March 6, 2010, Toronto – Local, sustainable and organic food
choices top the list of what’s hot in Canada’s restaurant kitchens.
A new survey of professional chefs conducted for the
Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA) by independent market
research firm BrandSpark International show the top 10 existing and up and
coming trends for 2010. The chefs were asked to rate a variety of menu
items and cooking methods as either a ‘hot trend,’ ‘yesterday’s news,’ or
‘perennial favourite.’
The top 10 Canadian menu trends are locally sourced food, sustainability,
organic produce, artisanal cheeses, simplicity/back-to-basics, nutritional/healthy
cuisine, free-range poultry/pork, small plates/tapas/mezze/dim sum, bite-size/mini
desserts and superfruits (such as acai, goji berry, mangosteen).
The top 10 up and coming Canadian menu trends were
identified as ancient grains (e.g. kamut, spelt, amaranth), gluten-free beer, vegan
entrées, organic alcohol, African cuisine, new/fabricated cuts of meat, gluten-free
cuisine, Middle Eastern cuisine, quinoa and non-traditional fish (e.g.branzino,
Arctic char, barramundi).
“These topline trends underscore a growing restaurant focus
on health, nutrition and the environment,” says Garth Whyte, CRFA president and
CEO. “Restaurant chefs are not only listening to their customers, they
are helping to drive the trend toward health, nutrition and sustainability
through innovative menu offerings.”
Detailed results from the CRFA Canadian Chef Survey will be
released at the CRFA Show running from March 7 to 9 in Toronto.
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