This year we spoke to numerous chefs to gauge what trends they predict for 2018 and which ones they just can’t wait to disappear.
fermented foods
From unicorn inspired Frappuccino’s, cakes, bread, everything really, to the bizarre black ice cream or ‘goth ice cream’ faze that took over our Instagram feeds this past summer - 2017 was an odd bag of weird and wonderful food fads.
Speaking to chefs, it seems we could see more healthier food choices in the new year and a return to classical techniques.
Former Peckforton Castle chef and chef patron of Allium, Mark Ellis is excited for fermented foods, something he and the team have been doing all year.
"We try to stick to the often overquoted but rarely executed ‘waste nothing’, we pickled and fermented what we couldn’t use, ready for the winter and spring! This has continued with all manor of fantastic vegetables as they have appeared and has totally changed the way we create dishes!"
JP McMahon, chef patron of Aniar in Galway and Private chef, Matthew Campbell agree saying they would also like to see more fermented foods being used next year.
JP also wants to see a return to ‘great Italian food' and organic and natural wines becoming more accessible.
While Matthew wants to see more chefs take up controversial ways of cooking.
“I know this will probably be laughed at, but I would really like to see ‘dirt smoking’ adopted by a few chefs”, Matthew explained. “It's an age old tradition but If people are able to overcome their misgivings about eating manure smoked foods, the reward is flavour packed with a region's terroir.”
Michael Wignall, who recently announced his departure from the Michelin starred, Gidleigh Park, wants us to embrace ancient grains and heritage breed meats as well as start using uncommon cuts of meat and focus more on healthier food options for children and maybe some alternative doughnut fillings.
This year's MasterChef: The Professionals was a hit with viewers especially finalist, Jamie's Park's plankton risotto recipe and we're not the only ones that think his unusual choice of ingredient will be on the top of a lot of chef's supplier lists.
Michelin starred chef, Paul Ainsworth thinks we'll see a return to classical techniques and wants to see diners given more choice rather than a multitude of tasting menus.
He said: "A la carte eating is amazing and can still show the skill of the kitchen but makes the chef have to think even harder on balancing a dish."
"I suppose with the old school French classics making a big appearance this year it’s pushing the ill executed modernist cuisine to the background.
"Personally I think this is awesome especially as a lot of chefs are focusing on the sourcing and sound cooking of ingredients rather than technique led frivolity based cuisine."
As does Adam Byatt of Trinity who commented: "This change in approach over the past year has been the most refreshing thing to happen to British gastronomy for quite some time."
Massimo Bottura's
'oops I dropped the lemon tart'
Trends you want to see the back of
For trends you can't wait to say goodbye to, Mark Ellis says he's fed up with Tripadvisor which he refers to as the 'bane of every hospitality providers life'. The chef also expressed his dislike for foraging claiming it to be an 'over used' term for pickling anything found on your doorstep.
While Jamie Park says he's sick and tired of coconut water and fellow MasterChef allumni, Matthew Campbell is over people copying Massimo Bottura and his 'oops I dropped the lemon tart' splatter technique. He also shared his distaste for 'overly chewy sourdough' hoping chefs throughout 2018 will opt for a softer texture.
While Josh Overington says 'wine snobs' are a thing of the past.
He said: "You know the ones telling you they know better because they spent a week in Burgundy. They don't know better anymore, they're a dying breed."
Anna Haugh on the other hand, who stepped down from her role as executive chef at Bob Bob Ricard earlier this year, is fed up with handcrafted gourmet burgers wishing they would just ‘feck off’.
What trends do you see big for your restaurant in 2018? Let us know by commenting below or head over to ourFacebookpage orTwitterto keep the conversation going.
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