While diners continue to become savvier, club chefs are increasingly required to stretch budgets and know-how even further, while remaining relevant.
Fortunately, a few key dining trends have emerged this year that may help cost-conscious clubs offer unique, on-point solutions for their menus.
ClubTIC recently discussed global foodservice giant Unilever’s (UFS) Future Menus trend report for 2024, where it lists eight global trends that have emerged this year.
Diving deeper into some of these trends, top of the list is ‘Flavour Shock’. The rationale is that in this age of sensory overload, diners are beginning to expect the same impact when they look at a menu.
Menu items here mix cuisines, textures and tastes to surprising effects. It focuses on experimentation and ‘chaos cooking’.
The second most impactful trend is a continuation of what has been going on for some time – ‘Low-Waste Menus’. Here, chefs are encouraged to push the boundaries of their creativity and maximise the potential of each ingredient. Recipes such as carrot top pesto imaginatively reduces a common waste, while in-house pickles can make use of excess ingredients.
“Anything that you don’t throw into the bin is going to translate to dollars on the plate. Utilising would-be waste provides excitement for customers and also forces us, Chefs, to be more creative and adventurous,” says UFS ANZ Executive Chef Andrew Ballard.
One possibly surprising new trend is ‘Plant-Powered Protein’. According to the report, vegans and vegetarians are no longer the only ones desiring vegetable proteins. ‘Flexitarianism’ is becoming more popular as diners choose to reduce their consumption of animal products.
This leads to the next trend, where vegetables are in the spotlight.
“Inexpensive, local and seasonal vegetables can be prepared in different ways, all of which highlight different aspects of the plant and thus offer an ever-changing taste experience!” says UFS Switzerland Chef Stefan Furrer.
Each of these trends have the potential to help a club stand out from the competition while being cost-conscious and creative, pleasing diners across the board.
The UFS report, which includes recipe suggestions for each trend, can be downloaded here.
