The Hottest Restaurant Menu Trends In 2011
The results of the National Restaurant Association’s What’s Hot survey of over 1,500 professional chefs predicts that the top ten biggest trends characterizing restaurant menus in 2011 will likely be locally sourced meats and seafood, locally grown produce, sustainability as a culinary theme, nutritious kids’ dishes, hyper-local items, children’s nutrition as a culinary theme, sustainable seafood, gluten-free/food allergy-conscious items, back-to-basics cuisine and farm-branded ingredients.
According to the National Restaurant Association, locally sourced foods and sustainability have become mainstream issues among consumers, as more and more diners are curious as to the origins of their food. Nutrition will also play a key role in upcoming trends.
An estimated 86% of chefs identified locally sourced meats and seafood and locally grown produce as a hot trend, followed by sustainability. Respondents also believe that focus on hyper-local sourcing will be likely, which includes the self-raising and butchering of meat.