Think Global Food Trends, Act With a Local Twist
Food trends move and change faster than ever before thanks to Instagram and the internet generally. Someone can be posting a new food trend story on instagram on the Aussie creation of the ‘#cruffin’ in New York and someone in Parramatta can be putting their own twist on the flavour combos and selling it within minutes or hours in their restaurant.
It is not lazy or a copy out to follow a trend as long as you put your own brand’s twist on it – an Asian & Middle East Inspired buddah or poke bowl. It is smart business, fun and even Michelin-starred chefs do it.
What’s Trending Now?Licorice- cured Egg Yolk, Halal, Vegan Sushi and Desserts, Pokeand Buddha Bowls (pre-assembled combos or build your own), Ridiculous OTT Desserts, Alcohol Infused Ice Cream, Matcha, Ube (purple yam), Ice Cream, Yuzu, Kombucha (especially house made and other fermented traditional cultural drinks), House made quick pickles, fresh cheeses and breads, non-alcoholic (spirit-free) drinks and cocktails, savoury cocktails (think about plays on gazpacho, vichyssoise, creamy pea, borscht etc), edible garnish cocktails (loaded cocktails where the loading is in fact the bar snack or tapas or meze to match the cocktail theme and flavours), metal, bamboo and paper straws (no more plastic please), anything smoked (think counter top cold-smoked raw egg yolks, ice cream, yogourt, butter, cheese, meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, cocktails, salt, rice, grains like quinoa, freekeh – go mad experimenting ). Check out these counter top smoking guns http://www.dudeiwantthat.com/gear/food-drink/the-smoking-gun-portable-food-smoker.asphttps://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/breville-smoking-gun/https://www.grillocracy.com/blog/2015/2/21/how-to-smoked-rice
Australian Luxury Seasonal Flavours never go out of fashion and we simply do not do enough with them in menus when in season. https://www.broadsheet.com.au/sydney/food-and-drink/article/take-truffle-trail-sydney-2018https://www.courtneysbrasserie.com.au/truffle-degustation-2018/
Using Australian Native Ingredients in Cooking (or Foraged Ingredients) http://www.tastingaustralia.com.au/people/creative-team/jock-zonfrillo-creative-curatorinfo@wildhibiscus.com and www.bushtuckershop.com
Camel Milk and Camel Burgers (Also Deer Milk)
https://www.camelmilknsw.com.au/ – Musswellbrook NSW
http://camelmilkco.com.au/index.php/order-online you can get powdered camel milk here – Kyabram VIC
https://www.camilkdairy.com.au/ – Rochester VIC
Plant Based Menus and Burgers (Bleeding Impossible Burger) There are also Bleeding Impossible steaks. Plant based only restaurants and menus are growing quickly especially amongst millennial markets. While vegan and vege options may only be ¼ of your menu now it will increase to more than ½ in the coming years. Also think about halal with a growing Muslim population in Parramatta and surrounding regions.
Check out some of the annually released Trending Flavours and Ingredient Reports https://thefoodpeople.co.uk/infographics/food-and-beverage-trends-2018-australia where you can also find the trending vegetables. I think we are somewhere between cauliflower and Kohlrabi now.
Branded cocktail/mocktail/drink collateral so your brand pops when photographed for Instagram by patrons https://www.hospitalitymagazine.com.au/sponsoredcontent/shake-up-your-social-media
Find some Instagram profiles of chefs, food and venues to follow that inspire you for plating, menus, garnishes, embellishments, ingredients, décor etc. Check out 50 Foods for the Future Report.
Keep inventing dishes/twists on classics/trends, the more colourful and the greater the WOW factor the better. Check out How to Make Ethnic Flavours More Approachable.
Post your creations on Instagram as an instagram story, a longer video in IGTV and hashtag appropriately. Experiment, seek inspiration, create, have fun and post it with the right hashtags!
This article is from a series of Tip Sheets produced to inspire innovation in a dining precinct transitioning urban renewal disruption.
