The National Restaurant Association (NRA), Washington, D.C., released its annual survey of 700 professional chefs – members of the American Culinary Federation (ACF), St. Augustine, Fla., – to predict food and beverage trends at restaurants in the coming year.
Top 5 food trends:
- New cuts of meat
- House-made condiments
- Street food-inspired dishes
- Ethnic-inspired breakfast items
- Sustainable seafood
Top 5 concept trends:
- Hyper-local
- Chef-driven fast casual concepts
- Natural ingredients/clean menus
- Food waste reduction
- Vegetable-forward cuisine
"Local, vegetable-forward and ethnic-inspired menu items will reign supreme in the 2018. Guests are implementing these trends in their own lifestyles and want to see them reflected on restaurant menus. In response, chefs are creating more items in-house and turning to global flavors," says Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of research at NRA.
"Chefs strive to strike the right balance between offering consumers what they want to eat now and guiding them toward new and exciting culinary frontiers," says Stafford DeCambra, ACF national president. "ACF chefs dedicate countless hours to continuing education and professional development to stay at the forefront of culinary innovation, allowing them to respond to and redefine diners' expectations in an ever-changing foodservice landscape."
