Food trend lists are as inevitable as death and taxes, but rarely as reliable. Chandra Ram, editor of HOTELS’ sister publication Plate, took a look at food trends — and discussed why it’s a waste of time to focus energy on short-lived trends when the bigger picture says so much more about major food trends —during the recent Protein Innovation Summit in Chicago, hosted by HOTELS, Plate and another sister publication, Meatingplace.
“Trend-watching isn’t enough,” explained Ram, who said that large-scale global movements, the economy and the environment fuel and define the trends. She suggested that instead of looking at how to emulate the success of Roy Choi’s Korean tacos, chefs and others in the food industry should try to connect the dots in larger movements to see what comes next — for example, tying gangbusters growth of coffee companies like Starbucks and the US$11 billion cosmetic teeth-whitening industry that followed.
“You want to be the company that sees the business opportunities, not the one who just limps behind following them,” Ram said.
Global movements to watch include a distrust of big business and government (as the U.S. “pink slime” debacle and various food contamination issues have demonstrated) that led to suspicion among consumers. “There’s a lot of good versus evil going on right now,” Ram said. “It creates a need for escapism.”
Perhaps consumers are doing so through easier access to luxury goods: “There’s a democratization of luxury,” Ram said about another movement to watch. “The national feeling is that nothing should be out of reach — you can be anywhere and have access to luxury goods.” Examples are luxury brands like Missoni designing clothing lines for Target, and foodstuffs once considered gourmet now showing up on special in the aisles of Trader Joe’s for a fraction of the cost.
“Food used to be high-culture, and now it doesn’t have to be,” said Ram, pointing out how today’s rock-star chef is no longer inaccessible, cold and removed, but young, friendly, usually tattooed and ready to share their latest favorite ingredient or idea.
Even sugar, which first came from Europe in perfect bricks and was eventually formed into cubes for convenience, has gotten real by being most valued in its natural, misshapen state with imperfections that aren’t overlooked, but appreciated. “The pendulum is swinging back,” Ram said. “The desire is to slow down and connect.”
And how are consumers and chefs doing so? Farmer’s markets, foraging and hunting are a few strategies. “They’re trying to create a special story, the need for a personal touch,” Ram said. “Customers want something meaningful, but it has to be fast and convenient and make the guest feel special.”
Ram also discussed how changing weather patterns are affecting everything from growing seasons, decreased wheat production and how pickling and preserving are allowing chefs to make seasonal produce last longer and tell that story the consumer is looking for. The obesity epidemic is also going to affect the way we eat, label our food and count calories, Ram predicted.
But what it comes down to is choice and accessibility. Ram explained, “It’s people on Twitter — they grew up with food, they want choice and they want it now.”