Chefs reveal that emerging flavours and key dining styles are crucial to keep up with consumer demands in 2024 and beyond (1). Kraft Heinz’s premium BBQ brand, Bull’s-Eye polled industry culinary experts via its esteemed Table 57 community and The Craft Guild of Chefs network to discern the pivotal trends that will help operators prepare for the new year.
Flavour Explosion:
Chefs at the forefront of the industry predict a flavour revolution in 2024, with Korean (38%), Caribbean (35%), and Mexican (32%) emerging as the leading flavours poised to dominate. This indicates a growing appetite among diners for adventurous tastes and a desire to explore new and exciting ingredients when eating out of home.
Not to be overlooked, Eastern European cuisine also emerged as a top choice by chefs surveyed (12%). And with nearly half of consumers interested in trying Hungarian food and 3 in 5 eager to explore Polish food, it’s evident that the curious consumer is looking for more variety (2).
Authenticity Pays:
Authenticity (54%), value (58%) and innovation (32%) are identified as key drivers to attract diners. As diners actively seek more genuine experiences when eating out, it is increasingly important for operators to engage further with consumers by aligning their dishes and communication to tap into this growing trend.
Culinary Adventures Beyond Meat:
While new flavours take the spotlight, cooking styles have also been explored. A significant 51% of surveyed chefs anticipate a resurgence in street food popularity, with fire pit (51%) and BBQ (38%) cooking styles expected to influence consumer demands.
Bull's-Eye's recent consumer research (3) adds another layer to the evolving culinary landscape, revealing a growing preference for vegetable-based options over traditional meat alternatives. This aligns with the 71% of chefs who regard mushrooms as an excellent vegetarian option to serve. The versatility and potential of vegetables are being looked to when considering how to enhance plant-based offerings. One chef shared, "Vegetables, with a bit of creativity, shine – think celeriac steak, aubergine shawarma, cauliflower wings, or corn ribs."
Artemis Argyrides, Foodservice Marketing Lead, Northern Europe at Kraft Heinz says “Gaining insight from chefs and those at the heart of our industry is key to ensuring we continue to support operators. By sharing this, we seek to help operators adapt their offering and create winning menus that keep up with diner’s evolving preferences.
“Consumers want authentic and new flavours to try, this can be difficult for operators in a time where there is still a skills gap in the industry. Bull’s-Eye sauces are so versatile, helping operators to recreate these authentic dining experiences diners crave. Consider adding Bull’s-Eye Original sauce to pork ribs or to add zing to a pulled mushroom burger.”
Bull’s-Eye is available at all major wholesalers or to find out more, contact [email protected]
To register interest in attending future Bull’s-Eye supper club events, email [email protected]
1 31 chefs and culinary experts surveyed
2 Bidfood's Flavours Less Travelled; UK International Food Trends in 2023 UK International Food Trends in 2023 | Bidfood
3 Bull’s-Eye consumer insights are a result of extensive social listening research, tracking and analysing more than 7,000 conversations related to dining out and BBQ
