On Healthy Living

this time of year is ripe for year-in-review stories and trends-of-next-year lists. This one, lising the top food trends for 2006, comes courtesy of Marriott International’s Robin Uler, senior vice president of food & beverage, spas and retail services, and Brad Nelson, vice president of culinary and corporate chef.

I utterly agree that the trend is going toward natural, non-engineered foods that are prepared as freshly and simply as possible. I just hope it means those foods will become more widely available, and that more people will start eating that way!

Anyway, here’s the list of 11 trends for 2006:

1. Back to Basics and Sized to Order
Gone are the days of starched collars, jackets and ties, and three-
hour dining experiences. Guests are looking for great food served
with friendly, professional care in a “buzzing” contemporary
environment that offers a “sense of place.” Menus will reflect this
as well. Chef-crafted plates of varying sizes create a variety of
tastes and flavors, and allow for a more social, casual dining
experience than traditional “courses.” Also, this allows diners to
“graze” and determine portion control.

2. Breakfast is Back
The “most important meal of the day” is becoming even more important.
Approachable comfort food, eggs cooked to order, and healthy options
with “good carbs,” low in fat and high in protein and nutrition are
starting diners’ days. French toast and waffles are a growing trend.
Big, fluffy buttermilk, blueberry and apple streusel pancakes, sweet
and savory waffles, and flavorful French toast are being seen more and
more in restaurants and catering. New takes on breakfast basics, such
as the Lemon Souffle Pancakes that are found at the restaurants of
Renaissance hotels, are becoming more and more popular.

3. In Good Company
Communal tables have become a staple in many contemporary restaurants.
But that will be taken a step further with the advent of “gathering
areas.” Many food and beverage arenas will be the new living
room/dining room. Enclaves for small groups and quick quality snacks
and beverages will be making their way into the hospitality industry.
These will be community gathering places as well as havens for harried
travelers.

4. Takeaway
Takeout service at full-service restaurants and related venues is
growing, as the combination of stress and lack of time, but with a
sense of wanting the best, is leading the market’s drive for more
upscale foods that can be quickly delivered or purchased and consumed
on the run. Many upscale markets offer this already, but this will
expand into the restaurant realm. Note that restaurants will be sure
to have items available to go that adapt well to traveling.

5. From the Kitchen to the Bar
With the advent of more and more premium spirits on the market and the
push for evermore creative cocktails, the pairing of food and spirit
in one will be on the menu. It is now as important for the bartender
to be a trained “mixologist” as it is for culinary professionals in
the kitchen to be trained chefs. From the appetizer paired with a
special cocktail to tea- and truffle-flavored vodkas, food and drink
will be a bar and restaurant menu highlight. Look for premium liquors
to be paired with freshly squeezed juices and herbs, as in the thyme
Cosmo or basil Mojito.

6. Healthy Food … Not Diet Food
As Americans becomes more aware of nutrition combined with waistline
watching, diners are seeking healthy options on menus. Individual
preferences and needs vary and trendy diet fads come and go, so menus
are reflecting a variety of healthy dining offerings, from low-carb to
low-fat to lower calorie, depending on preference. At full-service
Marriott hotels, for example, a “Fit for You” program allows diners to
select a healthy meal based on their preference, whether it be low-
carb, low-cholesterol or low-fat.

7. Soft, Comfortable, Hip
The pendulum will start swinging away from the very angular, overly
retro or stark look of many restaurants in favor of the softer and
more opulent ambience. Clean, not Victorian, but comfortable and
contemporary, utilizing funky domes, cut crystal, etc. for service.
Gone will be the sparse white plates, replaced by a more elegant but
comfortable feel.

8. There’s Always Room For …
Highly flavored gel squares and desserts made with gelatin sheets and
fresh purees are popping up on tables. From Chef Gordon Ramsey’s
Rhubarb Parfait to gel bites that taste like fresh mango, key lime and
other exotic fruits to the return of aspic, it’s okay to admit we all
love this childhood favorite and can now enjoy the slightly more
sophisticated version. Puddings too are making the transition.
Flavors like Amaretto Bourbon spiced rice pudding are taking diners
back to childhood favorites — but with a more creative twist.

9. Heritage — Boomers Are Beginning to Remember …
Foods from Scandinavia and Eastern Europe — cured salmon, goulash,
stuffed cabbage and the like will make an appearance but with a
contemporary twist, perhaps with a ‘new’ kind of cabbage or Spaetzle.
Look for a representation of this type of cuisine with a more modern
element.

10. Non-”Engineered” Product
More and more diners are looking for purity of product. The “micro-
green” … well, not so much. Diners will be looking for a more
‘natural’ product, like buttery Boston lettuce and sweet bib
varieties. Menu items will be “ingredients-based.” Fresh, wholesome
and locally grown. Foods that are true to the actual product and true
to its roots. Many chefs are utilizing their local farmers,
purchasing product grown practically in their own back yards. Some,
like Melissa Kelly of Primo in Tucson, Ariz.; Rockland, Maine; and
Orlando Fla., cultivate their own gardens on the restaurant grounds
and are attuned to utilizing the “whole” product — no waste.

11. So Long Amuse-Bouches!
We taste while shopping in the market, so why not when dining? When
visiting an upscale grocery or even bulk foods store, tasting is
almost essential, whether it’s the fresh fruit, the cheese or an item
on sale. Look for chefs to send out samples of signature appetizers
and side dishes in small tasting portions, showcasing the chef’s style
and creativity through a real menu item.

Sarah White wrote this on December 9th, 2005 and filed it under Healthy Living, Healthy Eating, Health Foods |