Home Publisher's Point of View ‘Local’ Tops F&B Trends for 2016

‘Local’ Tops F&B Trends for 2016

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Ten years ago, the National Restaurant Association’s What’s Hot culinary forecast said the top food trend was “bite-sized desserts.” This year that trend is nowhere to be found on the NRA’s top 20 list. Topping this year’s list of trends: “Locally sourced meats and seafood.” The NRA surveyed nearly 1,600 professional chefs—members of the American Culinary Federation—to find which foods, beverages and culinary themes will be hot on restaurant menus in 2016.

Interestingly, seven of the top 10 trends have something to do with sustainability and wellness: 3. Locally grown produce; 4. Hyper-local sourcing; 5. Natural ingredients/minimally processed food; 6. Environmental sustainability; 7. Healthful kids’ meals; and 9. Sustainable seafood. Also in the top 20: Food waste reduction/management.

When asked which current culinary trend has grown the most over the past 10 years, 44 percent of survey respondents said “Local sourcing.” Thirteen percent said “Environmental sustainability.” When asked which current culinary trend will be the hottest menu trend 10 years from now, 41 percent said “Environmental sustainability,” 21 percent said “Local sourcing,” and 14 percent said “Nutrition.”

Strong Interest in Locally Produced Alcoholic Beverages

In the category of “Alcoholic beverages,” “Locally produced beer/wine/spirits” was the second biggest trend. At the very bottom of trends, coming in at #193, was “Frying.”

If you have a food and beverage operation and have not yet emphasized local, sustainable ingredients and cuisine, you are missing out on one of the biggest trends to ever hit modern foodservice. Ironic, of course, because there was a time when just about everything was local.

“Local” has been showing up time and time again in articles posted on the Green Lodging News website. For example, the JW Marriott Minneapolis Mall of America just opened. Its signature restaurant is called, “Cedar + Stone, Urban Table.” The menu offers refined, crafted dishes inspired by Minnesota’s natural roots and local culture. All dishes at Cedar + Stone, Urban Table incorporate ingredients locally sourced within 200 miles. The local theme carries through in the restaurant’s décor as brick and wood, artistic jasper stone prints and regional photography create a comfortable and inviting atmosphere.

The Lobby Lounge at the JW Marriott Minneapolis Mall of America offers a wide selection of local craft beers on tap, imbibes from local distilleries and wineries, and small plates. House-made cocktails include beverages from JW Marriott’s Cocktails with Purpose program, which was created in collaboration with New York-based Tippling Bros. with the guidance of nutritionist Keri Glassman. The menu offers specialty “garden to glass” cocktails highlighting fresh, seasonal and healthy ingredients, meeting guest demand for healthier options without sacrificing taste.

More ‘Local’ Success Examples

I recently wrote about the Ritz-Carlton, Naples and its on-site Grow House, a repurposed shipping container that is now used for growing lettuce, cilantro, arugula, spinach, cabbage and other plants hydroponically. The recently opened 1 Hotel Central Park has a restaurant, “Jams,” that offers local and seasonal cuisine featuring market-fresh, local and organic ingredients and purveyors. The Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center, which Green Lodging News has featured many times, emphasizes local, farm-to-table ingredients and cuisine and even has beehives for honey. “I take pride in being able to tell people where their food comes from,” said the hotel’s Executive Chef Sean Patrick Curry. “If we don’t grow it here, we’ll buy it local.”

Local food typically is fresh, nutritious and comes without the transportation-related environmental footprint that most food has. And, as thousands of chefs around the world are discovering, local is great for business as well.

Do you have a unique local food story to share? I would love to hear from you. I can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com, or by phone at (813) 510-3868.

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