We’ve talked about cronuts and the farm-to-table movement before. We loved and embraced them, but along with a few others, it’s time to say goodbye and move on to some bigger and better things in 2016.
We aren’t saying that we need to take steps back from the farm-to-table movement, but like we stated in our previous blog post, we’d like to see farm-to-table become the norm. There shouldn’t be a question as to the quality or source of food you are receiving.
“Why don’t we just eat the whole cucumber instead?”
Moving on with the normalizing whole, healthy, sustainable foods we think it might be time to pass on the juice cleanses. In our experience, juice cleanses are a bit confusing in that they are so expensive and the product yield is so minimal. If we know anything about fruit and vegetables it’s that a good portion of the fiber comes from the skin and other goodies the juicer spits out. Why don’t we just eat the whole cucumber instead?
Let’s also kick the salad in a mason jar idea. It looks adorable, we get it, but putting the dressing on the bottom does not prevent the greens from getting soggy. It’s also not very efficient for any kind of food service provider. The jars take up lots of space and they can break. If we are going to eat a salad, we want it in a big, comfy bowl where we can get a little bit of everything with every bite.
Unnecessary garnishes are another trend/habit that should go, in most applications. Food is all about its simplicity and core value these days. Not all desserts need a dusting of confectioners sugar or an out-of-season berry. Instead, use an ingredient that is already in the dessert item, like graham cracker dusting or cocoa.
While it’s extremely entertaining, we think that there are much better ways to spend time than creating ridiculous flavored chips. Even though we don’t usually see them in restaurants (phew) we’re afraid we might if we don’t stop making chips flavored like subs, cupcakes and chicken wings.
“Paleo and other protein-based diets are extremely beneficial to certain people, not everyone.”
Most diets don’t need to kick the curb, but it would be appreciated if people did a bit more research before believing that diets like Paleo and going gluten-free are what are best for them. Chefs and restaurants generally do care about what they are feeding their guests but they also care about their opinion on food. We love to talk to people about food and we love when people are trying new things, but we also hate when we see food trends abused and over-used simply because it’s just that, a trend. Paleo and other protein-based diets are extremely beneficial to certain people, not everyone.
We are ready to move on from some of 2015’s trends but we really can’t wait to see what 2016 brings. What will the next trendy diet be? What crazy, cleansing, magical fruit will we start seeing in smoothie shops? It’s our job to keep you informed and on top of things, but we’d love to hear about trends that you see coming or would like to see go in the New Year. Just please don’t ask us for a recipe for grilled cheese flavored potato chips.
Ray Camillo – Founder & CEO, Blue Orbit Restaurant Consulting
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