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The food industry is constantly evolving and changing. That’s why over the past couple of years you’ve seen “healthy alternatives” on restaurant menus. It’s also why you’ve seen an influx of house infused liquors and herbal combinations in the cocktail menus. Granted we are well into 2015 at this point but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still things to look for. It’s funny how you notice things more readily once they are pointed out to you or become relevant to your personal life. Like how if you buy a new car, all of a sudden you see tons of YOUR car driving around. I’m willing to bet this will be another one of those situations. You’ll read about all of these trends here and then go out to eat and it’s all you’ll notice. Keep me posted on that one.

You should know that the trends I’m about to talk about didn’t just pop up as soon as we welcomed the New Year. Food industry folks are always talking about what’s up and coming because that’s how they keep their menus current, modern, and appreciated. That being said, to go over all of the 2015 predictions from all of the different angles would take forever. So I’m selecting three of my favorites because well, I’m the writer and that’s what I want to do. I’m sure there will be future posts about some of the trends I’m skipping.

Becky McKinney’s Top 3 2015 Food Industry Predictions (predicted by actual professionals and discussed in Time Magazine).

1. Fat: Not a typo, I really said it, fat. According to Kara Nielsen, culinary director of Sterling-Rice Group, claims that 2015 is the year that Americans finally get over our fear of fat. But let’s be clear. She isn’t talking about the fat found in our favorite super processed goodies. She’s talking about natural animal fats, like butter. This makes me insanely happy because my dad has always said that using real butter makes better food. Think of how delicious a piecrust is when it’s flaky and buttery. Or how rich and succulent a burger is when it’s been in contact with some butter during the cooking process. To put it simply, when real butter is used, you can tell. This fat trend isn’t only focused on butter; it’s just my favorite example. But think full fat dairy and meats as well. Fat definitely helps with flavor, but they’re also an essential aspect of our diets. Obviously to be consumed in moderation, but hey, I’ll take what I can get. Bring on the fat!
2. Local Meat: We’ve seen the local trend for quite some time now, which is fantastic. I think it’s so important to support local businesses in your community. But for the most part we’ve seen local produce and beer. Darren Tristano, restaurant industry researcher for Technomic, tells us that 2015 will be the year of local meat. I think this is cool for a couple of reasons. One, more support for local businesses. And two, it’s no secret that people like to know where their food is coming from so this could be a great trend for restaurants to capitalize on.
3. Harissa: You may have never heard of this one. I didn’t until I read through multiple articles online. But remember when Sriracha was THE condiment? It blew up in what seemed like a night (probably not to experts but to consumers like me) and now you can find it everywhere. Sriracha crema, Sriracha drizzle, Sriracha tossed wings, you name it. Well Harissa is the next Sriracha according to Maeve Webster, a restaurant analyst for Dataessential. Harissa is a spread made from dried chiles, garlic, tomatoes, caraway, paprika, coriander, and olive oil. It’s an incredibly common condiment in Tunisia (the northern most country in Africa). Webster explains that last year, less than 3% of American restaurants had Harissa on their menu in some way, but that was a 180% growth from years before. So if the growth continues, we may have a new favorite spicy sauce on our hands.

So there ya have it, my three favorite 2015 food industry predictions. Now go out to eat and tell me if you see any local meat cooked in fat and topped with spicy Harissa.

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Rebecca McKinney

I was born a foodie. My dad is a chef, baker, and restaurant owner and my mom might as well be because she owns whatever kitchen she walks into. I grew up working in my family’s restaurant and bakery in Pawling, New York – McKinney and Doyle. I started behind the bakery counter at 12 years old after begging my parents to let me start working. At 16 I worked as a hostess. By 18 I was serving tables and training behind the bar where I then worked every other weekend throughout my college career. Even now, when I am visiting my family in New York, I help out where I’m needed. To make a long story short, the food and restaurant industry has been my life for as long as I can remember.

I wanted to create this blog for a few reasons. First and foremost, to share tips, tricks, and knowledge about the food and beverage industry in general but also to help people see a different side of the restaurant world. Every restaurant has a totally unique culture and world within it. I want to help open people’s eyes to more than how fast the service is or how easy or hard it is to secure a reservation.

So, thanks for stopping by! I welcome your ideas, input, and feedback and hope you enjoy!

Eat well & travel often,

Becky McKinney

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