Early in 2017, the National Restaurant Association released its predictions for what would be hot in 2017, according to 1,300 professional chefs the group surveyed. And while we're already into 2018, it's not too late to try the top food trends. Here's a look at what's big in food right now.
What the National Restaurant Association said about the trend:
"Chefs are excited to beef up their menus with new, and often affordable, cuts like shoulder tender, oyster steak, and Vegas Strip Steak, and guests are going to lap them up with gusto! Beef. It’s what for dinner… again."
Chef rankings:
What the National Restaurant Association said about the trend:
"These foods serve as a gateway to other cultures, people and places. Consumers get to discover flavors of local foods from faraway places and chefs get to create their versions of the ultimate dumplings, tempura, or kabobs. That’s a treat in and of itself."
Chef rankings:
What the National Restaurant Association said about the trend:
"The desire to offer kids healthful, nutritious meals that taste great resonates with chefs. While burgers and fries are still tops with kids, salads, fruit, whole grains and lean proteins are showing up on menus with increasing frequency."
Chef rankings:
This Sept. 30, 2016 photo shows a charcuterie platter with sweet and sharp mustard at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York. This dish is from a recipe by Elizabeth Karmel. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Richard DrewWhat the National Restaurant Association said about the trend:
"This cured-meat answer to the cheese plate is popular with chefs and diners alike. Meat-loving consumers are gobbling it up and chefs, using all parts of the animal to prepare it, can potentially lower their food costs in the process. It’s a tasty win-win for everyone."
Chef rankings:
FILE - This Sept. 10, 2010, file photo, shows the seafood counter at Whole Foods Market in Hillsboro, Ore. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
Rick BowmerWhat the National Restaurant Association said about the trend:
"More chefs, restaurateurs and consumers say they’re paying attention to the environmental impact of seafood on menus. All are interested in learning about the fish they buy, cook and consume. They want to know where it’s from, how it’s sourced, raised or caught, and how it affects the eco-system."
Chef rankings:
What the National Restaurant Association said about the trend:
"With breakfast food increasingly being served at any time of day, many consumers want ethnic offerings included on breakfast menus. Dishes featuring Asian-flavored syrups or items like chorizo scrambled eggs or breakfast burritos are 'Muy Caliente!'"
Chef rankings:
What the National Restaurant Association said about the trend:
"Whether it’s a special type of sriracha or a made-from-scratch ketchup, mustard or mayonnaise, chefs see consumers clamoring for it. House-made condiments are experiencing center-of-the-plate popularity. Hot sauce, anyone?"
Chef rankings:
What the National Restaurant Association said about the trend:
"Ethnic foods and global cuisine seem to be everywhere these days, especially with the help of adventurous millennials who are increasingly exploring global flavors. Consumers' sophisticated palates, driven by international travel and access to a wider variety of ethnic cuisines right here at home, inspire chefs to immerse themselves in food from around the world."
Mary Kenworth, owner of the State Road Restaurant, in West Tisbury, Mass., displays heirloom tomatoes in a garden next the restaurant, Thursday, Aug. 26, 2010. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Steven SenneWhat the National Restaurant Association said about the trend:
"Diners want to know everything about the food they eat: where it comes from, how it’s grown and who grows it. To answer that first question, heirloom produce has seen increased attention recently, with chefs and restaurateurs seeking out venerable varietals of everything from tomatoes, to beans, to apples. How about serving a Mortgage Lifter Tomato today?"
This April 27, 2015 photo shows South African beef and apricot sosaties (kebabs) in Concord, NH. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
Matthew MeadWhat the National Restaurant Association said about the trend:
"America’s growing multicultural population is behind the charge for more international food. Relatively under-explored in the United States, African flavors and ingredients increasingly pop up on menus across the country. So savvy culinarians are adapting menus to include more dishes rich in whole grains, beans, vegetables and exotic spices from the second-largest continent in the world."
Sandwich chain celebrates Marana opening with cheap eats on Thursday, Jan. 11.
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