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New Year, New Trends

Sarah Oslund | December 29, 2017

Food

Eight chefs weigh in on the top food trends of 2017 and what to expect in 2018

As another year comes to a close, we’re taking a look back to see which ingredients, tastes and trends permeated the market during 2017 and getting a flavor for what we may see on our plates in the new year.

Culinary experts from Hormel Foods and celebrity chefs from across the country weighed in about this year’s food crazes. From indulgent to sustainable, the trends of 2017 covered the full gamut of food.

Trends from 2017

On the indulgent end of the spectrum, burgers – both meaty and meatless – remained the rage, but vegetables were really the star of this year’s show. “Diners continued their love affair with burgers,” says Certified Master Chef Ron DeSantis, “but plants became the center of attraction. Menus need balance and the vegetable trend reminded everyone that plant-based options should not be an afterthought.”

Double your pleasure with the latest in food mashups, where two or more all-time favorites are combined to craft a creative new dish. Foodservice Development Chef for Hormel Foods, Tony Finnestad, says the trend evolved in 2017 when chefs started merging global dishes. “Mashups progressed from menus that featured different international dishes to chefs blending global ingredients and techniques into the same dish,” he says.

Spices – especially turmeric and blended spice combinations – also grew in popularity during 2017, and most of the chefs we spoke to agree they will continue to gain traction. “Turmeric was everywhere this year,” says Stephanie Goldfarb, chef and owner of Chicago’s popular Seven Species Supper Club & Catering and winner of the Food Network’s America’s Best Cook in 2014. “We’re going to see even more of an upswing in spice usage in the new year.”

Looking Ahead 2018

Angela Sellers, food stylist for Hormel Foods, also sees turmeric and spices gaining momentum, but another growing movement really has her creative juices flowing. “Looking ahead to 2018, I will be looking out for more poke bowls,” she says. Poke (pronounced POH-keh) is essentially a deconstructed version of sushi and wildly popular in restaurants nationwide. “I’ve already started incorporating them into my mix.”

To read more from these chefs and connoisseurs about recent food trends click on their image below.