Keeping up with food and beverage trends is crucial to develop the right menu mix. That’s why restaurateurs turn to the National Restaurant Association to help them stay abreast of the hottest menu trends. The Association each year surveys professional chef members of the American Culinary Federation. The latest survey, conducted in 2009, was based on the input of more than 1,800 chefs. Respondents ranked 214 items by how trendy they would be in 2010.

Top 20 Trends
1. Locally grown produce
2. Locally sourced meats and seafood
3. Sustainability
4. Bite-size/mini desserts
5. Locally-produced wine and beer
6. Nutritionally balanced children’s dishes
7. Half-portions/smaller portion for a smaller price
8. Farm/estate-branded ingredients
9. Gluten-free/food allergy conscious
10. Sustainable seafood
11. Superfruits (e.g. acai, goji berry, mangosteen, purslane)
12. Organic produce
13. Culinary cocktails (e.g. savory, fresh ingredients)
14. Micro-distilled/artisan liquor
15. Nutrition/health
16. Simplicity/back to basics
17. Regional ethnic cuisine
18. Non-traditional fish (e.g. branzino, Arctic char, barramundi)
19. Newly fabricated cuts of meat (e.g. Denver steak, pork flat iron, Petite Tender)
20. Fruit/vegetable children’s side items

What will be the hottest kitchen equipment trend in 2010?
- Environmentally friendly (e.g. saving energy, conserving water) 55%
- Productivity-enhancing (e.g. speeds cooking, labor-saving) 23%
- Multi-purpose 15%
- Specialty/novelty 4%
- Mobile/portable 3%
- Other 1%

What will be the hottest restaurant concept trend in 2010?
- Restaurants with gardens (e.g. rooftop, back-yard, communal) 33%
- Cooking classes/demonstrations 18%
- Street food and mobile food trucks/carts 15%
- Restaurants on farms 13%
- Gastropubs 12%
- Other 6%
- Featured butchers 3%

What is the best source of hot, new food/beverage ideas?
- Television (e.g. Food Network, cooking shows) 23%
- Trade shows/conferences/seminars 22%
- Independent restaurants 21%
- Magazines 14%
- Other 7%
- Culinary schools 6%
- Celebrity chefs 6%
- Retail 2%
- Chain restaurants 1%
    
The National Restaurant Association conducted an Internet survey of 1,854 professional chefs - members of the American Culinary Federation - in October 2009. Chefs were given a list of 214 food items, beverage items, culinary themes and preparation methods, and were asked to rate items as a “hot trend,” “yesterday’s news” or “perennial favorite” on restaurant menus in 2010.

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which is comprised of 945,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a work force of 13 million employees. Together with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foun¬dation, the Association works to lead America’s restaurant industry into a new era of prosperity, prominence, and participation, enhancing the quality of life for all we serve.