[Photo: Lunch at Canoe in Toronto by jhritz on flickr.com]
The trends keep coming. It is that time of year, after all.
My latest restaurant and dining trend story summarized the predictions from several sources. This time the 2011 trends are from a survey of 1,500+ chefs conducted by the National Restaurant Association.
The survey was recently covered by Bret Thorn in Nation’s Restaurant News.
It’s interesting to see the similarities and the differences between all of these predictions. For example, this new NRA survey predicts big things for organic produce, yet Independent Restaurateur thinks organic will decline on restaurant menus in the coming year.
It’s great that several trend trackers predict children’s nutrition and improved kids’ menus will be top priorities in 2011. Other consistent predictions: locally sourced ingredients, farm/estate branded ingredients, smaller portions, food trucks, ethnic-inspired and artisan menu items. [Photo: La Tartine Gourmande on flickr]
Top 30 Trends
- Locally sourced meats and seafood
- Locally grown produce
- Sustainability
- Nutritionally balanced children’s dishes
- Hyper-local (restaurant gardens, do your own butchering)
- Children’s nutrition
- Sustainable seafood
- Gluten-free/food allergy conscious
- Simplicity/back to basics
- Farm/estate-branded ingredients
- Micro-distilled/artisan liquor
- Locally-produced wine and beer
- Half-portions/smaller portion for a smaller price
- Organic produce
- Nutrition/health
- Culinary cocktails (savory, fresh ingredients)
- Newly fabricated cuts of meat (Denver steak, pork flat iron, Petite Tender)
- Fruit/vegetable children’s side items
- Ethnic-inspired breakfast items (Asian-flavored syrups, chorizo scrambled eggs, coconut milk pancakes)
- Artisan cheeses
- Non-traditional fish (branzino, Arctic char, barramundi)
- “Kid cuisine”/gourmet children’s dishes
- Ethnic cheeses (queso fresco, paneer, lebneh, halloumi)
- “Mini meals” (smaller versions of adult menu items)
- Artisan/specialty bacon
- Ethnic/street food-inspired appetizers (tempura, taquitos, kabobs, hummus)
- Black/forbidden rice
- Superfruits (acai, goji berry, mangosteen, purslane)
- Quinoa
- Ancient grains (kamut, spelt, amaranth)
[photo: Lebneh with mint and vegetable pickles by Snapdragon in Lebanon on flickr.com]
Top Trends by Category
Main Dishes/Center of the Plate
- Locally sourced meats and seafood
- Sustainable seafood
- Half-portions/smaller portion for a smaller price
- Newly fabricated cuts of meats (Denver steak, pork flat iron, Petite Tender)
- Non-traditional fish (branzino, Artic char, barramundi)
[photo: Black quinoa with root vegetables by La Tartine Gourmande on flickr.com]
Sides/Starches
- Black/forbidden rice
- Quinoa
- Red rice
- Vegetable pickles
- Asian noodles (soba, udon, rice noodles)
Appetizers
- Ethnic/street food-inspired appetizers (tempura, taquitos, kabobs, hummus)
- Amuse bouche/bite size hors d’oeure
- Warm appetizer salads
- Appetizer combos/platters
- Dumplings/dim sum
Desserts
- Artisan/house-made ice cream
- Bite-size/mini desserts
- Dessert flights/combos
- Deconstructed classic desserts
- Savory desserts