Food Trends for 2015 – Part 2

As noted in a previous blog, we’re presenting information on food trends to demonstrate that we always have our ears to the ground, so we can help clients take advantage of what’s expected to be hot the rest of the year.

The editors at Restaurant Hospitality are always on the trail of industry trends, visiting with restaurant chefs, designers and owners to create its “What’s Trending” list. For 2015, they identified the following trends (presented in order of predicted lasting impact):

• Asian maturation—mind-blowing authentic cuisine from smaller countries like Korea and Vietnam
• Spices in stunning places—using items like hot honey and gochujang, either of which could be the next Sriracha
• Snack attack—small plates that lend themselves to sharing, socializing and gathering
• Chefs get casual—breaking from fine dining to introduce their own fast-casual concepts
• Spread the word—diner review sites are trusted more than advertisements
• Rise of local chains—multi-concept operators building small brands that cater to specific communities
• The monster mash—mash-ups like the Cronut (croissant and donut) as well as the blending of ethnic cuisines
• Pieces and parts—experimenting with unusual animal parts like fish collars, chicken skin and pork cheeks
• Taking it old school—using retro liquors, cooking techniques and flavors
• Shaking up cocktails—using unusual ingredients (like popcorn and fish sauce) to mix new gems
• Millennials in the kitchen—younger chefs are catering to their generation’s focus on technology, customization and immediate gratification
• Pack on the protein—an emphasis on adding protein in everything from beverages to desserts
• Menu size matters—abbreviating tasting menus to four or five dishes
• So fresh and so clean—dishes with fewer ingredients that still taste good and provide transparency (so we know what we’re eating)

Are you getting hungry—or getting a product idea?

This is part 2 of a three-part blog on food trends. Look for more trendy news soon.