Food Trends What’s In Store for 2021 BY LINDA GARSON
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ow that 2020 – normally associated with sharp vision – is behind us, we’re looking forward to a year when everyone can move forward with the plans they had to put on hold, and see those new ideas and innovations emerge. But last year proved how easy it is to be sideswiped, and “pivot” became our most overused word, so our crystal ball is a little cloudy. However, we’re confident of our predictions below, having carefully watched and tracked the events and happenings of last year, and it’s this that guides the direction of our content, and the articles and features you can expect to read in Culinaire this year.
The future of dining:
Restaurants took such a hit last year that we’d expect new menus to be pared back, with tighter inventories of ingredients and rolling specials to control food costs, and hand in hand with that, running even smaller inventories on wine lists and back bars. We’re feeling bad for laundry companies too, as we’ve pretty much seen the last of restaurant tablecloths. It’s casual all the way now - fast casual, upscale casual, family dining, with or without reservations. It doesn’t mean that the food is dumbed down, but there may not be as many opportunities to wear your tux or fancy frock. It’s just as well, and will save on the dry cleaning bill, as we’re eating a lot more with our hands:
for Mort & Mindy from High Dough, LovePIzza’s Holy Shiitake, and Noble Pie’s Sweet Cheesus! Watch out for cultures merging too in pizzaland, like Jin Bar’s crazy good Korean toppings.
Taco everything!
Pizza, pizza, pizza
Ten new pizza restaurants opened just in Calgary in the last four months, so we really hope you’re still craving pie. Toppings and names are getting more creative; no guesses what’s on top 10 Culinaire | January/February 2021
If it isn’t pizza, then it’s tacos. And we’re lucky to have some excellent choices for where to get them. Found on menus in all types of eateries, from take out to taquerias with hand-pressed tortillas, tacos are here to stay and increasing in popularity. Always good for a happy hour deal too! And where there’s such a popular food item, chefs will get creative and cultures cross, and we’ll see more menu items such as Gringo Street’s Thai Coconut Braised Short Rib tacos, and Peking Duck tacos.
