On the horizon...Future food trends.

Grains and greens, but not necessarily 'fat-free'. A balance between early 90s health conscious and the junk food trend that seems to be everywhere. Bulgar, chick peas, lentils, wheat berries, etc will go main, main stream. Maybe.

Organics~ I've been told that the mid-west doesn't care....I'm hearing differently. Apparently enough people care that we're able to open a farmers market in the middle of a high rent town, on the street. I've been hired to teach people how to use CSA
bags (farm subscription AKA mystery produce)
There is a market for teaching people how to use fresh produce. I'm sure the interest will
then follow to restaurants featuring local organic produce....no this isn't Cal either.

I don't know the future, but I'm hoping that people who are use to eating only a certain style or type of cuisine, will open their mind to new and different taste. And see what the rest of the world has to offer, and contiue keep the savor going! Just my hopes for the future.

Even though I value and respect everyone's opnion, I just dont see Fast food going any where else. But what I do see more of people asking for is more comfort food, and I just dont think a greasy cheesburger along with some greasy fry's at a fast food joint is considered comfort food, but then again in this day in age, maybe it is. And if this kind of food is what the people want, then a tear I will shed, for that is just sad.

I think as people spend less time at home and more time out, they will be eating things that they usually ate at home or at least things MOM used to cook, comfort foods. Steaks, mashed potatoes, meat loaf, ect... I think were are going to see a period of NEO-RETRO. Heck, I'm even seeing articles featuring layer cake and JELL-O ?!?!

Absolutely, Personal chefs are in demand~ they don't take a restaurants place they just provide a serve that the recepiant does not want to do....not unlike my ironing lady provides for me. Home cooked meals take a long time...ie pot roast, meatloaf, yeast rolls, etc....so yes homey restaurants save us time which is a huge comdoity now.

i can see cryovac Home Replacement Meals being sold to people, somewhat like a fresh version of a TV dinner and advisory services from a chef.

My vision of such a service would be:

Chef co-ordinating services and menu planning

Chef co-ordinating menu production

Chef co-ordinating Sales

Obviously, the savvy operator would form a complete service, including other trades and services, i.e. hairdressers, gardeners/horticulturists etc - like a service based agency groups.

Healthy diet is a trend in books, and much of the food in books with a health-focus does taste like cardboard--but it seems few people are actually eating less fat and more fruits and vegetables. The actual trend seems to be toward writing and buying such books, while most often eating food that tastes like cardboard, whether or not it is healthy.

Just look in the TV dinner (do they still call them that) section in the grocery store.....BLECH Healthy -------200cal dinner in a tray.

Home cooked meals, just add water!

Shroomgirl, I second your comments on "Healthy" Choice-type foods. Ever taste their cream soups???? YUKKKKK.I'd like to think a growing trend is low carbohydrate eating. It's done a world of good for me and my lipid panels. Imagine enjoying cream sauces and other rich foods without flinching! I read a study (NOT by Dr. Atkins- I don't do his diet) that stated that at least 20% of Americans are sensitive to carbs and the insuling-boosting effects they have, resulting in stored FAT. That's a lot of people, and I'm one of them. I'm finding it increasingly easier to eat the LC way in restaurants. Waitstaff are telling me they get more and more requests for "hold the bun", etc. Is it a major headache for you guys in the kitchen? Are you getting more requests for plates without starches?

I'd say about 1/3 of our guests say they are going to eat the Atkins way -- can be a real pain; plates don't look as good or rounded somehow. Beacause we are currently small, I work with people's dietary restrictions and allergies and dislikes to come up with a menu, usually alternating egg dish days with a starch based breakfast (stuffed croissants, blintz, etc) the next.

But- most see what everyone else is eating and eat the standard menu the rest of their stay!!

It's clear that the general public wants to be more educated about food and nutrition. When I first started in this business (17 years ago), the TV Food Network would never have flown. So I think that in the future that trend will grow, and people in not-so-urban areas will demand, and have access to, more exotic ingredients at the market, and more skillfully prepared foods when they dine out. I think people will learn more about diet and nutrition, and how combining certain foods leads to better health (or worse, for that matter). But there will always be that greater population of people (at least in the U.S.), who eat without really tasting their food, and for them, Twinkies and Wonder bead will never disappear.

Good and fresh and ethnic and organic is lovely. I want more of those places near my house.

But how on earth can they possibly become a national trend when they can't be replicated endlessly and put together by every 18-year-old dropout in Wichita? Which seems to be the standard for the menus on national chains. Take prefrozen item A, drop it in the deep fryer and top with prefabricated topping B, but the frozen veg in the steamer, and you're all set.

I think that's why a good restaurant, one that really fills your needs, is so special...

Good and fresh and ethnic and organic is lovely. I want more of those places near my house.

But how on earth can they possibly become a national trend when they can't be replicated endlessly and put together by every 18-year-old dropout in Wichita? Which seems to be the standard for the menus on national chains. Take prefrozen item A, drop it in the deep fryer and top with prefabricated topping B, put the frozen veg in the steamer, and you're all set.

I think that's why a good restaurant, one that really fills your needs, is so special...

Welcome BigD! They may never go out of style but people have been losing the rudimentary cooking skills to prep and cook local seasonal foods....that's why I started a farmers market with cooking demos and tours of the market every week (may-Oct)
I just went to a conference where Lidia's chef talked of low food costs mid 20"s but higher labor costs (he buys from 80 farmers/20 on a reg basis). And the spoiler speaker who will never get out of the why can't farmers bring me 3 cs of romain every week? or just the tenderloins please. HE DOESN't GET the economics of being a small farmer. SOOOO statistics say (and any newspaper you may pick up on any given day) that the small farms are becoming extinct...
If you can direct buy from your local guy, tell him what you want, how much, what size, cost he can expect, THEN buy the whole animal or help find someone who will buy the parts you choose not to use. It's a transistion for those who don't do it now, but the dividends are HUGE! You meet really cool people who will turn you on to amazing produce and bring you things to play with...
huitlecoiche was one of my toys, leaf lard, various fingerling potatoes....you will also learn about mother nature. Since playing with farmers I have heard more weather reports, learned more about open pollinators, soil properties, water conservation, delivery systems, GM's and their implications....
We have a movement in St. Louis where the chefs are doing more and more purchasing from farmers, knowing their names (members of their families).Putting a face to the food that you serve. If you'd like to read about our Farmers Market or our Chef/Farmer dinner series check out www.saucecafe.com look under Chef's Collaborative (click on the pic of eggplant)

For more on slow food:
http://www.slowfood.com/
http://www.sallys-place.com/food/sin.../slow_food.htm
http://table.mpr.org/gourmetguide/org_slowfood.html

CWK, that's so true about trends, and it applies not only to food, but other things as well, such as art, fashion, and music.