Fried Boneless Lamb Neck on Lentils with Curry Sauce at Novel Restaurant in Kansas City - 12.12.13
Hello, my name is Jenny Vergara, and I am a food trend fanatic. This time of year it is almost impossible not to be. The predictions of what's "hot and not" in food in 2014 just start rolling in, and they don't stop. Depending on the source, some of these lists are truly interesting and thought-provoking and some of them are just plain tired and repetitive. For example, Nation's Restaurant News trend list for the last 5 years has stated that locally sourced ingredients is a restaurant "trend." To most Chefs I know, this seems too obvious and important a business practice to be considered a "trend," and, I agree with them, but I wonder sometimes if we are all just singing to the choir.
I STILL think there must be some segment of the dining world that is just now getting their horse to water on the fact that locally sourced ingredients are better, or why would message keep being repeated by Chefs year after year as a "trend." Perhaps, it is because we are not there yet, not by a long shot, and we still need to be reminded of it's continued importance in our society.
I say, repeat it until it is no longer a trend, but a universal truth. After all, the definition of a trend is: "a general direction in which something is developing or changing." This is the way, I hope, our food will continue to change and develop. (Stepping off soapbox, now . . .)
That being said, I really enjoy reading all of the food trend lists. It is a guilty pleasure of mine. Even the bad ones, inform me. They help me figure out who the heck knows what they are talking about and who doesn't. They help me benchmark which predictions from last year actually saw the light of day, and give me food for thought (literally) on what to look for on restaurant menus and grocery store shelves in 2014. They point me to possible hot button ingredients or cooking methods to dig into researching or reading more about in order to write or comment about them successfully. They tell me what people in food or Chefs might be poised for greatness in the new year. They inform me of what the latest is on both coasts, and what might be a trend we should be looking out for in our own Midwest food scene. They also inspire me. Filipino food is hot in 2014? Hmmm, maybe I should be thinking about a Test Kitchen focused around that cuisine?
This week a New York based restaurant and food consulting firm called Baum + Whiteman published their 12 Hottest Food and Dining Trends in Restaurants and Hotels in 2014, along with 30+ buzzwords to watch for in 2014. Now, this is an interesting list! Great professional insight from two guys who have been doing this since the 1970's.
From their website: "Joseph Baum, considered the "father of the new American restaurant" and Michael Whiteman, founding editor of Nation's Restaurant News, found each other in 1970 and began a company. Their first project was the creation of Windows on the World. Together with operating genius Dennis Sweeney and chef Rozanne Gold, three-time James Beard award-winner and entertaining columnist for Bon Appetit magazine, the team has been setting trends in the hospitality industry for three decades."
Sounds like these guys, might know a thing or two about restaurants and food.
So, for your consideration, and from their professional perspective and in their words, I present you with their 30+ foodie buzzwords for 2014. You can read all 12 of their hot food trends the PDF in the link above. Great little bedtime read. Food for thought, friends. Food for thought.
BUZZWORDS FOR 2014:
"Boneless lamb neck. (This one has already reached the kitchen of Chef Ryan Brazeal at Novel Restaurant. See the photo and caption above.) Filipino food. High-proof spirits. Sweetbreads make a comeback. Buckwheat is grain of the year ... even if it’s not a grain. Fluke is fish of the year ... octopus second ... trout third. Kale still rules but cauliflower’s working forward. Consumers’ newfound protein obsessions. House-made fruit vinegars for vinaigrettes and cocktails. Teres major (look it up). High-priced vegetarian tasting menus. More beer and wine in fast-casual chains. House-fermented food. New uses for pretzels. Banh mi makes it onto Western menus. Chicken skin. Crackdown on food waste. Rose wines all year long. Hipster Asian restaurants. Drinkers rediscover gin ... gin bars and gin-tonic bars. Jewish fusion. Coconut everything. Mexican sandwiches ... tortas and cemitas. Sweetened and flavored whiskeys ... smoked, mapled, honeyed ... prove most Americans don’t like the real taste of booze. Made-to-order liquid nitro ice cream. Jerusalem artichokes. Paleo dieters add to gluten-free demand. Delivery, high-priced and fast food. Smart phones, tablet computers speed ordering and payment, cut service staff. Shakshuka (look that up, too) will appear on breakfast and brunch menus. Sorghum becomes a trendy sweetener."
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