6 Dining Trends For 2021

---

It may seem futile to predict food trends for the next 12 months given the year-long blindside that was 2020, but there are interesting directions developing in the F&B industry that have emerged from our Covid-19 experience. An emphasis on healthy, sustainable options and individualised menus are two, as well as – of course – ordering restaurant food to eat at home.

In 2020, the traditional restaurant model has proven to not be sustainable in the face of the pandemic, as evidenced by the closure of so many restaurants worldwide. Emerging from the fire though are new models, often providing curated groceries alongside dining facilities.

If you have been a regular at fine dining eateries over the past few years, you will be aware of our next trend – sourcing transparency. Many high-end restaurants list the source of their ingredients on the menu, whether the scallops are from Hokkaido, the Wagyu from Kobe or Hyogo, or the vegetables from a small organic farm in China or New Zealand. Food labelling has gone beyond simple flagging of organic or additive-free produce to consumers wanting to know more about how sustainable and humane a product is.

The success of Beyond Meat and Impossible with their plant-based “meats” and other protein alternatives in recent years has helped bring plant-based food into the mainstream. Plant-based food and beverage businesses grew 36 per cent last year as the demand for them grew globally. More local restaurants are offering plant-based alternatives: most recently Mott 32 launched a plant-based menu, and Ovolo Hotels went vegetarian throughout its group.

By Tracey Furniss
01-25-2021
Source and complete article by: scmp.com