Small is Big on Restaurant Menus
November 29/Washington/U.S. Newswire -- A survey of more than 1,000 professional chefs, members of the American Culinary Federation, found that small is big on restaurant menus, as bite-size desserts and small plates/tapas/mezze top the list of hot trends when it comes to courses. Other items among the top trends in the second annual "What's Hot ... What's Not" survey include alternative-source ingredients, ethnic flavors and specialty alcohol.
"Restaurant menu trends are driven both by consumer demand and by the creativity of chefs," said Dawn Sweeney, president and CEO of the association. "Our chef survey, which we conducted in cooperation with the American Culinary Federation, highlights flavors, ingredients and other menu components that are hot right now to help the nation's 935,000 restaurants continue serving great meals to their guests. Restaurant operators will have the best opportunity of the year to explore these trends at the 2008 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show and the new International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event, both to be held next May."
In October 2007, the Association surveyed 1,282 chefs (members of the American Culinary Federation), asking them to rate 194 individual food/beverage items, cuisines and preparation methods as "hot," "cool/passe" or "perennial favorites." The survey reveals that the hottest menu trends include small plates, both as the main course and for dessert.
Another overall trend noted by the survey results is alternative-source ingredients, including locally grown produce, organics, sustainable seafood, grass-fed and free-range items, and alternative red meats (buffalo, ostrich, venison). In addition, incorporation of ethnic cuisines, flavors and ingredients into restaurant menus is also shown to be an overall trend, with fusion ethnic cuisine, flatbreads, Asian entree salads, Asian appetizers, Latin American cuisine, ciabatta bread, and Mediterranean cuisine rated high on the list of hot items.
Various types of alcohol are also hot on menus, according to the survey -- both as an ingredient in cooking and on the drink menu. Craft beer, energy-drink cocktails, martinis/flavored martinis, m
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