5 Renowned Chefs Predict The Big Food News For 2017
With 2016 finally at an end, we can start to look forward to 2017 and the countless dining opportunities it will present (hey, we've got our priorities in order). But how will the restaurant world change in the year ahead? We asked chefs from across the country to make their best educated guesses and predict what the year ahead will hold for their industry — and we got some surprising answers. Read below for five of the biggest-named chefs' responses, and find the complete article – with 65 chefs included – here.
Alex Guarnaschelli, Judge on Food Network's Chopped
"Eating and cooking with seeds — i.e. Sesame seeds. Sorghum seeds. Chia seeds; Getting back to simplicity — a simple burger, a no-frills hot dog, etc; Prix fixe dining of varied price ranges; Celery root will become the hottest vegetable in town; Golden Frill mustard greens will eclipse and surpass kale as the new salad green."
Dan Barber, Blue Hill and Blue Hill at Stone Barns (New York City)
"I think we're seeing an awakening around whole grain flours — flours with the kind of flavor and aroma that's only possible when you're milling them fresh. In some ways, it's similar to the transition that happened in the coffee business. These days, don't all the best baristas grind their own beans? I think, increasingly, we're going to see the same care (some would say obsession) applied to our baking. Tabletop mills will become the new coffee grinders."
2013 American Chef of the Year: Dan Barber
Jacques Pepin, Chef, Television Personality, and Author
"Chefs are moving more toward plant-based food with smaller amounts of protein. Another trend: Chefs are competing with "fast food," by producing food that is casual and less costly, but is healthier and of a higher quality, like what Daniel Patterson is doing in San Francisco and José Andrés in Washington."
Around the Kitchen in 3 Questions: Jacques Pépin
Marc Murphy, Landmarc Tribeca, Landmarc at Time Warner Center, Ditch Plains (New York City)
"I think vegetables will be taking center stage again. We're starting to see it already as people are embracing vegetables as a main course rather than just a side. For example, cauliflower has become something of a star in recent months, making pizza crusts, fried 'rice' and even cauliflower steaks."
What are you most excited to cook more of in the New Year?
"That's hard to say. I'm always inspired by travel and am actually in Iceland right now. The food culture here is very different and very interesting (and no, I'm not talking about whale sushi or rotten shark!), so I'll come back and incorporate some of these flavors into some specials for the New Year."
Find more details on Landmarc here.
Michael Solomonov, Zahav, Abe Fisher, Dizengoff, Federal Donuts, Percy Street Barbecue (Philadelphia)
"The Middle East and Persia will continue to be delved into by innovative and creative chefs in restaurants. Vegetable-forward cooking (not vegetarian) will become more common and (fingers crossed) pho enthusiasts will continue to slurp soup and noodles."