Chefs are traveling farther afield to feed the growing demand for ethnic dishes and global flavors. Technomic’s recent Ethnic Food & Beverage Consumer Trend Report finds that 24% of Americans are trying more unique types of ethnic foods than they were two years ago, and that number goes up to 35% for 18- to 34-year-olds. Gen Zers and millennials grew up eating international cuisines that are now mainstream, such as Chinese and Mexican, and as a result are seeking more unique and emerging global flavors today.
FSD’s Culinary Council members are on it. They not only are tapping into less familiar ethnic cuisines, but they’re also menuing regional variations of more mainstream ones.