National Restaurant Association 2019 CULINARY FORECAST Doughnuts with non-traditional WHAT’S HOT fillings 2019 CULINARY FORECAST Global flavors in kids’ meals The survey indicates that Americans crave foods that not only nourish them but also help sustain the planet. Plant-based and veggie centric foods are no longer just for vegetarians. In fact, three of the 15 hottest items are plant-based sausages/burgers, veggie-centric/ vegetable forward cuisine and plant-based proteins. Hyper-local sourcing, including restaurants that grow produce in their own gardens, also made the Top 10 list. Zero-waste cooking, which transforms food scraps, damaged produce and leftovers into culinary delights, CBD and cannabis-infused food and beverages are ranks third on the list of overall trends for 2019 and sec- among the top trends for 2019, along with zero-waste ond in the culinary concepts category. Chefs are taking cooking, globally inspired dishes and vegetable-forward a second look at items they trashed in the past — using cuisine. American Culinary Federation chefs identified coffee grinds to flavor homemade ice cream and show- the trends for the National Restaurant Association’s casing cabbage butts in crowd-pleasing stir-fries. What’s Hot survey. Global flavors also ranked highly, with the trend heat- The annual survey asks chefs to identify food and bev- ing up from last year. Globally inspired breakfast dishes erage trends for the coming year. Chefs ranked 140 claimed the fourth spot on the survey, followed by items — from all-day breakfast to zero-waste cooking — global flavors in kids’ meals. as “hot,” “yesterday’s news” or “perennial favorite.” The resulting What’s Hot list gives a preview of the food, bev- In category after category, global flavors shine brightly. ranks second in the non-alco- erages and culinary themes that will be the talk of 2019. The Israeli soda gazoz holic beverage category. Thai-rolled ice cream placed Nearly 77 percent of the chefs ranked cannabis/CBD- first among sweets.African cuisines, condiments and infused drinks as the No. 1 trend, and 76 percent of spices trended across several categories, including them tapped cannabis/CBD-infused food as the second items that originated in North, West and East Africa most popular. Chefs who participated in the survey said (Ethiopia). Chefs identified North African cuisine (think infusing foods with the ingredients could create unique tajine and fuul) as today’s “hottest” global flavor. cuisine opportunities and potential new markets for experiential dining occasions. Seventy percent ranked New cuts of meat, such as shoulder tender, oyster zero-wate cooking as the third most popular trend. steak or Merlot cut, cooled some after nabbing the top spot for the past two years. As for “yesterday’s news,” “The Association’s 2019 What’s Hot report reflects con- chefs ranked overnight oats, anise-flavored cocktails temporary consumer cravings in tandem with emerging and pretzels in desserts as trends that have come and societal dining trends,” says Hudson Riehle, senior vice gone. president of research for the National Restaurant Associ- ation. “We’re seeing a more eco-friendly perspective and greater emphasis on global flavors/cuisines as well as enhanced availability of healthful items/children’s meals and the exploration of new food sourcing options.” Cannabis/ CBD- infused food Zero- waste cooking Cannabis/ CBD- infused drinks {Top 10 trends for 2019} 1. Cannabis/ 4. Globally 7. New cuts of 8. Veggie- 9. Chef-driven CBD-infused inspired meat (e.g. centric/ fast-casual drinks breakfast shoulder vegetable- concepts dishes tender, oyster forward 2. Cannabis/ steak, Vegas cuisine (e.g. 10. Craft/artisan/ CBD-infused 5. Global flavors Strip Steak, fresh produce locally food in kids’ meals Merlot cut) is star of the produced spirits 3. Zero-waste 6. Hyper-local dish) cooking (e.g. restaurant (elevated cui- gardens, onsite sine using food beer brewing, scraps) house-made items) National Restaurant Association | Restaurant.org/FoodTrends 3 {Top trends by category} Shakshuka is We’re putting sriracha showing up on some of on pizza, but it’s not the hippest menus in about it being a LA. People have started Thai hot sauce. It’s to expect to see it on a looking at all these breakfast menu. foods as flavors. BYRON THOMAS, FOUR SEASON HOTEL, RACHEL YANG, LOS ANGELES JOULE, SEATTLE Doughnuts with non- traditional Global filling flavors in kids’ meals KIDS’ MEALS SNACKS/SWEETS 1. Global flavors in 1. Thai-rolled ice kids’ meals cream 2. Gourmet items in 2. Doughnuts with kids’ meals non-traditional filling (e.g. liqueur, Earl 3. Healthful kids’ Grey cream) meals 3. Chocolate 4. Whole grain items (responsibly in kids’ meals sourced, new 5. Sliders/mini- flavors) burgers in kids’ 4. Injera chips meals 5. Artisan/house-made ice cream National Restaurant Association | Restaurant.org/FoodTrends 4 {Top Trends by category} Exotic fruit Globally inspired breakfast dishes House- made condi- ments Shakshuka is showing up on some of the hippest menus in LA. People have started to expect to see it on a PRODUCE DISHES CONDIMENTS breakfast menu. 1. Uncommon herbs 1. Globally inspired 1. House-made (e.g. chervil, breakfast dishes condiments/ lovage, lemon specialty BYRON THOMAS, balm, papalo) 2. Vegetable carb condiments FOUR SEASON HOTEL, substitutes (e.g. LOS ANGELES 2. Locally sourced cauliflower rice, 2. North African produce zucchini spaghetti) condiments (dukka, zhug, harissa, ras el 3. Imperfect/ugly 3. Street food- hanout, etc.) produce inspired dishes (e.g. tempura, kabobs, 3. Shichimi spice/ 4. Exotic fruit (e.g. dumplings) powder rambutan, drag- on fruit, paw paw, 4. Katso Sando 4. Gochujang (Korean guava) (Japanese cutlet red-pepper paste) sandwich) 5. Super fruit (e.g. acai, 5. Berbere goji berry, mango- 5. House-made/ steen) artisan pickles National Restaurant Association | Restaurant.org/FoodTrends 5 {Top Trends by category} Plant- based burgers Gazoz North (spritzer African from cuisne Israel) GLOBAL GRAINS/PASTA PROTEIN NON- ALCOHOLIC FLAVORS 1. Protein-rich 1. New cuts of meat ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES 1. North African grains/seeds (e.g. (e.g. shoulder BEVERAGES 1. Craft/artisan/ cuisine/flavors hemp, chia, tender, oyster locally produced 1. Cannabis/CBD- (fuul, tajines, etc.) quinoa, flax) steak, Vegas Strip spirits infused drinks Steak, Merlot cut) 2. West African 2. Non-wheat 2. Onsite barrel- 2. Gazoz (non- cuisine/flavors noodles/pasta 2. Plant-based aged drinks alcoholic spritzer (e.g. quinoa, rice, sausages and 3. Peruvian cuisine from Israel) 3. Culinary cocktails buckwheat) burgers (e.g. savory, fresh 4. Ethiopian/Eritrean 3. Craft/ 3. Ancient grains 3. Locally sourced ingredients, herb- cuisine/flavors house-roasted (e.g. kamut, spelt, meat and seafood infused) (Berbere, injera) coffee amaranth, lupin) 4. Sustainable 4. Locally produced 5. Filipino cuisine 4. Nitrogen/cold 4. Savory granola seafood spirits/wine/beer brew coffee 5. Teff 5. Heritage-breed 5. Rosé cider meats National Restaurant Association | Restaurant.org/FoodTrends 6 {Top Trends by category} We call ourselves the ER of food. We don’t let any food die until it’s really dead, and even then, we donate the parts to other dishes JEHANGIR MEHTA, GRAFFITI EARTH, NEW YORK CITY Chef- driven fast casual concepts RESTAURANT CULINARY CONCEPTS CONCEPTS 1. Chef-driven fast 1. Cannabis/ casual concepts CBD-infused food 2. Pop-up temporary 2. Zero-waste cooking restaurants (elevated cuisine using food scraps) 3. Commissaries (e.g. shared commercial 3. Hyper-local (e.g. kitchen space) restaurant gardens, house-made items) 4. Small-plate menus/ restaurant con- 4. Veggie-centric/ cepts vegetable-forward Zero- cuisine waste 5. Food halls cooking 5. Natural ingredients/ clean menus National Restaurant Association | Restaurant.org/FoodTrends 7 The National Restaurant Association works with the American Culinary Federation for its annual chefs’ survey of menu trends for the coming year. This year, the Culinary Institute of America- trained chefs identified concept trends and ranked 140 items as top trends, yesterday’s news or perennial favorites, as well as by category. Learn more at Restaurant.org/research. Top Items from each category Cannabis/CBD- Globally inspired New cuts of meat (e.g. Chef-driven fast- infused drinks breakfast dishes shoulder tender, oyster casual concepts steak, Vegas Strip Cannabis/CBD- Global flavors in kids’ Craft/artisan/locally Steak, Merlot cut) infused food meals produced spirits Veggie-centric/ Zero-waste cooking Hyper-local (e.g. vegetable-forward (elevated cuisine us- restaurant gardens, cuisine (e.g. fresh ing food scraps) onsite beer brewing, produce is star of the house-made items) dish) National Restaurant Association | Restaurant.org/FoodTrends 8.