2022 Culinary Trend Report

A new year means new trends on the horizon! In this blog, our very own Chef Howard Cantor shares his take on the culinary trends that will take shape in 2022.

2021 went out with a splash, and the restaurant world is still in recovery mode. Last year, what we saw in the way of food trends seemed to be more of recycled trends from years past. This year, however, we are looking at trends that seem to be more forward thinking and are more on track with what we saw before the pandemic hit.  Here are a few things from a culinary perspective that I think we will see moving forward in 2022 and beyond…

YUZU!!  Over the past few years, yuzu has begun to infiltrate the culinary scene in the United States.  This tart and tangy fruit with lime and grapefruit flavor cues has started to show up in all manner of products from seltzers to salad dressings.  Now chefs are starting to use this wonderful fruit to add some “pop” and brightness to foods where a splash of acidity makes a difference.  Soups, noodles, a salsa for fish… the possibilities here are endless! Yuzu is most certainly going to become a household name over the course of the next year.

Mocktails and alcohol-free liquors. I know, I know…but hear me out.  In 2019, alcohol use and consumption reached a 30-year high before the pandemic hit.  Once COVID-19 struck in 2020, consumers ran to the stores to buy up all the booze they could find, sending consumption skyrocketing by 200% in a week – crazy!  Now it looks like this trend is moving back in the opposite direction, as people are sobering up and consuming craft mocktails instead. These are not the mocktails of the past (like the ones that were trending in 2019), however. These mocktails are made with alcohol-free spirits, which provide all of the flavor of favorite distilled spirits, like tequila, gin, rum, and bourbon, but with none of the alcohol. This trend doesn’t stop with spirits, though, as alcohol-free beer, wine, and champagne are on the rise as well.

Sunflower seeds and allergen-free nut butter.  With the inability to make a PB&J for the safety of those around us with severe allergies, there have been several nut-free alternatives to hit the markets over the years. The most promising allergen-free option to date, however, features sunflower seeds.  The nutty, toasted seeds once ground have a lot of the same qualities as peanut butter, but without the risks and terrible side effects of the allergen.  Sunflower seeds are high in proteins and deliver a good amount of unsaturated fats, making them well-aligned with many dietary trends as well.  Keep an eye out for sunflower seed-based alternatives to your favorite peanut snack.

I’m going to close out with a trend that started to take shape about 10 years ago and, for some unknown reason, died off: urban gardens and hyperlocal foods. Over the past two years, the major upswing in social justice advocacy, as well as the rise of urban food deserts, have resurrected this trend. Urban farms have started to pop up all over the country, bringing food to the places it is needed most.  Now we are starting to see rooftop gardens, home-based hydroponic systems, community gardens, and backyard farms increasing in popularity and demand.  None of these concepts are new, but all of them are new to urban areas.  Community gardens are starting to take shape, with city governments donating the land to start the gardens and enlisting volunteers to plant and maintain them.  Local chefs are then working with the garden organizers to teach residents how to use the produce for more choices and better eating habits.  It’s a growing trend, and one that is long overdue and much needed.

Hungry for more? Check out Chef Howard’s blog series to keep up with what’s new and what’s next in the culinary world. And don’t forget to subscribe to our e-newsletter to get our insights directly in your inbox!

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