2023 was the year of girl dinner, pickles in a blanket and feta fried eggs. Here's what chefs think will be the top food and drink trends for 2024:
- Super spicy condiments - Gen Z is leading the way with a desire for all things spicy, and swicy and condiments like Sriracha, chili oil and hot sauce will become more mainstream, according to food experts. “The thrill of heat is not just about setting taste buds on fire; it’s about the complexity and depth that fiery elements can bring to a dish or cocktail,” says Hicham El Ibrik, complex director of food and beverage for Islamorada Resort Collection.
- Innovative plant-based cuisine - More folks are going vegan and vegetarian, and the interest in plant-based food is on the rise. But it’s not limited to just tofu and beans anymore, as chefs are getting more creative with using vegetables in innovative ways. Chefs predict mushroom root steaks, plant-based seafood, and seaweed will be all the rage in 2024.
- Nonalcoholic spirits and wine - Beyond mocktails, bottles of spirit-inspired blends are expected to be popular, as well as canned nonalcoholic wines, spritzes and seltzers. Fine dining with nonalcoholic pairings are also going to be big next year, and alcohol-free speakeasies will, too, according to food and beverage experts.
- Little luxuries - Single-serving culinary indulgences, like smaller, more affordable portions of tinned fish and caviar, will be another way people will treat themselves in the year ahead.
- Snacks for dinner - Grazing and charcuterie boards are expected to continue their popularity in 2024, along with alternatives, like “char-fruit-erie.”
- Botanical and floral-based everything - Herbs, petals and elixirs will be making their way to cocktails, desserts and other indulgences and bringing health benefits like vitamins, antioxidants and lower inflammation with them. In addition to hibiscus and color-changing butterfly powder, we’ll be seeing ingredients like wasabi flowers, elderberry flowers and rose hips used in dishes next year.
Source: Today