Food Trends – What’s Hot for 2014?

What’s the next “big thing” in the world of food and beverage for 2014?  The folks at the National Restaurant Association polled nearly 1300 professional chefs at the end of 2013 to get their take on what will be "hot” in the coming year.

(Image Credit – finedininglovers.com)

Here’s just a brief sample of things we could be seeing more of in 2014:

• House-cured meats/charcuterie
• Ethnic/street food inspired appetizers (like tempura, taquitos, or kebabs)
• Non-wheat noodles and pasta (like quinoa or buckwheat)
• Pickled vegetables
• New cuts of meat (like Denver steak or a pork flat iron, etc.)
• Half-portions (hallelujah!)
• Hybrid desserts (like the “townie” [a cross between a tart and a brownie] or ice cream cupcakes)
• Locally grown produce
• Dark greens (like kale, mustard greens, and collards)
• Korean cuisine
• House-made soft drinks
• Gourmet lemonades

Be on the lookout for these at your favorite local restaurant and you’ll be able to say “oh, I’ve heard about that for a while now.”  See?  You are so hip and trendy……