different kind of joy (and taste) that comes from investing a little more patience in the process.

And this emphasis on time isn’t just about flavour; it’s also about connection — to tradition, to ingredient, and to the act of cooking itself. When you let a fermentation bubble away quietly on a windowsill, you’re participating in a technique that humans have used for thousands of years.

When you slow-cook a stew for hours, you’re honouring an old-fashioned rhythm where food was made to be savoured, not rushed. So how should the everyday cook respond to this trend? The beautiful thing is, you don’t need lab-level skills like Heston Blumenthal.

Start simple: make a big batch of slow stew and let it sit on a low heat, experiment with pickling a few vegetables, or try a fermented condiment like sauerkraut or kimchi. Even letting a soup simmer gently while you handle your morning chores can deepen flavours in a way that quick simmering just won’t.

Food isn’t just fuel, it’s an experience shaped by aroma, texture, memory and time. If 2026 teaches us anything, it’s that there’s joy in the journey of cooking. And as more of us embrace time as an ingredient, both in the kitchen and on the plate, our meals may well taste better for it.