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Food trends: The jus just ain't worth the squeeze

14 Oct 2016

What's hot on the local food scene? What's being served up and what's joining the leftovers?

Food trends: The jus just ain't worth the squeeze

Three food experts point to a rise in veggie-focused eating, craft drinks, nostalgia, the continued rise in demand for full fat (thanks to the Banting trend), and a return to basics.

"We are driven by economics and affordability," says Ian Said, director and founder of Ideal Software, which specialises in stock control for the restaurant and hospitality industries.

He agrees that the swapping of carbs for vegetables, and the resurgence of dairy, has largely been driven by the low-carb style of eating, but that this trend may be hampered by input costs.

"This means that healthier but pricier options like avocado oil are struggling to make it onto mainstream menus."

He adds that current trends are towards affordability and value for money.

Martin Kobald, honorary president of the South African Chefs Association, points to a return to basics.

Kobald says he has noticed "young, up-and-coming chefs from all over the world favouring the value of healthy, honest food against the contrived showmanship of molecular gastronomy".

Kamini Pather, MasterChef South Africa 2013 winner and star of the TV show Girl Eats World , says "local diners cannot sustain molecular gastronomy. The cost of producing such food is simply unaffordable for the average Joe."

Kobald sees the move as great news for South Africans. "We are already hot on the trail of artisanal production, with restaurant patrons wanting to know what is in the food that they are ordering, where the ingredients came from, and how they were nurtured."

And nostalgia, they all agree, is playing a major role in gastronomy.

"Burgers, craft milkshakes, food we remember from the 'good old days', are certainly on the rise and tapping into the nostalgia element and perceived affordability and value," says Said.

What's coming in?

Craft drinks
Home cooking
One-pot dishes
Comfort food
Build-your-own burgers
Ethically sourced produce
Concerns about what we put in our bodies

Source: The Times

Source: I-Net Bridge

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