- Can ‘zero waste’ be the next cooking philosophy? Will cauliflower be the new kale? Is Ryan Reynolds’ latest gin label as good as he says it is?
- It really doesn’t matter. Food writers and chefs will always look to come up with the next big thing, so trust your instincts
At the start of each year, everybody is Nostradamus. Every food critic and industry observer pulls out their crystal ball to foretell food trends and compile lists of coming culinary fads.
Personally, I don't pay much attention to predictions, the same way I don't let fashion trends tell me I need more slim-cut pants or oversized silhouettes. You see, much of it is self-fulfilling prophecy initiated by restaurant owners' marketing departments.
Eclairs and cupcakes were declared to be the new macarons, when macarons became passe. Charcoal as an ingredient was a thing for about a millisecond and every bread shop had its own black and grey loafs and buns. During the same goth-food period, black garlic was promoted as a game-changing health supplement.
These same gastro-sages previously declared Peruvian was taking over from Scandinavian as the new chic cuisine. How into ceviche are you now?
Nose-to-tail dining was the cool slogan for restaurants, until chefs realised nobody actually wants to eat the nose or tail of an animal. So farm-to-table was adopted as an alternative mantra. Now, as the green responsibility focus switches from the farm to the kitchen, expect another term to enter the lexicon.
"Zero waste" cooking is touted as the next new philosophy for chefs who want to keep their eco-cred. I'm guessing that means restaurants now have an excuse to use bruised fruits and ugly potatoes. It will also let them serve you a carrot with the green top still attached, and if you do not eat it, it's your fault it's going to the bin.
In the beverage industry, after wine and spirits vendors squeezed all they could from the whisky fad, they switched gear to push gin as the new spirit du jour. Suddenly, industry publications wrote about the boom in the gin market like it was a shocking surprise.
In the UK, gin sales in 2019 went up more than 50 per cent and celebrities were getting on board. Actor Ryan Reynolds bought a little-known label named Aviation and he made enough product wisecracks that the brand has achieved Deadpool-esque cult status. So are people drinking the gin because of the movie star owner or have we collectively discovered juniper-flavoured booze?
Personally, I think most people aren't really seeking trends. They just want some variety so they do not eat and drink the same thing every day. The average Joe is happy with a weekly menu routine of Taco Tuesdays, Chinese food Wednesdays, fried chicken Thursdays, Sunday roast and maybe a salad on green Mondays.
Another fad with even less chance here is CBD-infused foods and drinks. That's right " marijuana brownies and beyond. I'm afraid Hongkongers will just have to go to Lamma for that
Writers and chefs are the bored ones covering and cooking the same dishes over and over, so we are forced to convince the rest of you to try something different too. Make no mistake, most of the trend predictions for 2020 are a collation of predetermined plans and ideas.
So what can you expect for 2020? Some of the prophecies I've heard suggest cauliflower, with all its new colour and shape variants, will become the next kale. "Global flavours" will be a catch-all phrase for an explosion of ethnic foods.
Instead of general descriptors like an "African restaurant", we'll get very specific cuisines like Ethiopian, Ghanaian, piri piri chicken from Mozambique, and the Maghreb cuisine of North Africa. Harissa sauce will apparently be the new sriracha.
Kitchen nerds can look forward to growing interest in solid fuel cooking. Solid fuel refers to charcoal, woods and other items burned to create heat. In other words, barbecuing. From a flavour standpoint, it imparts smokiness that you do not get from conventional gas stoves. Thanks to Hong Kong's strict safety regulations, I'm not sure that will really catch on here.
Another fad with even less chance here is CBD-infused foods and drinks. That's right " marijuana brownies and beyond. I'm afraid Hongkongers will just have to go to Lamma for that.
Like cooking? For Asian recipes to make at home for friends and family, visit SCMP Cooking.
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