In our 30 years of being in the restaurant industry, we’ve discovered many different food trends. While the popularity of some simply fizzles out, there is at least one that keeps proving itself time and time again; and that is healthy eating. Being health-conscious is a concern that crosses over into how we eat. Now more than ever, Americans are watching their calories and the types of foods they consume.

It is no wonder that we are finding much of our consulting work to be focused on the “better-for-you” space.  What’s leading this trend? Superfoods. As their name implies, superfoods are powerful because they possess many nutritional elements. These foods are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other beneficial compounds.

Take the humble blueberry. This common fruit is actually a superfood because it contains elements like anthocyanins (what makes the fruit blue) which fight off cancer-causing free-radicals and high amounts of phenols which can help protect our brains from degeneration.

Did you know that edamame is a great source of fiber, containing healthy omega-3 fats, protein and is low in calories? These green soybeans are also known to help decrease the risk of diabetes, obesity and heart disease. Speaking of omega-3 rich superfoods, sardines are full of this. Another surprising benefit of the small fish? Sardines provide more than 100% of your daily vitamin D (sorry, milk!).

If sardines are not your favorite fish, salmon is another superfood which is abundant in heart-protecting omega-3 fatty acids as well as B vitamins, protein, and potassium. Read more about the benefits of salmon here.

Looking for more superfoods? Check out Prevention magazine’s article on 52 healing superfoods.

Tune in next week for our next post where we share how you can implement superfoods into your menu.

Photo: Janine on Flickr CC by 2.0

Soft-serve, double-scooped on a cone or rolled—how do you like your ice cream? Yes, we said “rolled.” Rolled ice cream is just what it sounds like and it’s becoming very popular here in the U.S. and other countries. Invented in Thailand, this style of ice cream is as much a treat for the taste buds as it is to the eyes (it’s the perfect Instagram shot)!

Also known as stir-fried ice cream, rolled ice cream is created by pouring milk-based liquid on a freezing flat metal pan where it is mixed, stirred, flattened and then rolled using metal spatulas. The result is a unique shape, much like a biscuit roll. Several ice cream rolls are then placed into a paper cup and adorned with your choice of toppings like fruit, whipped cream, syrup, nuts and candy. And it’s quickly made to serve!

Check out this video to see how it’s made in Thailand:

When you plan an outing with friends, it’s safe to say that most of the time, a restaurant is involved. A nice little café or dessert spot may do the trick if a full meal is too heavy. Socializing around food is perhaps one of the quintessential communal activities in recorded history. Some even spend their time at eateries as a “third place” to get studying or work done.

Examples of social eateries that offer community, as well as food and drink, can be found throughout history (think saloons). Today, it seems there’s a new revival of this concept.

A recent Restaurant Hospitality article details some new restaurant gathering places that center on socializing. In Atlanta, you can stop by Foundation Social Eatery where you will find a large open kitchen and not a single T.V. screen in sight to encourage conversation among patrons and the chef.  In New York City at Social Drink & Food, customers can mingle with others on the rooftop terrace, or they can relax on beach chairs or play a few rounds of beer pong.

People are looking to restaurants as a means to connect with others and it’s clear this trend is just beginning to grow. If you’re seeking a revitalization of your restaurant or need to find a strategy to turn your spot into a welcoming gathering place, please contact Synergy Consultants.

Garlic has got to be one of the most widely used ingredients in the world. In cuisines across the globe, garlic lends itself as a go-to flavor enhancer for various dishes. Its pungent and spicy profile seems to make just about everything taste better.

Ok, you garlic lover, you. Want to try a different version of garlic? One that’s sweet and savory at the same time? Try black garlic. This stuff is wonderfully different—soft, sweet (like molasses), chewy, sticky, savory and fruity. This is a specialty that’s commonly found in Asian cuisine, created by taking bulbs of garlic and cooking them at a temperature of 140 to 170 degrees Fahrenheit in a humid environment from anywhere from two weeks to a month or so. The final product comes out to look like garlic but with a dark brown to black color.

So, how do you eat it? This Huffington Post article’s got some great recipes to get you started: How To Cook With Black Garlic, Which Isn’t What You Think It Is

Check out the video below for the recipe:

There are just some foods that always stay at the top of our “comfort food” list. Yes, we’re talking about cheese–it can be warm, it can be cold, sweet or savory, yet always delicious in all forms. It is quite hard to find those who dislike this versatile, delicious ingredient.

While comfort dishes like mac’ and cheese, grilled cheese and pizza often come to mind when thinking of crave-worthy meals where cheese is prominent, we wanted to share the spotlight with others that may not be so well known. So cheese-lovers, without further ado, try out the cheesy and scrumptious dishes below:

1. Beer cheese- is this the next ultimate bar snack? If you haven’t heard of it, beer cheese does sound a bit peculiar (or extremely delicious?). Actually, there are two kinds—beer cheese dip and beer cheese spread. Right now we’re loving beer cheese dip. A dip that’s made of cheese, beer, mustard and your choice of seasonings. Pretzels, chips, bread—all fair game for dipping! Get the recipe.

2. Queso flameado- “flamed cheese” is the translation for this awesome dish (aka “queso fundido” and “choriqueso”). It’s cheese. It’s chorizo. It’s flambéed (or broiled). And it’s absolutely delightful! Get the recipe.

3. Korean corn cheese – simple but so tasty. Often found at Korean restaurants (think fried chicken, or BBQ joints), corn cheese is a side dish concocted of cheese (like mozzarella), corn kernels, mayonnaise, seasonings and herbs, baked to bubbly perfection. Get the recipe.

4. Paneer pasanda- This Indian dish consists of paneer (fresh cheese) slices in savory and smooth, aromatic tomato, onion and cashew paste curry gravy.  Get the recipe.

International flavors are what’s hot all across the country on every menu you see. African flavors are perhaps the most popular of them all, with Middle Eastern flavors following closely behind.

When surveyed, professional chefs stated that African, Latin American, Southeast Asian, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean flavors were the biggest influences for menus this year. It’s not just about fusing them with familiar cuisine either. Culinary experts are delving deep into the authenticity of each cuisine, using traditional methods to produce the true ethnic flavor. Both fusing cuisines together and creating authentic dishes from each culture are indeed hot food trends right now.

Most of these new international flavors all feature heat but it’s more of a flavorful and aromatic blend of spices and sauces than it is of intense heat. Adding a layer of ethnic flavor is what takes the cuisine to the next level.

A great example of this is the sweet yet spicy gochujang Korean barbecue sauce. It’s thick and is often used on meats. We’re also seeing kimchi, fermented cabbage, popping up everywhere, including on top of burgers. And of course, that’s not all. Warm Middle Eastern flavors with spice mixtures that include cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, allspice and ginger are on the rise.

Perhaps the spice to keep an eye on the most is turmeric. It’s been touted for its incredible healing ability. It’s often what is found in most curries, giving it that yellow hue. Everywhere you look, you’ll see turmeric in cocktails and in menu items like turmeric roasted chicken a variety of other dishes.

Because today’s consumer is concerned with health and wellness particularly in dining options, turmeric is definitely a spice that is driving the innovation behind the culinary creations that today’s chefs are dishing out. It adds an element of ethnicity while adding healthy benefits, which is a huge force driving this dining trend.

For the last decade, parents have begun to really demand a change in the kinds of meals available to their children. Where we once saw limited options that usually contained fries, a burger, soft drink and a cheap toy, we’re now seeing more options for healthful choices as well as items that are seen as gourmet.

Mac and cheese will likely always be a kids’ meal staple in most restaurants. However, it’s been getting a gourmet facelift by being crafted with artisan cheeses or having slightly familiar but more upscale ingredients being added to it. Instead of ham, you might see prosciutto or chunks of crab or lobster. And the kids are loving it.

Artisan breads made of healthy whole grains are taking over too. Where sandwiches were once served on sugary white bread, kids’ meals are now changing the bread and rolls. The children don’t even notice this gourmet move. Wraps are also popular for kids’ meals.

Many restaurants are embracing the gourmet trend on the kids’ menu, changing things up just enough to give it that gourmet touch without being too unusual so as to intimidate young diners. What this means is that instead of “ham and cheese” as a sandwich offering for children, we’re seeing organic, health-fully cultivated foods that take us back to our roots. So today’s “ham and cheese” is now wild-raised shaved ham with country-churned cheddar cheese or something equally as earthy and inviting.

What’s great about this food trend is that it’s been a long time coming that children should be steered away from over-processed foods that can hardly be considered food. It’s refreshing to see children embracing these items too, likely unaware of the difference and simply enjoying the simplified meals that gourmet ingredients afford them.

Watch for this shift in kids’ meals from fast food to fast casual to sit-down restaurants. It’s a positive shift that ties well into the health trend and keeps going on the upswing.

America’s love affair with ice cream continues to burn hotter than ever. It’s always been a popular treat for children and adults and is a relatively easy to please menu item to add to a dessert section. But in the ever-evolving culinary scene, offering simply chocolate or vanilla scoops of ice cream isn’t going to bring people back in for more.

Ice cream and gelato too should be creamy and rich. And while consumers will never tire of vanilla or chocolate ice cream, most will skip dessert if the offerings aren’t that exciting. After all, who wants to pay $5 for an ordinary scoop of sub-par ice cream?

Chefs are responding and really having fun with this trend by creating their own unique flavors of ice cream and gelato in-house. They take great care and pride to bring whimsical flavor ideas to life. Sometimes, these offerings are simply meant to accompany a slice of cake or pie, but every chef out there knows that serving it with vanilla or chocolate ice cream is totally out of style.

Think pecan pie with caramel cinnamon ice cream or dark-chocolate infused raspberry gelato served alongside a rich chocolate tart. Simply reading the names of these artisan flavors is enough to peak a consumer’s interest in ordering dessert. It encourages salivation and desire. Chefs that want to develop a loyal customer base keep this trend in mind, searching for ways to take other flavors into the creamy and dreamy world of ice cream.

Expect to see the ordinary flavors take a seat on the sidelines while restaurants everywhere hone in on this artisan-created ice cream trend. Combined with this, you’ll also see some savory options of America’s favorite dessert being offered. Don’t knock it until you try it!

Everyone has heard of heirloom tomatoes, but now heirloom everything is sprouting up in the mainstream. Chefs are loving these simple, earthy ingredients. Heirloom has such a nice ring to it, especially when you include it in the description of a dish with heirloom vegetables.

When a fruit or vegetable is called “heirloom,” it means that it’s from an old crop. These old plant breeds have been around since prior to the types of modern growing and breeding practices that we now have in America today. While the name “heirloom” might just sound fancy to most restaurant guests, true gourmands know that eating heirloom fruits and vegetables is a rare treat. It’s a chance to indulge in the distinctive flavors and genetic traits of these fruits and vegetables that have remained unchanged for ages.

So chefs everywhere are snatching up the chance to use heirloom fruits and vegetables. A ho-hum beetroot salad becomes much more exciting when topped with heirloom vegetables like atomic red carrots and Chiogga beets. In fact, many of the names of these heirloom plants sound much like hipster names, which makes them even more appealing when splashed onto a menu.

Grass-fed organic USDA prime cuts of beef couldn’t possibly go better with cowhorn potatoes and heirloom garlic. Predictably, heirloom varieties seem to have either cutesy or fancy names, but it all translates to bigger sales in the restaurants that serve them.

Not only do they look and sound fancier than regular produce, but heirloom produce happens to taste even better. The robust and hearty flavors that have been preserved over time are truly marvelous and something that should be embraced. Thankfully, consumers feel the same way and what’s happening is lots of high demand now for these once-rare varieties that are now making a major comeback. On menus and in supermarkets everywhere, get ready to see a boom of heirloom offerings.

Healthier food options have been trending in recent years and don’t seem to be standing still. This trend is steadily on the rise every year. What is remarkable now though is that children are becoming a part of this trend. We’re seeing kids’ meals getting healthy makeovers everywhere from McDonald’s to more upscale venues.

Parents are demanding healthier options for their children so it’s easy to see why this trend is becoming ingrained in our culinary creations. Of course, no one is completely ditching the sides of fries or sodas, but having available healthier options to choose from is truly the key for success with families.

So while certain items will never be off the menu, you’ll now start seeing healthier options alongside them. If there’s a chicken sandwich, you’ll see a grilled version. Sides of steamed vegetables, vegetable or fruit sticks. Salads, whole wheat bread, organic milk or juice instead of soda are other big changes you can expect to see on menus everywhere.

It makes sense that restaurants should start wooing children that dine out. Children are already going out to dinner with their families. One day, they will be grown up and will go out to eat on their own. As the frequent diners of tomorrow, the restaurant industry is keen to build a good rapport with these children now. Helping them establish positive eating habits with food that tastes good yet is nutritionally proper is essential for future success in the industry.

Getting in on this trend is a smart way to increase sales in the long run for almost every restaurant in existence. Cultivating the palates of children now helps set the foundation for a generation of adults who enjoy eating their food to taste it and appreciate it as opposed to mindlessly grazing on food that has little to no nutritional value.