The top 20 predicted hot menu trends identified by the 1,800 chefs who belong to the American Culinary Federation are:
1. Locally sourced meats and seafood
2. Locally grown produce
3. Healthful kids’ meals
4. Hyper-local sourcing (e.g., restaurant gardens)
5. Sustainability as a culinary theme
6. Children’s nutrition as a culinary theme
7. Gluten-free/food allergy-conscious items
8. Locally produced wine and beer
9. Sustainable seafood
10. Whole grain items in kids’ meals
11. Newly fabricated cuts of meat, such as the pork flat iron and the beef petit tender
12. Farm/estate-branded items
13. Food trucks/street food
14. Artisan spirits
15. House-made/artisan ice cream
16. Health/nutrition as a culinary theme
17. Non-traditional fish, such as branzino, barramundi, Arctic char
18. Fruit/vegetable kids’ side items
19. Children’s mini-meals (e.g. smaller versions of adult menu items)
20. Culinary cocktails (e.g., savory, fresh ingredients, herb-infused)
Naturally, I am most enthusiastic about the Locally sourced foods (meats and produce) which I believe help one avoid seasonal allergies… Culinary Cocktails (need I say more? Hic…) Sustainable Seafood (something I’ve been concerned with for the past decade as a Sushi Chef) and the gluten-free foods which are definitely a presence here in Boulder.
I will be blogging on these topics pretty soon as the change over on the website finally takes place –THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE!
The top five preparation trends:
1. Pickling
2. Fermenting
3. Sous vide
4. Liquid nitrogen chilling/freezing
5. Oil-poaching
I am over the moon about pickling, as it will be a useful skill if the mini garden pans out at the end of the season. I have recently been honored to spend some time in the Zuke kitchen with the two cooking masterminds Mara and Willow, and am gorging myself on their beets, kim chee and other delectibles!
I am not a fan of Sous Vide–ugh, but I will tell you I have been using my new small stainless steel pressure cooker–the nutrient-preserving, quick cooking method is making me super happy lately 😉
I wish I had the apparatuses for nitrogen chilling and freezing…perhaps in the near future…
Top five side dishes:
1. Non-wheat noodles/pasta, such as buckwheat
2. Black/forbidden rice
3. Quinoa
4. Red rice
5. Vegetable pickles
I Love Love Love the Black rice–both for its nutritional value as well as its nutty flavor and beautiful color on the plate! Quinoa is also a regular favorite–so I will be posting quite a few yummy recipes during the gluten-free classes this spring. (Same goes for the non-wheat pastas)
Five hot ingredients
1. Artisan/specialty bacon
2. Artisan cheeses
3. Ancient grains (kamut, spelt, amanranth)
4. Greek yogurt
5. Ethnic cuisine cheeses (lebneh, paneer, halloumi, queso fresco)
Mmmmmm…Bacon! Super yummy! I also plan to use a lot of Artisan Cheeses this summer and will be meeting with cheese specialists soon! Stay tuned!
I hope you are all as excited about the upcoming culinary adventures as I am–There will be much fun to be had in the kitchen!
Cheers!