So long, Sriracha. While the spicy chili sauce has been a huge menu buzzword for years now, it’s on the way out in 2017, according to FoodService Director’s 2017 Chefs’ Council Menu Trends Survey. We asked our 50-chef panel to name the food trends they expected to break out or fade next year in noncommercial foodservice. While Sriracha was at the top of their list, they had a lot more to say about what’s in and what’s out.
While the popularity of rice and noodle bowls means Asian flavors have been huge in noncommercial, our chefs expect diners will want to experiment with less familiar flavors now that their palates have expanded.
“Indian and Moroccan foods could make a comeback.” —Eli Huff, owner/executive chef, SFG Consulting LLC
“Middle Eastern, North African spice blends like ras el hanout and za'atar.” —Brent Trudeau, executive chef/production manager, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD
“German food.” —Shawn Dolan, executive chef, UNC Hospitals
“Korean and Pacific island.” —Bill Brizzolara, campus executive chef, North Carolina State University
For the past few years, it seems like the go-to strategy to boost sales for a dish was to make it spicy. But along with predicting a slide for Sriracha, our chefs also see these heat bombs on their way out:
“Chipotle flavors.” —Gregory Gefroh, executive chef, University of North Dakota
“Sriracha will be replaced with freshly chopped peppers instead of a processed sauce. Gives texture as well as heat.” —Jennifer Leamons, executive chef, Stanly Regional Medical Center
“Spicy food.” —John Anderson, corporate director of culinary and nutritional services, Ohio Living
Clean label buzzwords and phrases like “antibiotic-free,” “gluten-free,” “organic” and “free range” are all over as diners demand to know more about what’s in their food. Taking menu items back to their simple roots is a way of showcasing the quality of an ingredient.
“Going back to basics with simple, fresh food.” —Darla Mehrkens, executive chef, Carilion Clinic
“Chicken will continue to dominate.” —Tracey MacRae, campus executive chef, University of Washington
“Simplicity: Good food done well.” —Cameron Clegg, executive chef, Parkhurst Dining at Highmark
“Good ol' meat and potatoes.” —Pierre Genereux, sous chef, Interlude Restorative Suites at Benedictine Health System
In another section of our survey, we found that many chefs are making an even greater effort to flip the plate: moving meat from the spotlight while upping the amount of vegetables or grains served. This lined up with an overall decrease of animal proteins. On the decline:
“Heavy meat-focused menu choices.” —Ron DeSantis, director of culinary excellence, Yale University
“Protein overloading.” —Carrie Anderson, executive chef, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
“BBQ and smoked meats.” —Drew Patterson, culinary director for nutrition, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
“Korean BBQ.” —Ryan McNulty, director of culinary development, Metz Culinary Management
Because sometimes an out-there menu item is just the thing diners want.
“Maybe a French Toast Flap Jack Stack with bacon jam.” —Jennifer Leamons
“Pupusas.” —Jose Martinez, senior executive chef, University of California at Berkeley
“Traditional cuisine in breads.” —Dewey McMurrey, hospitality services executive chef, Texas Tech University
“Savory yogurts and ice creams.” —Carrie Anderson
Well, they tried. But some menu items are just too weird or time-consuming to have any real longevity in noncommercial dining. (Or our chefs just really, really hated them.) Among their list of flops:
“The ‘everything fried’ trend.” —Darla Mehrkens
“Hopefully foams and froths.” —Kurt Kwiatkowski, executive chef for culinary services, Michigan State University
“Alternative milks and goji berries.” —Brent Trudeau
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