Chefs Predict Top Restaurant Menu Trends For 2016

The National Restaurant Association (NRA) annually explores the top menu trends for the coming year. For this year’s “What’s Hot” culinary forecast, the NRA surveyed nearly 1,600 professional chefs—members of the American Culinary Federation (ACF)—to find which foods, beverages and culinary themes will be hot on restaurant menus in 2016.

The top 20 food trends for 2016 are:

• Locally sourced meats and seafood
• Chef-driven fast-casual concepts
• Locally grown produce
• Hyper-local sourcing
• Natural ingredients/minimally processed food
• Environmental sustainability
• Healthful kids’ meals
• New cuts of meat
• Sustainable seafood
• House-made/artisan ice cream
• Ethnic condiments/spices
• Authentic ethnic cuisine
• Farm/estate branded items
• Artisan butchery
• Ancient grains
• Ethnic-inspired breakfast items
• Fresh/house-made sausage
• House-made/artisan pickles
• Food waste reduction/management
• Street food/food trucks

For complete article, including other survey results, additional trends to watch, a video and downloadable graphics - click here.