Cuisines
This trend is all about the expansion of culinary perspectives
Menus in 2021 will feature an interesting range of well-established and less familiar cuisines reflecting creative exploration in households during 2020, as well as the desire to freshen palates in the coming months with something a bit more adventurous.
Modern Italian
Sophistication in the use of pasta sees the pairing of certain shapes with specific flavours, whilst the love for pizzas continues, with consumers and chefs getting more inventive with bases as well as toppings.
Middle Eastern
Lending itself to plant-based foods, this cuisine continues its upward trajectory. Chefs and brands are building on consumer familiarity, taking kebabs to the next level with sophisticated or unusual fillings.
Japanese comfort
This cuisine is going beyond sushi. The emerging dishes of okonomiyaki and omurice are joining katsu curries and ramens as Japanese comfort foods.
Global cuisine
Based on a ‘no rules’ approach to culinary creation, this trend takes formats, flavours, techniques and ingredients from anywhere and everywhere. With no history, culinary norms or strict traditions to adhere to, global cuisine features as a proudly inauthentic take on recipes.
African
The cuisines of West Africa, in particular Senegal, Ghana and Nigeria, have been gaining traction. Consumers are starting to really take notice of this continent as a rich source of flavour and nutritious ingredient, and foodservice is starting to respond.
Indian
A well-loved cuisine in the UK, chefs and brands are getting more regionally specific and authentic with Indian food. South India in particular is becoming popular for its light and ‘healthy’ food alongside Indian roadside food – packed with flavour and texture – these types of food are starting to appear on menus more frequently.