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ocal sourcing, environmental sustainability and healthful
kids’ meals keep gaining steam as the top trends on
restaurant menus in 2015, according to the National
Restaurant Association’s annual What’s Hot culinary forecast.
The NRA surveyed nearly 1,300 professional chefs — members of
the American Culinary Federation (ACF) — to find which foods,
cuisines, beverages and culinary themes will be hot trends on
restaurant menus in 2015.
“As consumers today increasingly incorporate restaurants into
their daily lives, they want to be able to follow their personal
preferences and philosophies no matter where or how they choose
to dine,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of research
for the National Restaurant Association. “So, it’s only natural that
culinary themes like local sourcing, sustainability and nutrition
top our list of menu trends for 2015. Those concepts are wider
lifestyle choices for many Americans in other aspects of their lives
that also translate into the food space.”
“Chefs are committed to supporting their communities and helping
make responsible food choices,” said Thomas Macrina, CEC, CCA,
AAC, national president of the American Culinary Federation. “I
am pleased that members of the American Culinary Federation
continue to support local sourcing and sustainable food practices
as an annual trend and are paving the way for these values to
become part of everyday American cooking.”
In addition, the What’s Hot in 2015 survey found that the top five
alcohol and cocktail trends will be micro-distilled/artisan spirits,
locally produced beer/wine/spirits, onsite barrel-aged drinks,
regional signature cocktails, and culinary cocktails.
Items that gained most in trendiness since last year in the annual
survey included underutilized fish, doughnuts, ethnic condiments,
grass-fed beef, brown/wild rice, and grilled vegetables. Items with
the largest drop in “hot trend” rating included bruschetta, kale salads,
nose-to-tail cooking, hybrid desserts, and house-made soft drinks.
When asked which current food trend will be the hottest menu trends
ten years from now, environmental sustainability topped the list,
followed by local sourcing, nutrition and ethnic cuisines and flavors.
The chefs were also asked how they feel about customers taking
photos of their food and posting on social media during their
meals. Nearly three in five chefs said it’s free advertising and
should be encouraged, and about a third said it’s fine as long as
they’re discrete. Only one in ten chefs said it’s disruptive and
should be discouraged.
WHAT’S
HOT?
IN 2015
