WASHINGTON National Restaurant Association. —Sustainable and locally grown and sourced ingredients will be the top menu trends in 2010, according to chefs polled recently by the
The survey of 1,854 members of the American Culinary Federation asked chefs to rank the importance of 214 food and beverage items, preparation methods, and culinary themes. Results were released Dec. 1. —Sustainable and locally grown and sourced ingredients will be the top menu trends in 2010, according to chefs polled recently by the
Of the top 10 anticipated trends, half fell into the sustainable, eco-friendly or organic categories. The NRA said environmentally friendly practices and local sourcing—whether they were applied to produce, meat, seafood or alcohol—appealed to both restaurant operators and their customers for their freshness, minimal transportation, and the ability to support local communities and businesses. —Sustainable and locally grown and sourced ingredients will be the top menu trends in 2010, according to chefs polled recently by the
“The top trends this year—local sourcing, sustainability and nutrition—reflect wider societal trends and consumers’ growing interest in these issues,” said Dawn Sweeney, the NRA’s president and chief executive. “Many restaurants are sourcing some of their ingredients locally, and you often see chefs shopping at farmer’s markets to create a host of better-for-you options that today’s diners want.” —Sustainable and locally grown and sourced ingredients will be the top menu trends in 2010, according to chefs polled recently by the
ACF president Michael Ty also noted that the increased interest in local sourcing is a throwback to times past. —Sustainable and locally grown and sourced ingredients will be the top menu trends in 2010, according to chefs polled recently by the
“This is retro,” he said. “It’s what we did in the past when chefs relied on local markets because we did not have the luxury of today’s transportation system. We are going back to our roots and the foundation of our craft that made it more pleasurable.” —Sustainable and locally grown and sourced ingredients will be the top menu trends in 2010, according to chefs polled recently by the
Some industry experts say the reason for the increased popularity of local and sustainable items is twofold: The products are more flavorful, and purchasing them buoys the local economy. —Sustainable and locally grown and sourced ingredients will be the top menu trends in 2010, according to chefs polled recently by the
“Chefs have gotten excited about it because all of a sudden everything is starting to taste so good,” said Holly Elmore, founder and executive director of the Atlanta-based Green Foodservice Alliance. “We’re going back to what our great-grandparents were eating, and chefs have started discovering they can cook really great food and don’t have to cover it up with all kinds of different sauces. Also, it helps out the local economy. In Atlanta, there’s a whole slew of chefs where a whole part of their businesses is [devoted to] getting to know the local farmers.” —Sustainable and locally grown and sourced ingredients will be the top menu trends in 2010, according to chefs polled recently by the
Elmore added that the movement toward sustainability and local sourcing would continue to gather steam as more consumers and chefs become exposed to and familiar with it. —Sustainable and locally grown and sourced ingredients will be the top menu trends in 2010, according to chefs polled recently by the
“There’s a lot of energy, it’s getting a life of its own and people are really excited about it,” she said. “It just tastes a whole lot better, and it’s better for the environment.” —Sustainable and locally grown and sourced ingredients will be the top menu trends in 2010, according to chefs polled recently by the
In addition to their increased interest in sustainable foods, the surveyed chefs said the top trend in restaurant kitchens next year would be the inclusion of environmentally friendly equipment and practices.— [email protected] —Sustainable and locally grown and sourced ingredients will be the top menu trends in 2010, according to chefs polled recently by the