Craft beer again top trend in chef survey

Toronto – Craft beer isn’t going anywhere. For the third year in a row, this potent potable is the No. 1 hot trend in Restaurants Canada’s annual Canadian Chef Survey.

Top 10 Hot Trends
Chefs across the country have made their picks. Here’s what’s hot for 2017:

• Craft beer/microbrews
• Food smoking
• Charcuterie/house-cured meats
• Sous vide
• Locally sourced foods (Locavore)
• Gluten-free/food allergy conscious
• Sustainable seafood
• Ethnic condiments (e.g. Sriracha, raita/raitha, chimichurri, soy sauce, sambal)
• Pickling
• Asian twists on condiments (e.g. Sriracha ketchup, kimchi mayo)

“Craft beer continues to dominate, but new trends are breaking ground,” says Shanna Munro, Restaurants Canada’s president and CEO. “The restaurant industry is always innovating and experimenting with different flavour palettes to push the boundary.”

“Trends come and go, but these solid, innovative products are here to stay and grow,” said Chef Charlotte Langley, culinary curator for RC Show 2017, an annual industry gathering presented by Restaurants Canada Feb. 26-28 in Toronto. “Watch for fermented and fresh-to-go options. Seaweed is in, so we can give our oceans a break. It’s an ethically sourced product that’s great for you and our food economy.”

Chefs and restaurateurs were able to see and sample these top menu items at the annual show.

New for Canada’s 150th: Iconic Canadian foods
Nothing says Canadian like maple syrup. New this year, chefs were asked to name the quintessential Canadian food. And the winners are:

• Maple syrup
• Poutine
• Beef/Alberta beef

About the survey
More than 560 professional chefs participated in Restaurants Canada’s eighth annual Canadian Chef Survey, conducted by independent market research firm BrandSpark International between January and February. Restaurants Canada, the Canadian Culinary Federation, Terroir, and the industry at large took part. The survey was sponsored by Saputo.