Culinary trends & new concepts

What is a culinary trend ?

Just like music or fashion, culinary art evolves and follows trends. The cuisine we love aligns with our values, beliefs, and desires. Being interested in culinary trends means understanding the symbolic value of what we eat, which is often inherent to our culture.

A new trend should be distinguished from a fad, which tends to be more short-lived. For example, the popularity of certain recipes through short Instagram videos or some foods that make it to the “top superfood of the year,” such as yuzu lemon flavor, was a fad in the 2010s that has since waned. In contrast, trends like sustainable practices have a lasting impact because they reflect a genuine global awareness. This means more than just eating organic, homemade, and local. It represents a deep commitment that includes seasonality, low-carbon practices, plant-based cooking, and zero waste. Additionally, sustainable development in the food industry also encompasses social aspects, such as restaurateurs’ initiatives to aid refugees (e.g., the solidarity restaurant Le Refettorio created by chef Massimo Bottura and his association Food for Soul) or promote social inclusion through employing people with disabilities.

Most culinary concepts are composed of several trends. These trends can apply to culinary techniques, product selection, table arts, etiquette, and customer experience design.

Before World War II, culinary and pastry trends were local, with slow globalization resulting from historical alliances between countries, invasions, colonization, and so on. Since the second half of the 20th century, with easier access to transportation and the rise of new communication technologies, culinary and pastry trends have become more globalized. This is especially true now that chefs have become influencers on social media, leading to numerous replications of culinary innovations worldwide, often based on visuals with taste and texture adaptations to local palates.

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For restaurants, it is essential to understand the mechanisms behind each trend and adapt them to their story and environment to ensure their offer is relevant. Knowledge of culinary trends and the market will enable restaurateurs to identify the dishes they wish to include on their menu. For example, some popular, traditionally affordable dishes like the classic “egg mayo” are making a comeback in trendy restaurants in Paris.

Among current underlying trends, we can mention flexitarianism, sometimes referred to as semi-vegetarianism. This diet, which is primarily vegetarian, allows for occasional consumption of animal proteins.

Consumers have turned to flexitarianism for three main reasons:

• To treat animals better
• To respect the environment and reduce the carbon footprint of intensive farming
• To improve health by reducing protein intake

More and more countries around the world are supportive of flexitarian diets, with international campaigns like “Meatless Monday” and legislation like the E-Galim law in school canteens. Restaurants generally respond to the demand for flexitarianism by:

• Focusing on the trilogy of “Vegetables, Grains, and Fish” when creating recipes
• Emphasizing vegetables on the plate and using animal proteins as a condiment
• Offering vegetarian options on the menu

On the other hand, the rise of gluten-free and lactose-free cuisine cannot be ignored. Intolerances to gluten and lactose cause various digestive issues such as bloating, diarrhea, and pain. This has led to the growth of lactose-free and gluten-free diets aimed at eliminating products containing lactose or gluten based on tolerance levels and alleviating symptoms. This trend varies by ethnicity. For instance, 2% to 15% of people in Northern Europe are lactose intolerant, whereas it can be as high as 80% to 100% among Asians. With scientific research and increased awareness of gluten and lactose intolerance, European regulations now require restaurants to inform consumers about allergens, including gluten and lactose, which fall into the allergen category.

In compliance with the law, restaurants provide information about the presence of gluten and lactose on their menus. Some bakeries go further by specializing exclusively in lactose-free pastries. Lactose is replaced by various plant-based milks in desserts. Removing lactose can alter the dairy taste, which might mask some flavors and make them more pronounced. Conversely, gluten can be replaced by starch-free flours such as rice, chickpea, potato starch, or corn starch.

In light of the process of developing a culinary identity, it can be useful to create moodboards when a trend is identified to formalize it creatively and generate ideas. To avoid time-consuming efforts for restaurant entrepreneurs, we recommend following influencers, media (guides and specialized press), and inspiring chefs on social media platforms (Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest) and saving their relevant posts and photos. Regularly attending trade shows such as SIRHA, Europain, or Food Tech Hotel will allow you to interact with industry professionals and stay informed about the latest innovations.

It is important to anticipate material costs if you wish to develop a new food concept. Indeed, management indicators should be mastered from the start of the entrepreneur’s planning. When presenting the project to a banker, they will be reassured by an entrepreneur who provides realistic projected margins relative to revenue goals. These margins should be comparable to industry standards for establishments with similar concepts and sizes.