These are the 7 global food and drink trends at restaurants and bars predicted to be big in 2022.
Last year, comfort foods, low waste foods and home-baked breads were the dominating food trends. This year, there is a completely different take on dining and cooking, with these 7 food trends being amongst the top hits of 2022.
There is a large focus on sustainability and waste-free food as well as drinks. This all contributes to a more ecologically sustainable outlook for the future that previously was not seen as a trend or area of specific concern.
From drinks to dining, and even diet-related choices, here are 7 predicted food trends of 2022:
Mushrooms
This little ingredient is set to be the star of 2022. Mushrooms are becoming an increasingly popular ingredient globally in many meals.
This is partly due to their health benefits including high levels of fibre, protein and antioxidants.
Not only this, but studies are showing they also have the potential to decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s, heart disease and cancer.
Some mushroom recipes that are a must-try to get onto this trend include creamy mushroom stew, mushrooms on sourdough (paired with other ingredients like ricotta or basil – the possibilities are endless), mushroom bake and mushroom pizzas.
There are also a lot of medicinal qualities of mushrooms too, which are depicted in the Netflix documentary Fantastic Fungi, a must-watch to learn more.
Non-alcoholic Beverages
As the new year rolls around straying away from alcohol is becoming more and more popular.
According to the IWSR (the International Wines and Spirits Record), the no alcohol to low alcohol volume in Australia is set to increase within the next few years, especially amongst millennials.
This means that non-alcoholic beverages are likely to be among the top drinking preferences this year.
A drink to look out for is Piquette, a wine-adjacent drink that is fizzy, more affordable, and more natural.
It is made from grape skins that are rehydrated for a second fermentation after it has been used to make wine. This allows it to have a lighter taste but still include some notes of the wine’s first flavour.
Lyre’s is another alcohol-free drinks brand making huge inroads into this space. It was established by two Australians in Britain and has 13 quality offerings so far, including alcohol-free gin.
Plant-based Diets
Plant-based everything will hit many restaurants and be the focus of home cooked meals a lot more often.
Part of the reason for this upcoming trend is the known benefits of plant-based diets. This includes a reduction in the possibility of heart disease, high cholesterol, obesity as well as high blood pressure.
In addition, there is a plethora of information about how plant-based diets contribute to the overall health of the planet.
There have been previous developments of plant-based meat and seafood substitutes in parts of the Western World, and this is predicted to continue.
More recently, a wider array of products has become part of the plant-based craze including vegan bacon, fish, and burgers, and the quality is improving so much it is not always possible to detect the difference between a meat substitute and the real thing.
Smaller Restaurant Menus
Due to food supply as well as staff shortages during the pandemic, many restaurants cut back on their menu options.
However, as we learn to live with the pandemic it looks like smaller menus won’t be leaving any time soon.
This may not entirely be a bad thing for diners, as a smaller menu means better quality meals. For restaurants it means a lot less wastage and bigger profits.
Also directly relating to this trend, it is predicted that some restaurants may reduce their working days per week. Some may only be open for a few days a week as they won’t have enough staff, they will want to reduce operating costs and adopt a healthier work / life balance for their employees.
Live-Fire Cooking
Already taking momentum in 2021, live-fire cooking is predicted to become even more of a hit in 2022.
Though cooking with fire is one of the oldest forms of cooking, it has become increasingly enjoyed in the previous few years.
It is becoming a common preference over fine dining, as the flavour of fire and smoke is difficult to fake and people are beginning to want something more organic, exciting and unique.
Not only does cooking with fire create succulent, simple yet beautifully tasting food, the experience and stories are one-of-a-kind.
According to Austin Bryce Gilmore, the first ever chef to cook directly over a live fire, it is the ultimate mastery of temperature control to manipulate texture and flavour.
More Chef Collaborations
According to Tatiana Rosana, executive chef of The Envoy Hotel in Boston, chef collaborations are going to become more common in 2022.
A chef collaboration is when two or more chefs come together and create unique and brilliant tasting menus.
Not only does this create a unique and interesting mixture of skills and flavours, it also helps them reach double the audience.
For customers, this means they will be able to enjoy the usual cooking from their favourite chefs while also tasting a new and special combination of flavours from the collaborative chef.
Sustainable Cocktails
Yes, cutting back on alcohol and leaning towards non-alcoholic beverages is going to be a huge trend in 2022.
However, for the remaining alcohol drinkers, sustainable cocktails which are more in harmony with nature are the direction that alcoholic drinks are heading into this year, especially cocktails.
The main purpose of sustainable cocktails is to use as much of the raw ingredients as possible, trying to minimise wastage.
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