I thought you’d like to see what’s hot, and what’s not, in the world of food for 2009 as reported by the National Restaurant Association in their Chef Survey: What’s hot in 2009. I find #5 fascinating – fabricating new cuts of meat. Taking the same ol’ cow or pig and with different butchering techniques new, and many times better, cuts of meat are identified and often become quite popular, like this more popular Flat Iron Steak.
1. Locally grown produce
2. Bite-size/mini desserts
3. Organic produce
4. Nutritionally balanced children’s dishes
5. New/fabricated cuts of meat (e.g. Denver steak, pork flat iron, bone-in Tuscan veal chop)
6. Fruit/vegetable children’s side items
7. Superfruits (e.g. acai, goji berry, mangosteen)
8. Small plates/tapas/mezze/dim sum
9. Micro-distilled/artisan liquor
10. Sustainable seafood
11. Nutrition/health (e.g. low-fat, reduced sodium, antioxidants, high-fiber)
12. Gluten-free/food allergy conscious
13. Non-traditional fish (e.g. branzino, Arctic char, barramundi)
14. Artisanal cheeses
15. Exotic fruit (e.g. durian, passion fruit, dragon fruit, guava)
16. Culinary cocktails (e.g. savory, customized to specific dishes)
17. Micro-vegetables/micro-greens
18. Organic wine
19. Dessert flights/combos/platters
20. Free-range poultry/pork