WASHINGTON — Vegetables at times in 2016 may shuck aside their side roles, starring in the center of the plate at restaurants instead. Also, new toppings may intrigue fans of hamburgers, ribs and hot wings, and a counter-movement, one of stripping down recipes, further could influence restaurant menus.
The Washington-based National Restaurant Association on Nov. 5 revealed these three food ideas and others after analyzing its “What’s Hot in 2016” survey, which involved 1,575 American Culinary Federation members.
“True trends evolve over time, especially when it comes to lifestyle-based choices that extend into other areas of our everyday life,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice-president of research for the National Restaurant Association. “Chefs and restaurateurs are in tune with over-arching consumer trends when it comes to menu planning, but add their own twist of culinary creativity to drive those trends in new directions. No one has a better view into the window of the future of food trends than the culinary professionals who lead our industry.”
