Hot Food Trends www.nrn.com Nov. 6, 2015 Article by Bret Thorn Nation’s Restaurant News breaks down the ever-popular annual food trend predictions from San Francisco-based hospitality consulting firm Andrew Freeman & Co., and gives real-world examples. Visit www.afandco.com for the full 2016 Trend Report.
1. Go Veg or Go Home — “Vegetables are the hero this year,” and that doesn’t necessarily mean vegetarian or vegan. Vegetable portions are rising and meat portions are shrinking — something many Millennials see as being gentler on the planet. “People want less animal protein and are requesting that veggies are ramped up to their fullest creative potential,” Freeman said, noting that Bon Appétit magazine’s restaurant of the year went to Al’s Place in San Francisco, where meat dishes are served as sides. Pictured: True Food Kitchen’s roasted seasonal vegetable board with avocado green goddess dip and pimento cashew cheese spread
4. Fiery, Fiery Foods — “From the obvious chili oil to the ubiquitous Sriracha to the creatively inspired spicy maple syrup, American palates are embracing and relishing the heat,” Freeman said, noting that chile’s even finding its way into beverages and desserts, such as the Chili Tamarind Margarita at E & O Kitchen and Bar in San Francisco or the ancho-chocolate ice cream at Humphry Slocombe Ice Cream in San Francisco. Pictured: Salsa Verde Brisket Nachos at Applebee’s 5. Lobster Roll — Diners have shown a willingness to pay for these pricey sandwiches that are popping up across the country, including the growing Lobster ME chain. Uno Pizzeria & Grill introduced lobster rolls (pictured) as a limited time offer this past summer.
2. Hawaiian Food — Poke, a Hawaiian dish made with raw fish, salt and a wide array of flavorings is becoming a staple in Los Angeles. Freeman points to restaurants elsewhere, such as Liholiho Yacht Club in San Francisco, Poke to the Max in Seattle and Noreetuh in New York City as Hawaiian-oriented restaurants helping to spread the trend. Pictured: Beef tongue with kimchi and cucumber in poppy seed steam bun from Liholiho Yacht Club in San Francisco 6. Discarded to Delicious — Moves to save money and reduce waste are coming together in this trend, Freeman said, “and you will find that chefs are embracing and utilizing the bits and pieces of all sorts of ingredients that were previously discarded to create delicious new dishes.” Several restaurants have used this approach for marketing, too, such as Belcampo, a chain in California that offered $1 burgers with underutilized beef trim, and Sauce by Nature, which has a “zero waste” approach, changing its menu daily to use leftovers from the night before. 3. Sliders — Going beyond burgers, these small sandwiches have become carriers for many fillings, including Rock Cod Sliders at the Hungry Cat and shrimp cake sliders with Sausalito Springs watercress at The Dorian in San Francisco. Arby’s reportedly sold 29 million of their new non-burger sliders (pictured) in their debut month.
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Sweetgreen introduced a “WastED” salad as a limited-time offer at its New York City locations, developed in partnership with Blue Hill chef Dan Barber. It’s made of lesser-utilized vegetable parts, such as broccoli stalks, kale stems and cabbage cores. Pictured: Ingredients in Sweetgreen’s WastED salad