Food Trends 2012 by Robert Kenny

2013 MORE THAN 150 IDEAS ABOUT YOUR FUTURE

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Technomic’s Take: What’s Ahead in 2013 blogs.technomic.com Nov. 19, 2012 Technomic, the nation’s leading foodservice research and consulting firm, brings together the best judgments of its consultants and editors to peer ahead to food trends that may significantly impact the restaurant industry in 2013. These expert insights are based on site visits evaluating the restaurant scene in cities across the country as well as interviews and surveys of operators, chefs and consumers, backed up by qualitative data from its extensive Digital Resource Library and quantitative data from its vast MenuMonitor database. Some of these developments are mainstream trends among major players, others are edgy urban movements that may or may not spread to the wider American public, and some are in the process of evolving from leading-edge to mainstream. 1. Vegetables take their star turn. As more diners discover the joys of occasional meatless meals, the flirtation with vegetarian fare evolves into flexitarian fascination with actual vegetables. That means not only innovative salads but creative presentations of roasted or steamed veggies, even the assertive ones like carrots, kale or Brussels sprouts. Vegetables at the center of the plate are welcomed by diners—who continue to seek fresh, local, healthful fare—and operators squeezed by rising costs for proteins. 2. Great grains. Recognized as nutrition powerhouses—packed with protein as well as texture and full, rich taste—grains are also playing star roles on trendy menus. Dishes like polenta, couscous or bulgur are central to some of today’s hottest ethnic cuisines. And a number of grains— quinoa, amaranth, millet, wild rice, corn, oats and buckwheat—do not contain gluten, so they’re being nudged to the fore as part of the movement to gluten-free eating. 3. Chicken surprise. Yes, chicken is ubiquitous thanks to its always-reasonable price and remarkable versatility, but now it’s actually trendy as well. New quick-service and fast-casual fried-chicken concepts are popping up, offering Southern or spicy takes on a classic. And now that Latin-accented marinated chicken has established a niche, African peri-peri chicken may be next. 4. Snacking nation. Habits of around-the-clock eating, the street-food/food-truck craze, consumers’ demand for flexible portions and prices, and operators’ need to move beyond price-cutting on core menu items all combine to make snack fare a key trend. Tapas, mezze and upscale bar bites in full-service restaurants are matched by flavorful novelties in limited-service restaurants, from Spicy Chicken McBites at McDonald’s and Chicken Littles at KFC to mini corn dogs at Jack in the Box and cheesecake bites at SONIC. 5. More is more. On the other hand, there’s an opposite value-as-volume movement. Look for more deals like Pizza Hut’s Big Dinner Box (two pizzas with multiple sides) or Olive Garden’s Dinner Today & Dinner Tomorrow (a dine-in meal plus a to-go meal), as well as multi-course feasts for two, four or more—even whole-hog pig roasts.

6. Retro rising: diner and deli fare. Concepts of many types are looking to the menus of traditional and contemporary diners and delis for inspiration. We’ll see a proliferation of premium diner- and deli-inspired meaty sandwiches, full-flavored soups, even pickles—from traditional dill cukes to pickled red onion. 7. Noodle-shop noodles. Ramen done right is a long way from dorm fare; it’s nutritious, subtle, satisfying and redolent of exotic Far East street markets. Look for ramen, udon, soba, cellophane and rice noodles to show up in hearty layered bowls, fragrant soups and even mixed-texture salads, not only in a burgeoning number of big-city noodle shops but in seafood and varied-menu restaurants as well. 8. South America—the next frontier. Just as diners who love Asian fare have explored beyond Chinese to develop a taste for Thai and Vietnamese, those who favor Mexican are now looking south—all the way to Brazil, Argentina and Peru. We’ll see mainstreaming of South American-style grilled meats, chimichurri sauce, ceviche, South American-Asian fusion seafood dishes and iconic drinks, from Brazil’s caipirinha to Peru’s pisco sour. 9. Fast casual goes globe-trotting. Success in the exploding fast-casual sector is no longer limited to bakery cafés and Mexican concepts. Build-your-own-better-burger chains and gourmet brick-oven pizza restaurants have been on the rise for some time, but now we’re also seeing more ethnic foods and flavors—from American barbecue to Southeast Asian soups and sandwiches to Mediterranean and Middle Eastern fare. 10. Restaurants thirsty for differentiation turn to beverages. Trends include fresh fruit (especially tropical fruit) beverages; natural energy drinks; housemade sodas; cocktails made with candy-like flavored vodkas; microdistillery liquors that promote drinking locally; regional craft brews starring in beer-and-food pairings; and the rise of hard ciders.

December 4, 2012 www.restaurant.org by Annika Stensson

WHAT’S

HOT

2013 Chef Survey

The National Restaurant Association’s “What’s Hot in 2013” survey of more than 1,800 professional chefs – members of the American Culinary Federation (ACF) – reveals that children’s nutrition and local sourcing will continue to be the hottest trends on restaurant menus. The chefs also said the best ways to address rising food costs are change menus, adjust plate composition and explore sourcing options. The top 10 menu trends for 2013 will be: 1. Locally sourced meats and seafood 2. Locally grown produce 3. Healthful kids' meals 4. Environmental sustainability as a culinary theme 5. Children's nutrition as a culinary theme 6. New cuts of meat (e.g. Denver steak, pork ﬂat iron, teres major) 7. Hyper-local sourcing (e.g. restaurant gardens) 8. Gluten-free cuisine 9. Sustainable seafood 10. Whole grain items in kids' meals

When asked how to best handle the increasing cost of ingredients, one-third (32 percent) said changing menus, one-quarter (25 percent) said adjusting plate composition, and another quarter (24 percent) said exploring new sourcing options. Only 4 percent said that raising menu prices is the best strategy. Just over one-quarter of the chefs (27 percent) ranked tablet computers, such as iPads, as the hottest technology trend in restaurants in 2013, followed closely by smartphone apps (25 percent). Nineteen percent said mobile/wireless/pay-at-the-table options will be the hottest tech trend. Highlighting that the restaurant industry is one of opportunity for advancement and entrepreneurship, nine out of 10 (89 percent) of the chefs started their foodservice career at entry level, with dishwasher, busser, line cook and prep cook being the most common ﬁrst jobs. Rounding out the top 20 hot menu trends are:

Items that received the highest scores as waning trends (i.e. yesterday’s news) are: froth/air/foam, ramen, gazpacho, “fun-shaped” children’s items, mini-burgers/sliders, flavored/ enhanced water, bacon-flavored chocolate, flavored popcorn, fish collars, and desserts with bacon. Items that received the highest scores as perennial favorites are: Italian cuisine, hamburgers/cheeseburgers, egg dishes, French toast, barbecue, fruit desserts (cobbler, pie, tart), comfort foods, grilling, milkshakes and Mexican cuisine. Also included in the survey were questions about technology trends, rising food costs, and nutritious recipes. More than half (55 percent) of the chefs said they always make efforts to adjust dishes and recipes to be more healthful, while 37 percent said they cook with nutrition in mind, but that not all recipes are easily adjusted.

11. Farm/estate Branded Items 12. Non-wheat noodles/pasta (e.g. quinoa, rice, buckwheat) 13. Non-traditional ﬁsh (e.g. branzino, Arctic char, barramundi) 14. Ethnic-inspired breakfast items (e.g. Asian-ﬂavored syrups, chorizo scrambled eggs, coconut milk pancakes) 15. Fruit/vegetable childrens’ side items 16. Health/nutrition as a culinary theme 17. Half-portions/smaller portions for a smaller price 18. House-made/artisan ice cream 19. Black/forbidden rice 20. Food trucks For complete ‘What’s Hot in 2013’ survey results, visit http://www.restaurant.org/foodtrends

For more menu ideas you can use, ask your Marketing Associate about Mix it Up! And be sure to download Sysco’s Chef Ref app for your tablet or smart phone, free for Android and Apple iOS. http://chefref.sysco.com

www.foodchannel.com

The Food Channel has released its 2013 Trends Forecast – the top ten food trends we see for the coming year. This report is compiled in conjunction with CultureWaves® and the International Food Futurists®. Here's a look at what we see happening in the world of food for 2013. 1. Kickstarting New Food Concepts. Yes, Kickstarter, GoFundMe and other crowdfunding sites have been around a while, but we see them really kicking it up to a new level in the food and hospitality arena in the coming year. Got a new food product idea, or want to build a new restaurant? Go for it, and make it a crowdpleaser.

2. Smokin’ Hot. Some people call it the new bacon, although, for the record, bacon is smoked meat, too. Smoking—as in smoked foods and beverages—is big and getting bigger. At the dinner table, it’s going way beyond barbecue, and the trend is spreading. We’re starting to see things like smoked cocktails, smoked olive oil, and even smoked water. Nordic/Scandinavian cuisine is one to watch in the coming year, too, and you’ll ﬁnd a variety of smoked food choices driving that trend.

3. Home Bakers Hone Skills. High-end specialty bakery products are becoming widely accessible for home use. It’s never been easier to get professional restaurant quality ingredients and supplies. At-home bakers have found a new way to make what used to be hard...well, if not easy, at least easier. Thanks to new parchments, new pans, new recipes, and tutorials, baking up fancy pastries at home is becoming a more realistic goal. Premium French pastries are getting incorporated into more desserts and into more breakfast/brunch items, and more people embracing the idea for home cooking. The French Pastry School of Kennedy-King College in Chicago is expanding for those thinking about going pro, as well as some who are simply serious about getting really good at it.

4. The Fix Is In. Prix-Fixe, That Is. “No choice” is becoming the new choice when it comes to dining out. The European-style prix-fixe (fixed menu) restaurant policy is making its way to American shores. Fine dining establishments offer a limited range of set choices, and are holding firm on no substitutions. It’s trickling down to the casual dining segment, too. Chains are bundling a selection of appetizer-entrée-dessert three-course meals for two--for a value price.

5. The Rise of the Supermarket Concierge. Grocery stores have executive chefs, oﬀer cooking classes, and have specialists who can direct you to the best cheese, best meats, and best baked goods. We began to see it a few years ago when we predicted the rise in butchers, and it’s gone beyond. Cooking classes are everywhere – sponsored by grocery stores, private caterers and restaurants of all sorts. The supermarket concierge is the next logical step in the progression. (Photo of Chef Chadwick of Hy-Vee)

6. Brunch Becomes the New Fourth Meal. The late-morning meal that usurps breakfast and dinner is becoming the hot new meal occasion. You can find eateries that feature karaoke during brunch, or offer a free-flowing Bloody Mary Bar. We found a bowling alley that hosts a brunch, serving such choices as fried chicken, buttermilk pancakes and cinnamon toast pizza. So stay up late, then sleep in and enjoy the new fourth meal.

7. Seasonals for All Seasons. Traditional seasons are getting stretched out, with people making things like pumpkin muffins in the summer. The health benefits and the flavor are turning the fall favorite into a year-round flavor in all kinds of dishes. Restaurant chefs have increased their use of pumpkin on menus by nearly 40 percent in the last two years. Tomatoes have been an all-year staple for years, but new breakthroughs in agri-science are making the off-season varieties actually worth eating. Then there’s the continuation of the canning trend (which we spotlighted last year), that lets folks enjoy the bounty of summer all winter long.

8. Cooking to a Tea. Earl Grey and other tea ﬂavors are starting to be used in cooking. The consumption of tea in general is still growing, and now it’s moving beyond beverage onto the ingredient list for some menu items. For one thing, teas have great names and can help spice up a menu in many ways. Look for tea rubs, the way there are coﬀee and cocoa rubs. Tea…it’s not just for drinking anymore.

9. Comfort Food with an Ethnic Accent. Yes, we still love our meatloaf, roast chicken and mac & cheese. But younger generations have expanded what ﬁts into this nostalgic category, with an emphasis on ethnic cuisines. Comfort food for the twenty- and thirty-something crowd includes choices like Japanese ramen, Korean kimchi, Chinese pot stickers, sun cakes and Vietnamese pho. Look for new twists in the coming year like jumbo-sized “man sushi.”

10. Here’s the Skinny. We’re finally starting to see the obesity trend level off a bit with a growing number of Americans striving to eat healthier. But a developing subset of the movement to eat smarter is a new desire to be—not just at a healthy weight—but actually skinny. The “skinny-fit” trend is moving from a blue jeans category to a way of eating, and some restaurants are responding with tiny portions that cater to this vanity-driven crowd. Will it go too far?

www.restaurant-hospitality.com Nov. 26, 2012 by Bob Krummert

Top Dining Trends 2013: A New Perspective Two food cost-friendly options make this top 10 trends list worth a look. 6. American artisans save you a trip to Europe. “For years, budding food artisans have sprung up in the U.S., crafting everything from booze to charcuterie,” SRG declares. “And as their craze becomes a lifestyle, you can count on every major city to proudly sport local, artisan foodie destinations in 2013.” 7. Small plates for me only. Have customers had enough of pass-itaround dining? SRG tells us small plates meant for sharing will be replaced with smaller, singular servings of meat, veggies or starches for a truly customized dining experience.

Boulder, CO-based ad agency/food brand consultancy SterlingRice Group took a thorough approach to developing its list of 2013’s top food trends. First, it queried celebrity chefs, product developers and other food world luminaries about what they saw on the horizon. Then the agency’s in-house culinary team drew on those findings to compile its list. Here are the 10 dining trends Sterling-Rice Group (SRG) thinks will move from the cutting edge into the mainstream in 2013. 1. Sour gets its day. The American dining scene will explore additional parts of the flavor spectrum beyond sweet, salty and fatty, says SRG. “Next year we’ll have a plethora of tart, acidic and bitter flavors to choose from as menus feature flavors like fermented cherry juice, varietal vinegars, even sour beer.” 2. Chefs watch your weight. Healthful dining is a perennial entrant on most trend lists, but will we actually see healthful dining manifest itself on menus this year? “Butter, bacon, and cream have been chefs’ best friends since the beginning of time,” notes SRG. “But in 2013, chefs will be working quietly behind the scenes to make your dishes better for you with ingredients like brown rice, high-fiber grains and vitamin-rich veggie broths.” 3. Asian infiltrates American comfort food. The spicy and fresh flavors of Thailand, Vietnam and Korea take comfort food in a new direction, and this could be the year more restaurant operators position these cuisines as such. “Expect to walk into a classic American diner and see options like Vietnamese chicken sandwiches, Sriracha mayo and Korean-glazed pork ribs.” 4. Veggies take over the plate. No longer prepared as just a side or salad, vegetables will get their chance to star as the main dish this year. SRG points to entrees like the Kohlrabi Bourguignon at AQ in San Francisco and the Cauliflower T-bone at Superba Snack Bar in L.A. We know restaurant owners will love the food cost on items like these. 5. Kids’ menus grow up. One of these years, a forecast like SRG’s—that mac and cheese and chicken nuggets will take a backseat to kid-friendly versions of adult dining options— is bound to come true. Is 2013 that year?

8. Savory fruit. Look for fruit used with savory flavors, incorporated as a touch in appetizers, soups and meat dishes. “Chefs are fermenting, pickling, drying, dehydrating, salting, grilling, frying and generally manipulating fruit more to get new flavors out of what we are used to eating raw,” says SRG culinary team member and Top Chef Season 5 winner Hosea Rosenberg. 9. No diner left behind. From gluten-free to vegan, more and more restaurants will offer all-inclusive menus and services to accommodate all eaters. “Gone are the days when chefs can ignore dietary requests. They are just too pervasive,” says SRG associate culinary director Kazia Jankowski. “Chefs who are cutting edge realize this and are planning ahead in the kitchen to have the flexibility to meet the varied requests.” 10. Popcorn is the snack of 2013. Sweet or savory, the all-time favorite (and healthy) snack will pop up everywhere—in ice cream, as croutons, as a bar snack and more. SRG points to examples from restaurants such as Linger in Denver, which serves complimentary popcorn with seasonings like Oaxacan Mole and Madras Curry and Dill instead of a bread basket; and Halcyon in Charlotte, NC, which offers salted caramel popcorn croutons atop a North Carolina winter greens salad served with boiled peanut vinaigrette. From a food cost perspective, what restaurant wouldn’t want to jump all over this one? We don’t know how many of these trends will make the leap into the mainstream this year. But we’ve already seen a couple of them gain a foothold on a number of restaurant menus, and we wouldn’t be surprised if a few more don’t make their presence felt in 2013.

www.adagecom Jan. 10, 2013

Drinking Your Dinner and Bulgur With Your Burger 1. Drink Your Dinner Is it a food or a drink? Marketers in 2013 will continue to experiment with putting traditionally solid foods into liquid form, while pitching drinks as replacements for solid meals. The moves come as consumers put a premium on convenience. Kellogg Co. recently rolled out "Breakfast to Go" shakes billed as providing a "nutritious and ﬁlling breakfast that helps give consumers the energy they need to get through the busy morning, even if they don't have time to sit at the breakfast table." Meanwhile, PepsiCo is moving forward with plans to put snacks in beverage form. The company has a "whole range of products … in the pipeline that are value-added products that can be snacks made into beverages," CEO Indra Nooyi said recently at Beverage Digest's Future Smarts conference, according to Bevnet.com. "A way to grow the beverage business is to take foods and drinkify them," she added. 2. Heat’s On Meat Is meat going out of style? Yes, we've heard this one before, but 2013 might be a watershed year for the meatless movement. One reason is that last summer's drought is expected to boost the price of beef and chicken. So consumers will increasingly look for energy from so-called "new proteins," says Phil Lempert, who runs supermarketguru.com. "A major shift is anticipated in the nation's protein food supply away from meat-based proteins and shifting to meatless proteins like eggs, nut butters, tofu, beans, legumes, with an increase

in awareness and consumption of vegetarian and vegan meals," Mr. Lempert reported recently as part of his "Top 10 Food Trend Predictions for 2013." The trend also holds for restaurants. Technomic in its 2013 outlook said that vegetables and other meatless options, such as veggie burgers, will continue to evolve. While major chains may not roll out vegetarian-specific menus in the near term, chains such as McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's have revamped veggie-centric items such as salads. 3. Salad or Fries with that? Though a bulgur salad may not be on the menu at McDonald's this year (or any year, for that matter), smaller health-food fast-casual chains are popping up and offering items such as quinoa and Brussels sprouts. It's likely these types of chains will take years to expand, but ones that have only a couple of locations now have already been making waves. Lyfe Kitchen, the brainchild of former McDonald's global chief operating officer and president Mike Roberts, was started in California and offers healthful dishes that include local, organic, healthful fare; the chain also has grand expansion plans. British chain Pret A Manger, which specializes in fresh items that have no preservatives or chemicals, continues to expand in the U.S., even if it's only in a handful of cities currently. Local health chains, such as Protein Bar in Chicago, will likely also continue to pop up, though time will tell how far they'll expand.

Restaurants Surveyed for Trend Predictions http://www.fastcasual.com January 8, 2013 Restaurant.com, an online restaurant deal resource, has polled 106 restaurants throughout the quick-service, fast casual and full-service segments to gain insight into 2013 culinary trends. Respondents' top predictions for the New Year include: Healthy: Sixty-four percent of restaurants surveyed noted a customer demand for healthy menu options and they're responding accordingly: 80 percent of restaurants say they will add healthier menu items in 2013. Fifty-two percent of restaurants surveyed selected healthy options as the most inﬂuential factor in planning their 2013 menus, followed by vegetarian options (39 percent) and gluten-free options (38 percent). Vegetables: As consumers demand healthier options, vegetables will have a more prominent position on menus. Vegetable dishes ranked No. 2 on the list of most popular food trends for 2013 as voted by the surveyed restaurants, with 43 percent picking them to be an actual trend. For measure, 62 percent of restaurants said they will feature locally-sourced produce this year. Comfort food: In spite of the healthy movement seen elsewhere in the survey, restaurants selected comfort food as the most popular trend for 2013, with 50 percent of respondents selecting it over newer trends such as spicy foods (37 percent), mini foods (34 percent) and small plates (39 percent).

Drinks: Specialty cocktails, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, are thought to be growing in popularity, with 35 percent of respondents selecting them as a 2013 trend. New items: Eighty-ﬁve percent of restaurants surveyed plan to add new items to their menus in 2013, though it may come at a price: 70 percent of restaurants expect to raise prices this year.

Smoked Tomato, Rosemary, Chile Peppers & Sweet Onion

Anise & Cajeta Farro Grain, Blackberry & Clove

Artichoke, Paprika & Hazelnut

Flavor Forecast 2013 www.ﬂavorforecast.com This year, the Flavor Forecast reveals a common thread connecting food cultures around the world. In restaurants and kitchens far and wide, cooks are elevating authentic ingredients through individualized inspirations, modern sensibilities and innovative techniques. The result? A delicious medley of unique ﬂavor experiences that is more creative, more diverse and much more personal.

TREND

FLAVOR COMBINATION

No Apologies Necessary

1. Decadent Bitter Chocolate, Sweet Basil & Passion Fruit

Diving headfirst into sumptuous flavors to enjoy the gratification of a momentary escape

2. Black Rum, Charred Orange & Allspice

An intensely indulgent combo that delights all the senses.

Tropical getaway; a sultry collision of richness & warmth.

3. Cider, Sage & Molasses

Personally Handcrafted A hands-on approach to showcasing the very best of ourselves

Rustic and comforting, natural goodness for every meal

4. Smoked Tomato, Rosemary, Chile Peppers & Sweet Onion Smoky, sweet & spicy ﬂavors energize handcrafted ketchup, sauces, jams and more.

5. Farro Grain, Blackberry & Clove

Empowered Eating Creating health and wellness harmony through a highly personalized, ﬂexible approach

Healthy ancient grain with powerful hits of fruit and spice.

6. Market-Fresh Broccoli & Dukkah Dukkah is a blend of cumin, coriander, sesame and nuts. Satisfying ﬂavors and textures, mixing unexpected varieties of broccoli with Middle Eastern spice blend.

7. Hearty Meat Cuts, Plantain & Stick Cinnamon

Hidden Potential A waste-not mentality, uncovering the fullest ﬂavors from every last part of the ingredient

A new take on meat and potatoes inspiring creative approaches.

8. Artichoke, Paprika & Hazelnut Ingredients you thought you knew invite new exploration to unleash their deliciously versatile starring qualities.

9. Japanese Katsu Sauce & Oregano

Global My Way Discovering the unlimited ﬂavor possibilities of global ingredients, beyond traditional roles in “ethnic” cuisines

Tangy ﬂavors of BBQ and steak sauce create the next go-to condiment.

10. Anise & Cajeta (Mexican caramel sauce) Sweet, rich delight transports desserts and savory dishes to new places.

For hot new recipes and industry news, visit www.kraftfoodservice.com 11

Top 10 Food Trends for 2013 shine.yahoo.com Jan. 7, 2013 By Sherry Franke

1. Carrots Move over kale and Brussels sprouts. Some of New York City's trendiest and priciest restaurants are already giving carrots pride of place on their menus. At the uber chic, super-expensive, four-star Eleven Madison Park, carrot tartare is prepared to order tableside. Empellón Cocina on the hip lower east side serves roasted carrots with mole poblano and yogurt to die for. Also up and coming: cauliﬂower and parsnips!

2. Juice, Juicing, and Juicers They're back and more popular than ever! While here at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute, we believe in filling up on fiberrich whole fruits and veggies, the world at large seems convinced that juices concocted of everything from apple to beets to parsley and fortified with healthy doses of kale and wheat grass, will help us all stay healthier and feel better. A juice emporium is bound to spring up at a shopping center near you.

3. Family Style Dining When you eat out with with foodies, as I often do, everyone passes their plates around the table so everyone can taste everything... it's a practice I abhor as by the time a dish has gone half way round it's no longer recognizable or appealing. So I usually buck the crowd, to everyone's dismay, and say, "I'm not sharing". Well these days restaurants are serving dishes that are meant to be served family style so once your tablemate dishes out some short ribs, the plate's still appetizing and you get to try a little of a lot.

like to make new friends and have an adventurous palate and big bucks to shell out as these experiences in dining usually cost $100 or much more.

6. No Stir Risotto Quinoa, barley, farro, Israeli couscous are all ultra delicious when they're cooked risotto-style with broth, tomato sauce, or even seasoned water until the grains are plump, swollen and chock full of ﬂavor. But unlike arborio rice, these good-for-you whole grains don't require constant stirring...just an occasional swipe with a wooden spoon.

7. Ash Not a typo. We've all long loved the way smoke complements food....hence the popularity of bacon, sausage, and barbecue. But ash is a new way to give food the primal taste of ﬁre. Chefs are burning vegetables and grains, then pulverizing them into a dust and sprinkling it on plates and food. Chicken's trendy...even more so topped with a layer of hay ash.

8. Artisanal Cocktails A glass of white wine is so, so yesterday. And even cosmos are old hat. When you step out this year, try an Earl Gray tea-spiked gin, scotch with blood orange and cherries, rum punch that packs the heat of Thai peppers, or an after-dinner coﬀee and cognac in a single glass. At many bars, the tender's doing the infusing as well as the mixmastering right on the premises.

4. Chicken

9. Better Kids' Menus

Is it because it's cheaper, healthier, easier to share, comforting, or just plain delicious? Whatever the reason, look to poultry to surpass beef as the got-to-order, buy, serve, and eat item on menus, at butchers and supermarkets, and on buﬀets and dining tables.

Restaurants may help us wean kids oﬀ of nuggets, pizza, and plain buttered pasta. You'll be seeing more fruits, vegetables, whole grain bread and pasta, and mini portions of what's on the grown-ups' menu oﬀered to junior diners.

5. Underground Restaurants

10. Not-so-sweet desserts

They're popping up all over-in abandoned stores, private homes, farms, even in subway cars. Huh? Talented chefs without zillions to open their own places are cooking what they want when they want where they can. In order to know the where and when, you need to be on an email-mailing list, have a friend in the know, or check Facebook or Twitter posts regularly. This trend's for you if you

Yes, you read right. Last year it was sweet and salty. This year it's less sugar..so instead of let's say cookies with pretzel nuggets mixed in or brownies topped with a pinch of sea salt, you'll be eating a chocolate dessert that might make you wonder, did the pastry chef mismeasure?

Eat your vegetables! Various preparations of carrots and healthier kid’s menus are two top trends for 2013

Sensient Predicts 2013 Flavor Trends www.foodproductdesign.com January 8, 2013 Sensient Flavors unveiled its 2013 flavor trend predictions that provide manufacturers with the opportunity to offer consumers new taste experiences with adventurous flavors that have authentic regional appeal. The trend projections were developed using the company’s “Trends to Taste", a predictive process filtering trends from broad, consumer macro level to finished concepts. This year’s predictions are inspired by various large trends like comfort, connections, and health and wellness. Alderwood Smoke—Alder, part of the Birch family, is indigenous to the Pacific Northwest and provides a balance of sweet and smoky flavor. Blue Honeysuckle Berry—Originating from Russia, its flavor is a cross between a blueberry and blackberry. Cloudberry—Indigenous to Scandinavia, Siberia, Russia, Canada and the United States, when over-ripe, the fresh tart taste calms and becomes sweet with a creamy texture. Dandelion Honey—Derived from the nectar of dandelions, the honey is flavorful with mild sweetness and faint astringency.

(clockwise from top left) Speculoos spice cookies, summer dandelions, Za’atar and fresh-picked cloudberries

French Toast— French toast is a flavor known globally that can be sweet or savory. Ghost Pepper—Originating from India, it is one of the hottest peppers in the world. Pawpaw—From the Pawpaw tree, it produces the largest edible fruit indigenous to the United States that is a cross between a mango and a banana. Peanut Butter and Jelly—Offers a variety of flavor combinations and is a favorite of both kids and adults. Speculoos—A cookie originating from the Netherlands and Belgium that has sweet, butter and spice flavor hints, including, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and clove. Za'atar—A Middle Eastern spice blend of sumac, thyme, oregano, marjoram, toasted sesame seeds and salt.

10 Food Trends to Track www.restaurant-hospitality.com Dec. 27, 2012

The trend trackers who work at communications giant Publicis are charged with producing a yearly forecast that lets the ﬁrm's branded and commodity food clients know what’s coming next. That they do, but the version they make public also provides plenty of insight for full-service restaurant operators.

5. Fantasy food sharing. "Here, have a bite" once meant sharing food. Now we're sharing bytes by the billions as food photo sharing skyrockets on social media sites like Pinterest (where food pins trump all other categories), Taste Spotting and Food Gawker. The "connected table" trend of 2012 continues to grow in 2013.

One general theme the Publicis food wizards see emerging this year is that the overall pace of food innovation will pick up. “We see social media as a food trend accelerator, permitting new foods and food ideas issues to be quickly popularized,” says Joy Blakeslee, the registered dietitian who directs what is formally known as the MSLGROUP North America Culinary & Nutrition Center.

6. No-facts-barred food labeling. Food and politics will continue to collide as consumers advocate for right-to-know food labeling transparency and ingredient disclosure around issues such as biotechnology and origin.

Keeping in mind that this list is meant to address many food industry segments, not just restaurants, here are the MSLGROUP's Top 10 food trend predictions for 2013. 1. Coffee: Stronger than ever. As the #1 source of antioxidants in the U.S. diet, coffee is still buzz-worthy. Coffee is noteworthy for a wealth of recent positive health research, near ubiquitous demographic appeal, and greater than 100% recent growth in the single-serve coffee category. 2. Trendy preservation. Cured, brined, pickled and fermented items are popping up on restaurant menus and in upscale groceries. Look for Korean kimchi, brined Moroccan lemons, citrus cured Peruvian ceviche, and pickled Mexican carrots. Turns out "fresh" isn't the "be-all, end-all." Can a revival of frozen foods be far behind? 3. Stealthy healthy. Food scientists and chefs are stirring up palate pleasing salt alternatives, healthier types of fats and new natural no-calorie sweeteners like monk fruit. These ingredients will create better-for-you packaged foods that taste-sensitive consumers won't even notice. 4. Wine-in-a-box gone wild. Boxed wine offers savings thanks to lower shipping costs, and it eliminates the risk of oxidation found in "corked" wine. Expect higher quality wine producers to join the pack and singleserve options to multiply in order to cater to Millennials and the vast solo household market.

7. Protein on the go. With snacks now accounting for half of all meal occasions, look for an explosion of protein-fortified bars, beverages and salty snacks (such as bean chips). Next up: High-protein products specially formulated for men and women. 8. Bitter flavors. Bitterness adds balance, complexity and sophistication to foods and beverages. It's a grown-up taste that's often a mark of antioxidants. Find it naturally present in whole foods such as endive and salad greens or in beverages such as coffee, cocktail bitters or liquors. A bellwether: Sales of famously bitter Campari liquor are already up by 16 percent since last year! 9. Off with the white table cloth! The casualization of dining will expand as gourmet street food and food truck fare influence sit-down dining menus. People want more casual experiences, even at higher price points. 10. Coconut crazy. Workout junkies love the natural electrolytes found in coconut water, while dairy avoiders are taking to creamy coconut milk beverages. Natural foods retailers are now even stocking up on coconut oil -- it's highly saturated but proponents claim it somehow "burns fat." And that's why we call it a craze. It’s a well-reasoned list. In fact, several of theses trends—bitter flavors and trendy preservation—are already at work in many full-service restaurants. Keep these two and several of the others in mind when it’s time to tweak your menu this year.

2013 Foodservice Trend Predictions www.mintel.com Jan. 2013 by Jennifer Ballard The restaurant industry continues to make gains and consumers are feeling more confident about spending their discretionary dollars on dining out. So, what will they be looking for this year when they sit down at their favorite eatery? Mintel has identified four trends set to impact the restaurant industry in 2013. “Through extensive research and intelligence culled from our Menu Insights database and consumer surveys, we’ve narrowed down the four biggest foodservice trends that consumers and restaurant operators alike will be focusing on when it comes to nutrition, menus and new concepts,” says Kathy Hayden, foodservice analyst at Mintel. Where’s the Beef? Most commodity prices have risen, but none more than beef, and with consumer confidence still low, now is not the time for restaurants to institute drastic price hikes. From smaller steaks to “premium” chicken positioning, operators will use clever menu tactics to defray high ingredient prices in 2013.

Liquid Assets Beverages have always been a reliable profit center for restaurants, but relying on these add-on sales isn’t as easy as pouring a big gulp any longer. Today’s gourmet cocktails, craft beers and super-nutritional juices and smoothies have raised expectations for the beverage category, and keeping up with the waves of innovation will become a vital part of all segments of the foodservice industry. Clean Food, Clean Conscience While 2012’s “pink slime” story may have simmered down, each new food safety scare leaves a residue that will continue for years to come. Growing consumer concern about food quality, processing and safety means that operators can’t cut corners when it comes to ingredient sourcing. And, whether it’s “cage-free eggs” or “made-on-premises,” choosing the right menu language is as important as choosing the right ingredients in building customers’ trust. 24/7 Hunger From roaming food trucks to self-serve coffee kiosks and fancier vending machines, fresh, high quality food is available in more places and whenever customers want it. Such all-access eating means that traditional restaurants need to adjust their business models and find ways to stay nimble to keep up with the many new ways people can feed their cravings.

2013 Flavor Trends www.foodproductdesign.com December 17, 2012 To give food and beverage manufacturers a better handle on what consumers are looking for, Bell Flavors & Fragrances compiled a list of ﬂavor trends for 2013. The ﬂavors were selected using three processes: tracking samples that have been requested over a 12-month period, trend scouting by the company's internal marketing and R&D departments worldwide, and tracking trends through external databases.

Beverage

The results of their flavor research reflect the effect of the stillrecovering economy and consumers’ desire for nostalgic and familiar American flavors. Also, the company foresees continued demand for sweet beverage flavors and the increasing popularity of Mediterranean and Latin American flavors.

Trend: Spice/Spicy - Spicy beverages are heating up and playing a strategic role in differentiating familiar products which in turn attract new consumers to the category. Consumers are also attracted to the health benefits of functional beverages which claim to have less salt, fat, sugar, etc. These beverages will increase the demand for more flavorful solutions, such as herbs, spices and other flavors.

Sweet & Dairy Trend: Nostalgia - Nostalgic dessert ﬂavors are gaining interest as they provide relief and security from a hectic lifestyle. Hard economic times have consumers craving stability and as a result, food and beverage manufactures are introducing brands with nostalgic appeal, reminiscent of the “good old days." Trend: Mediterranean - The health and wellness trend continues to thrive with more and more consumers wanting to not only buy healthy products but create an equally healthy lifestyle. The Mediterranean culture has a rich history, known for its healthy cuisine.

Trend: Desserts - In 2012, we saw an overwhelming amount of sweet beverages take over the market and in 2013, we’ll continue to see that trend with dessert-inspired ﬂavors. The beverage category is taking some cues from confectionary trends as we are seeing new ﬂavors based on some of our favorite desserts and treats.

Savory Trend: Regional Mexican and Latin American - Mexican food consumption is increasing faster than any other segment of the restaurant industry. In addition, it is rapidly becoming more popular for home preparation. Consumers are demanding a variety of more complex and authentic flavor and ingredient options over traditional Mexican. Latin America is also luring foodies from all over the world as it is becoming a veritable hotbed of culinary attractions for travelers. Trend: Regional American - Interest in the regional cuisines of the United States will most likely evolve much like interest in global cuisines, moving from broad regions to smaller areas, more refined ingredients, more specific pockets of influence and increasingly authentic ingredients. The food world is turning inwards and looking at America’s rich culinary heritage. Many American regional foods appeal to consumers’ desire for comfort, nostalgia and familiar food with new twists.

Mini meals a top 2013 trend www.fastcasual.com Dec. 27, 2012

The Values Institute at DGWB, a social science research group, has released its second annual forecast of health-related trends that consumers are expected to embrace in the New Year. They include: 1. FOOD WASTE CONSCIOUSNESS A recent Eco Pulse survey found that 39 percent of Americans feel guilty about trashing food. Communities and corporations have begun converting compostable scraps into disposable cash. Marin County, Calif., has begun processing wasted food from local groceries and restaurants to generate electricity, and Starbucks has found a way to recycle coffee grounds and baked goods into laundry detergent. McDonald's units in the UAE have figured out how to turn their leftover vegetable oil into fuel. Meanwhile, new mobile apps such as Love Food Hate Waste help consumers plan meals from leftovers and manage portion size. 2. WELLNESS IN THE WORKPLACE With health care costs expected to rise by 7 percent, companies are improving employees' health (and minimizing health care expenditures) by adding wellness programs. Plan on seeing more discounted gym memberships, group Weight Watchers accountability plans, and active design workspaces this year. The National Business Group on Health found that 48 percent of companies surveyed plan to use incentives to get workers involved in wellness in 2013. 3. MINI-MEALS AND SNACKING As the snacking trend continues, new research shows that those who eat between meals tend to have healthier diets. The NPD Group reports that snacks make up one out of every five eating occasions in the U.S. Especially prevalent is the advent of multiple "mini-meals" in place of the standard three squares a day.

4. MEATLESS MAINSTREAMING Last year's rise of the flexitarians is foreshadowing a trend toward meatless eating and outright veganism. Consumers seeking exotic natural ingredients like jackfruit and quinoa have helped turn the tide, especially as increasingly popular Asian and Indian flavor profiles eschew animal products. Look for herbivore-accommodating menus at restaurants on both coasts to start migrating to Mid-America in 2013. 5. GOING AGAINST THE GRAIN Gluten has joined carbohydrates and corn syrup as the newest ingredient Americans love to leave out. While some experts see this as self-diagnosis gone awry, consumers increasingly see the "GF" logo as a guide to healthier eating. From grocery stores to gastro-pubs to brands such as Domino's and Chuck E. Cheese, the food industry is taking advantage of the rising demand for this diet. "Our 2013 findings are consistent with the growing importance of health in America — if not yet as a daily routine then certainly as a primary goal for three out of four consumers," said Mike Weisman, president of the Values Institute at DGWB. "More than ever, health is the new prestige barometer — meaning that most Americans would rather be called healthy than wealthy. Certainly, this trend will have major implications for marketers and retailers looking to sway consumer opinion in 2013 and beyond." A total of 2,800 adults ages 18 and above participated in the national online study rating personal values and health actions. For the study, The Values Institute at DGWB, based in Santa Ana, Calif., collaborated with the international research firm Iconoculture of Minneapolis.

Quinoa Salad

Jackfruit

Three major factors — high commodity costs, consumers’ growing sense of culinary adventure and the ingenuity of chefs and restaurateurs — will drive food trends in 2013. www.nrn.com Dec. 27, 2012 by Bret Thorn My predictions for the coming year range from the shoo-ins, like chicken breast, to the fanciful, such as bush tucka. 1. CHICKEN BREAST 2013 will undoubtedly be the year of the chicken breast. That might not sound sexy, but due partly to the drought that damaged the nation’s corn crop, a primary component of animal feed, commodity experts expect most other meat to be expensive for most of the year. (Some cuts of pork may be aﬀordable until Easter.) Wing prices will be high, and to the annoyance of restaurateurs who buy wings by the pound but sell them by the piece, wings will likely remain popular. Many of the largest restaurant chains introduced new chicken breast items and “boneless wings” made of breast in 2012, and I’d be shocked if we didn’t see more of that in 2013. As NRN contributor and commodity expert John Barone said in a recent webinar on the drought’s impact, “The takeaway is to see how you can use more breast meat on your menus.” 2. SKIN It’s crunchy, usually salty and generally bad for you, so of course people love it — particularly of pork, duck and chicken. Salmon skin is considered more healthful; expect to see more of that, too. NRN contributor and menu trends expert Nancy Kruse noted the trend at this year’s MUFSO conference, noticing its prevalence as an added bit of crunch at many independent restaurants. Expect to see more of it in 2013 as the whole-animal trend continues and as chefs, looking to trim costs, seek to use every last scrap of food.

3. AVOCADO People generally try to satisfy one of three needs when dining out, not including their expectations of taste: They want something fast; they want something that’s good for them; or they want to indulge, whether in terms of time, calories or money. Avocado hits the sweet spot that satisfies all of those needs. High in fat, unctuous in texture, and not inexpensive as far as fruit goes, it’s an indulgent treat. But since avocado is high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fat and rich in antioxidants, it’s also considered healthful. It is becoming increasingly popular on sandwiches, also demonstrating its convenience. 4. BYCATCH Anything a fishing boat catches when it means to catch something else — flounder instead of shrimp, for example — is called bycatch, and it’s traditionally regarded as waste. But with high food costs, fears of overfishing, and diners becoming increasingly adventuresome, junk fish is now a delicacy. Sea robin, lion fish, green crabs, scup and other fish that used to leave fishermen and chefs scratching their heads will increasingly find places on the menu. 5. CUSTOM BEER Beer trend expert Peter LeFrance predicted this one: Restaurants will increasingly commission breweries to make signature beers. Brooklyn Brewery in Brooklyn, N.Y., makes custom brews for Danny Meyer’s Shake Shack and Blue Smoke restaurants, and Eleven Madison Park in New York City. Sapporo Brewery in Japan brews a special brand for French restaurateur Joël Robuchon to serve in his restaurants. We’ll also see more chefs brewing their own beer. Seattle area-based chef John Howie says he plans to brew his own beer at a restaurant he’s opening in Bothell, Wash., next year. Nearby, he’s testing a distillery for gin, vodka, and varietally- and winery-specific grappa. Don’t be surprised to see more restaurants doing their own distilling, although probably off-site for legal reasons.

Kimchi Tempura Avocado Ice Cream Fried Spicy Chicken Skin s with Blue Cheese Sauce

6. GAME MEAT The chief executive of New York City-based better-burger chain Bareburger says bison burgers outsell the restaurant’s turkey burgers by two to one, and lamb burgers by four to one. Other chefs report a growing popularity of elk, and venison is now a regular addition to Season 52’s winter menu. Antelope is making strides, too, although it might not find its place on menus for a couple of years. I don’t expect to see goat on chains that don’t have Caribbean themes for a while, but it’s certainly a darling of whole-animal-roasting independents. Expect to see more of that in 2013. 7. BUSH TUCKA Tucker is Australian slang for food, and “tucka” is how Australians pronounce the word. Bush is their term for the countryside, making bush tucka a collection of aboriginal herbs, seeds and fruits. Herbs include lemon myrtle and pepperleaf; fruits range from muntries, kakadu plums and finger limes; and seeds include wattleseed, which is like a poppy seed with personality. Some of these ingredients are starting to catch on. I had finger limes at a recent meal at The Catbird Seat in Nashville, Tenn., where chefs Josh Habiger and Erik Anderson get them from California. “They’re almost [an] obnoxiously lime flavor,” Habiger told me, adding that he likes the kaffir lime-like aroma, and the crisp pulp that “kind of pops in your mouth like topiko.” Be on the lookout for more of these exotics from down under in 2013. 8. SRIRACHA This hot sauce, named after a town on the Gulf of Thailand, broke away from the pack of Southeast Asian flavors to become the darling of 2012. It made its way onto the menus of Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Pei Wei Asian Diner. We’ll see more of it in 2013. I suspect kimchi — already hot at independent restaurants and unstoppable in food trucks — won’t be too far behind. 9. POTATOES Much has been made of the drought that devastated the U.S. corn crop in 2012, but the weather was fine in potato country. Growers of this favorite indigenous starch reported a bumper crop for 2012, meaning potatoes should be inexpensive and plentiful in 2013. Plus, potato marketers are learning the magic of highlighting the starch’s provenance and variety. 10. TROPICAL FRUITS Flavor experts say consumer passion is stirred for these exotic, but not unfamiliar, items. Expect to see coconut in iced coffees and cocktails, passion fruit in cocktails and iced teas, and mango and guava in lemonade. Tangerine and pineapple won’t be strangers either — and ginger, though not a fruit, will be seen in a growing array of cocktails, teas and housemade sodas.

Dec. 17, 2012 by Alicia Kelso

7 Predictions for 2013 1. Hispanic and millennial marketing messaging will make seismic gains in brands' budgets. This will include bilingual campaigns, websites, mobile apps, etc., and a greater focus on millennial-friendly programming such as Funny or Die, Comedy Central and MTV. 2. Mobile technologies will continue to accelerate at a wild pace, with QR codes, augmented reality, robust apps and gaming components requiring more marketing dollars. Also, the mobile payments industry is expected to account for $670 billion worth of global transactions by 2015, and the fast-paced limitedservice segment is well positioned to capitalize. In 2012, brands such as Starbucks and Taco Bell began implementing the platform, while others such as Burger King and Subway rolled out tests. Expect this to take off across the segment, including at smaller chains. 3. Competition will be even more intense than it was in 2012, when QSR brands, such as Wendy's and Taco Bell, began offering high-quality fare in hopes of competing with fast casuals. Casual dining concepts are also trying to compete in the space; Applebees’, Shoney’s and IHOP, for example, each launched express models this year. Fast casuals, in turn, are also doing all they can to stay ahead, taking a page from the QSR playbook. Panera, for example, expanded its drive-thrus. 4. Digital menu boards will become the rule rather than the exception, as the technology's cost starts to come down, and as chains prepare for the Obamacare provision that mandates the display of nutritional information. 5. Online and social media marketing will continue to pick up. Expect brands to crowdsource their social network for menu ideas, use fan photos and quotes for marketing messages, jump into newer channels such as Pinterest and Instagram, and pick up the frequency of social promotions. NPD Group reported that 6 percent of restaurant visits in Q1 2012 were influenced by online marketing, with that influence expected to increase. NPD Analyst Bonnie Riggs said, "It's no longer a question of if online marketing should be a part of a restaurant operator's overall marketing plan; it's a must-have." 6. Catering will increase. Fast casual chains are poised to outperform all others in the catering market, with projected growth at 12 percent, according to Technomic. Various chains, including Capriotti’s, Firehouse Subs and Dickey’s Barbecue, expect major sales increases from catering in the next year. 7. On the menu: Coffee/specialty beverage competition will intensify, with new hot, cold and single-serve innovations continuously rolling out. Children's menus will continue to evolve into guiltless indulgences. Eggs will be a major focus, as more restaurants jump into breakfast. (Even Starbucks launched breakfast sandwiches.) More alcohol will appear on menus as fast casuals test the waters. Starbucks started experimenting with beer and wine this year, while Chipotle launched margaritas in the Kansas City market.

Hottest Food and Dining Trends for 2013 BARS ARE WHERE THE FLAVOR ACTION IS Looking for future flavors? Keep keen eyes on artisan boozeries. Ambitious bartenders (whose numbers grow exponentially) are infusing vodka and gin ... and especially rum ... with mango, kiwi and other house-made exotica (even dried fruit) as they stretch the notion of hand-crafted cocktails. SOFT DRINKS BUBBLING Upscale restaurants, pushing for differentiation, are making their own artisan sodas using fresh and local ingredients (especially at their bars – see above). And several bottlers of flavored waters are adding real juice to their products. Behind all this stirring: Consumers abandoning colas in droves ... seeking “fresh” beverages or fruit-flavored carbonates and smoothies with the illusion of health. EVERYONE WANTS TO BE CHIPOTLE Consumers are trading down like crazy ... bypassing casual dinnerhouses ... leaping from full service restaurants directly to fast-casual formats ... sacrificing service but believing the food is still “fresh.” Fast-casual restaurants are entry points to sample new ethnic cuisines ... especially for millennials. Customizable sushi, Indianinflected wraps, and a banh mi version of Subway, for example. Everyone understands the system: interactive service with food made in front of you; customizable upscale options; bolder flavors; distinctive, contemporary décor; more youthful appeal than dinnerhouses but more mature than fast-food plasticity ... prices about half-again as much as fast food ... and consumers tolerating slower service in exchange for better quality. FAST FOOD STRIKES BACK; MORE DUMBELLING Fast food menu boards are sprouting higher-priced options ... and burger chains, smitten by the “gourmet” boom, are adding higher-priced items ($4.50-$6) while maintaining their 99-cent or $1 leaders. Watch for gilded burgers (guacamole, pineapple, mushrooms, crispy onions, but don’t look for goat cheese), pepped-up sauces, ethnic touches, lots of fancier buns (see McD black-and white buns in China, below)... and more customization. Minis are bigger: If fits your car’s cup-holder ... if you can eat it with one hand, or better yet, two fingers ... if you can dip it ... then it’s being tested in chains’ R&D kitchens. Applies to breakfast, snacks and desserts. Sausage bites. Cake bites. Chicken dippers. Rolled sandwiches. Teeny cinnamon buns. Mini shakes. More impulse desserts ... sweet potato fries ... more Italian and Southwest and Latino flavor accents.

SNACKIFICATION OF AMERICA We’re eating less at every meal... but more than making up for it with endless snacking ... and our national waistlines prove it. Snacks account for one in five “eating occasions” ... multiple snacks now qualify as America’s “fourth meal” ... and even the traditional three are degenerating into nibbles and bits. Greasy fries no longer do the trick. Snacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated ... glorified mini-burgers, wraps with exotic fillings, upscale dips are building off-hours bar traffic. Lots more minis showing up at fast food chains, adding impulse revenue to between-meal shoulder hours ... cake bites, mini-dippers, teeny shakes. You find all-hours grazing across the economic spectrum: Food trucks define a new market for creative, portable food ... and hotel lobbies, morphing into living-dining rooms, give rise to social snacking and all-day drinking ... and breakfast getting fancified and served at all hours. BUNDLING GETS BIGGER Fast food meal bundles are nothing new ... they dominate chain menu boards. But since the recession, bundles are getting increasing play at casual dining chains: Chili’s and Golden Corral’s 2-for-$20, periodic bargain dinners-for-two at Red Lobster and TGIFriday’s, Olive Garden’s 2- for-$25 this summer, and lately its buy dinner and get a free entrée to take home. Outback at this writing offers four courses for $15. Their objective is to fill seats at any cost and stem the tide of people trading down. BREAD TRENDS Restaurants won’t give bread without you asking for it. And increasingly, they’re charging for a breadbasket. Look for more elaborate breads and rolls ... restaurants are baking in-house to save costs ... and to ramp up distinctiveness, especially with sandwiches, emphasizing an “artisan” at work. FIELD OF GREENS Seaweed beyond sushi ... in bread, in flavored salt, in crackers, in breakfast cereals, in butter, toasted and sprinkled on fries, fish and pasta ... also in packaged snacks flavored with wasabi, olive oil, sesame seeds. Greens beyond seaweed: Kale trickles down to mass-market feeders ... beet greens, chard, turnip greens, mustard greens ... rejected only five years ago, finding favor. (Someone’s testing a “better burger” topped with bbq flavored kale chips.) LOADS OF BUZZWORDS FOR 2013 Menu shuffling aimed at flexitarians. Asian flavorings: togarashi, yuzukoshi, gochujang (look them up). More chicken (often upscaled), less beef. Fermented everything. Donuts getting bizarre upscaling (foie gras jelly donuts, hamburgers between two griddled donuts, kimchee donuts). Overused kimchee gets doneskee in 2013. Bar-made and small-batch tonics and quinine syrups. Lillet, Dubonnet, Chartreuse, Benedictine and other golden oldies. Craft bourbon, small-batch rye, local gins. Zip-code honeys. Spice trends: Torridly hot, smoked, warm and aromatic, fruity. Too much smoking going on. Too many tasting menus. Food halls. Weirder and weirder desserts. White strawberries. Green tomatoes. Geranium leaves. Hibiscus. Shiso. Charred octopus tentacles. A good year for hard cider. Lobster rolls (while wholesale prices are cheap). Charcuterie boards. To read the full 15-page report of 17 Hottest Trends, visit http://www.baumwhiteman.com/2013trends.pdf

What’s the next kale? http://www.aikenstandard.com By Judy Hevrdejs and Bill Daley Jan. 10, 2013 This is the year of the snake, according to the Chinese lunar calendar. But in food circles, it just might be the year of the roast chicken or Asian noodles. Molecular gastronomy, fancy cupcakes, Korean tacos? So, so 2012. The new year is always the time when prognosticators of all stripes decide what’s in, what’s out and, most intriguing of all, what’s next. Will we eat more Asian-influenced sandwiches and less Asian fusion? More Latin American flair with a focus on Peru and Brazil? What influence will the economy, the growing number of farmers’ markets and our time-crunched lives have on what we eat? “We are always looking for new versions of things that we already know,” says Harry Balzer, who has been watching what America eats for more than 30 years as a senior analyst with NPD market researchers. “We’re explorers, but we’re not Christopher Columbus.” “Where are the things that could have the greatest impact? They’re in the things that we eat the most often,” he says: sandwiches, vegetables and fruit. Here’s our forecast based on the buzz among prognosticators we talked with: Heirloom chicken: Like heirloom turkeys and heritage pigs before it, now may be chicken’s turn to get attention. “We’ll begin calling chicken by their varieties and, maybe, begin noticing the difference in flavors,” says Clark Wolf, a restaurant consultant and trend spotter. In fact, Bret Thorn, senior food editor at Nation’s Restaurant News, said it’s here, pointing to an emerging class of high-quality fast-casual restaurants like Bantam & Biddy in Atlanta that celebrate heritage chicken. Good, and good for you: “Vegetables will continue to move to the center of the plate, catering to vegetarians, vegans, flexitarians, foodies and nutrition-conscious carnivores alike,” says David Sprinkle, research director of consumer market researcher Packaged Facts. Kale sits atop the greens heap now (you ate lots of crispy chips last year, didn’t you?) and may be joined by Brussels sprouts and more. “It’s not always easy to convince a consumer, especially a mainstream consumer, that a vegetable dish is going to have flavor and interest and innovation,” says Mary Chapman of Technomic, a food service research and consulting firm. “But then you look at a menu like the Cheesecake Factory’s that has kale on one of their salads and (patrons think), ‘Maybe I would be willing to try it there, and then I know what to do with it.’”

Regional cooking: The continuing emphasis on local and seasonal foods will, Wolf predicts, lead toward a local, seasonal and more distinctive regional style of cooking. Techno-shoppers: Texting while shopping? Why not? According to The Food Marketing Institute, 52 percent of consumers use technology in their grocery shopping, 32 percent are using online coupons, while a nearly equal amount – 31 percent – use mobile technology when grocery shopping to make lists, find recipes or research products. Greek yogurt, part II: Look for Greek yogurt dressings, dips, sauces, smoothies, soda and even cheesecakes with Mediterranean ingredient garnishes. “Keep an eye out for me-too promotion of other regional/ national yogurt styles (such as New Zealand yogurt),” Sprinkle says. Noodling: Look for udon, soba, cellophane and rice noodles to show up in hearty layered bowls, fragrant soups and even mixed-texture salads, not only in a burgeoning number of big-city noodle shops but in seafood and varied-menu restaurants, Technomic researchers say. Tummy time: “This is going to continue being a trend for how we define health, moving from avoidance of harmful substances to adding beneficials to, now, digestive health. ... The question is, will it be gluten or will it be probiotics?” says Balzer. Molecular gastronomy: “In many ways the No. 1 trend is the rather public demise of molecular poo-poo,” Wolf says. “Enough. Time’s up.” High-end Bordeaux: “I hate to say it, but Bordeaux is out right now. Pricing has gotten extremely high,” says Evan Goldstein, a master sommelier, wine writer and president of Full Circle Wine Solutions in San Carlos, Calif. Fast-food favorites: Mini-burgers, Korean tacos, fancy cupcakes: Foodies may call them “passé, but there are plenty of people who are still loving them,” Chapman says. Packing the pantry: When the economic downturn hit, did you really need five boxes of pasta, and 10 cans of tuna? “The biggest collector of food in this country is the American home,” says Balzer, who watched as we readjusted pantry inventory levels in 2012. “People still ate, but their volumes were not being seen in supermarket sales because people were using (items on hand). Perhaps we will restock our inventories as the economy picks up.” Liquid sugar: “Consumption (of sugary sodas and fruit juice) will continue a downward trend, though fresh squeezed/pressed juices with help make a fresh case for fruit juice,” Sprinkle says.

Crispy kale sits atop the greens heap now and may be joined by Brussels sprouts and more in 2013.

Top 10 Food Trends for 2013 As in years past, our editorial team sifted through ingredients, food news, and pop culture to compile our culinary forecasts for the coming year, which we've divided into Front Burner (trends you'll likely see dominate) and Back Burner (things whose popularity has peaked) categories.

1. STATE OF THE FOOD NATION Front Burner: Collaborations Playing nice in the kitchen is the order of the day. The food world can take a lesson from Grant Achatz and Daniel Humm, chefs who switched restaurant spaces for 21st Century Limited. Achatz's Alinea cooked its signature fare in Humm's 11 Madison Park space for a week in September and Humm followed suit in October in Chicago. And in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, restaurants like Hill Country and Rob's Bistro in Madison, New Jersey, offered temporary work to servers, bussers, prep cooks, and other kitchen workers displaced by the storm. More collaboration, please! Back Burner: Food Feuds Just when everyone thought Pete Wells' takedown of Guy's American Kitchen & Bar couldn't make feuds any worse, Gordon Ramsay came along and applied for a U.K. trademark on the Spotted Pig in an apparent bid to stop chef April Bloomfield from opening an outpost of her popular New York gastropub of the same name. It's time to put to rest the food fights of 2012.

www.epicurious.com Nov. 29, 2012 by Sara Bonisteel

4. DISH Front Burner: Vegetable Plate Cauliﬂower is having a moment, but so too is the Vegetable Plate. It's not just for vegetarians anymore. Seasonal vegetable mains at New York's the Fat Radish and Philadelphia's Supper are good places to start increasing your veggie intake. Back Burner: Meatballs Always delicious, but no longer the hot new kid on the block.

5. FOOD CITY Front Burner: Toronto David Chang's addition of four (yes, four) Momofuku spinoffs and Daniel Boulud's new outpost at the Four Seasons adds further depth to an already exciting international dining scene. Head to Ossington Street, Roncesvalles Village, or the St. Lawrence Market, which rivals San Francisco's Ferry Building. Want to taste it all? Victor Restaurant in the Le Germaine Hotel has a menu of neighborhood classics. It's clear; the Big T-O is poised for something scrumptious in the coming year. Back Burner: Portland Chefs like Pok Pok's Andy Ricker aren't necessarily fleeing PDX, but their expansions into realms further afield mean that Portland's culinary moment may have peaked.

2. RESTAURANTS Front Burner: Technology Comodo's Instagram menu and the rise of the iPad in the dining room mean it's only a matter of time before more restaurants opt for pixilation over paper. Back Burner: Tasting Menu Multi-hour, dozen-course-or-more tasting menus are about as popular as the 1 percent. Instead, expect restaurants to focus on small plates proportioned to suit a diner's appetite.

3. HOT VEGETABLES Front Burner: Cauliflower This cruciferous friend is finally taking center plate with restaurants like Chicago's Girl and the Goat (where it's roasted), Sunday Suppers (where it's fried) in Brooklyn, and the National in Athens, Georgia (where it's soupified), showcasing the vegetable as a starring player. Cauliflower wins in the home kitchen as well, in "steak" form. Back Burner: Kale We'll always love kale, but it's time for a breather from all those chips, salads, and sautés.

6. LIQUOR Front Burner: Mezcal Handcrafted from wild agave plants, mezcal has always been an artisanal product historically seen as tequila's poorer cousin. But with a massive PR push by the Mexican government and more producers making more of this smoky spirit available Stateside, it's only a matter of time before mezcal ﬁnds its way into a cocktail near you. Back Burner: Moonshine We called white corn liquor the hot spirit of 2012. Indeed it was, highlighted at the center of a reality TV show sponsored in large part by Ole Smoky Moonshine. Even large bourbon distillers like Maker's Mark started selling their unaged whiskey, a.k.a. white dog, to factory visitors. But corn liquor burns, and at the moment, we're hungover from the trend.

7. DIET

11. COOKING AT HOME

Front Burner: Exercising to Eat When all you want to do is eat up all the delicious fare young chefs are whipping up these days, exercising adventures are the only way to justify these weekly (or daily) splurges. We've heard of people walking 100 blocks to erase that Sunday afternoon at the barbecue joint, and at least one of our staﬀ members has embarked on miles-long bike food tours of taco stands and pizza parlors.

Front Burner: Homemade Snacks Get ready to say goodbye to the snack aisle, as more and more cookbooks (Salty Snacks, Real Snacks) oﬀer homemade options to our favorite guilty pleasures.

Back Burner: Dieting Diet haters rejoice! The way to a healthy bod is through a balanced diet and regular exercise, not vile cleanses, chewing slabs of meat, or starving oneself. We think this focus on healthy living will be the way to go in the coming year.

8. CUISINE Front Burner: Brazilian With the World Cup in Brazil only about 18 months away, Brazilian fare is about to take the world by storm. Churrascaria, check! Pão de queijo, check!

Back Burner: Homebrewing While dedicated enthusiasts will continue to conjure up their yeasty brews, the trend won't froth as much as it did this past year.

12. DESSERT Front Burner: Vegetables 2013 will be the year of vegetables. They're even in dessert. Battersby in Brooklyn oﬀers a Fennel Panna Cotta, Michel Richard makes a Maple Parsnip Cake, and Avocado Mousse at Tilth in Seattle. Talk about sneaking in the veggies! Back Burner: Nostalgic Kids’ Treats Cereal Milk and Cake Pops are among the desserts designed to hit your sweet tooth and tap your nostalgia vein. We've had fun remembering our childhoods, but now it's time to look to the future.

Back Burner: Southern We have to take a break from this, the comfort food of comfort foods.

13. CULINARY PROFESSION 9. ESOTERIC INGREDIENT Front Burner: Sumac With a whole slew of new books on Middle Eastern cooking (Jerusalem, The Lebanese Kitchen, to name two) we expect sumac to make an appearance in a pantry near you. Look for this tart but fruity powdered spice at specialty purveyors like Penzeys and use it to spice up eggs or make za'atar.

Front Burner: Artisan Food Producer The rise of the artisan market includes the emergence of the dedicated purveyor, the expert in one laser-focused food specialty. Enter the Sriracha maker, the mayonnaise master, the mustard queen. This is their time. Back Burner: Forager Wildman Steve Brill can have Central Park. The forager isn't this year's hot food profession.

Back Burner: Oﬀal Now that we know how to cook marrow, trotters, tripe, and tongue, it's time to get back to the cuts that cause us to crave meat in the ﬁrst place.

10. HOW WE EAT Front Burner: Pinning pictures of what we might make More and more of us are pinning creations on Pinterest of the dream meals we'd like to make ... Back Burner: Taking pictures of what we’re eating ... Leaving us less time to Instagram the dishes we're eating out.

In 2013, consumers will be more adventurous, dining out to seek new tastes and foods they can’t make at home*.

Be ready.

Download Sysco’s free Chef Ref app to prepare for those adventurous customers. Packed with plating photos, how-to videos, trend news and a growing library of searchable, scalable recipes, Chef Ref is the tool you’ve been waiting for. Available for Android and Apple iOS at chefref.sysco.com. - top projection for dining habit trends in NRA survey of 1,800 chefs