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2. Millenials drive trends
Will the printed menu become a thing of the past?
The relentless growth of tablet-based menu apps continues. One of the latest, Ordamo( above), will be launching at the Great Hospitality Show, and claims to“ drive upselling opportunities, increase sales, whilst engaging customer loyalty”.
Ordamo’ s tablet and app prioritises the dishes operators specifically wants to promote to customers, and provides real-time data on the performance of the front-of-house team, customers’ favourite dishes and their feedback on service and ambience.
Food Industry Predictions 2017
Daniel Gill( left), founder of Leeds-based hospitality and events management company Dine, predicts the big trends for 2017:
1. Traditional Values
Traditional foods and ancient, unprocessed grains will begin to take over from the more experimental dishes that have been seen in recent years as people seek comfort from modern interpretations of traditional formulas. Retro flavours such as Marmite, pork scratchings, Coronation Chicken and Salad Niçoise are all likely to be popular. Chefs and catering companies will be looking to create modern twists on these classics to keep menus fresh.
Nine in ten British adults now eat out regularly – two in five at least weekly. More than half the nation’ s adult is by those aged 18-34. More than half of these eat out weekly and a third three times a week. And they are constantly looking for new eating and drinking brands and experiences. Millenials will increasingly drive food and drink trends.
3. Bowl Food
As the interest in street food and informal dining grows, casual food and“ bowl” food will become increasingly popular. First came smoothie bowls and acai bowls, but next year will see the variety of bowl food increase dramatically. From poke( a Hawaiian raw fish dish) to Buddha bowls( a vegan dish of grains and vegetables) and Bibimbap( Korean mixed rice).
4. Technology
Next year will see technology becoming increasingly important as it allows more variety in the presentation of food and drink than ever before. However chefs must be wary of over-reliance on technology- it shouldn’ t distract from the food experience.
5. The Rise of the vegetable
As people become more conscious of the ethical and sourcing issues surrounding meat and other animal based dishes, vegetarian options are going to become a staple in 2017. More people will begin to explore plant-based options to meat, even if they are carnivores, in an attempt to reduce their meat intake. Produce such as chickpeas, corn, legumes and fungi will all be used as meat substitutes designed to appeal to both vegetarians and meat-eaters.
With its meaty texture and ability to absorb flavours when it is cooked, the jackfruit is being much touted as the meat substitute with the greatest chance of going mainstream in 2017.