Sterling-Rice Group identified the top ten food trends that will be serviced on restaurant menus and line supermarket shelves in 2014. A team of over 100 chefs, restaurateurs and foodies compiled the 2014 Top Ten Food Trends. The New Year will see a continuation of healthy options, but with an occasional splurge.
- Lemon: Lemon is the unmentioned brightener of dressings and sauces. Lemon will shine as a main ingredient in its purest freshest juice or preserved form.
- Tea: Black, green, and other leafy brews will bring a healthy, flavorful twist to dinner, desserts, and more.
- Middle East: Middle Eastern seasonings such as sumac, za’atar, and marash will expand the boundaries of traditional Mediterranean cuisine.
- Nut-dairies: Milk made from cashews, almonds, and peanuts bring dairy-free flavor to sauces, drinks, and dinners.
- Yolk: The creamy yolk will reign adding richness previously provided by cheese, dairy, and sauces.
- Refined American Eats” Wedge salads in creamy Caesar and other upscale classics will take center plate over burger and fries.
- Poaching and Steaming: Smoky liquids, wine, coffee, and beer replace water for more flavorful dishes.
- Seaweed: Nurtirtious and full of deep, salty flavor, seaweed moves beyond sushi as a snack and umami-rich seasoning.
- Pasta: New noodles of alternative flours, global spices, and new shapes replace tradition pasta.
- Farm-to-Table: Exotic meat—goat, rabbit, and pigeon-raised by small-scale produces offer new feel-good protein choices.
