April 12, 2012, Toronto – More than 300 chefs identified what's hot in the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association's third annual Canadian Chef Survey, and local, sustainable and gluten-free reign supreme on Canadian menus for 2012.
Top 10 Canadian menu trends for 2012:
- Locally produced and locally inspired dishes
- Sustainability
- Gluten-free/food allergy conscious
- Farm-/estate-branded ingredients
- Simplicity/back-to-basics
-
Nutrition/health (e.g. low-fat, reduced sodium, antioxidants,
high-fibre) - Ethnic/street food-inspired appetizers (e.g. tempura, taquitos)
- Food trucks/street food
- Artisanal cheeses
- Bite-size/mini desserts
"It's clear we love our local foods, but these top trends span a wide
spectrum of flavours," says Garth Whyte, CRFA President and CEO. "Chefs
are reimagining their menu selections to accommodate various customer
preferences and dietary needs, while having some fun. From nutrition
and gluten-free to street food inspired appetizers, we've got something
for everyone."
What's different this year?
Newcomers with street smarts – ethnic/street food-inspired appetizers
debuting at No. 7 and food trucks/street food at No. 8 – knocked
craft beer/microbrews and quinoa/ancient grains from the top 10 list.
Gluten-free/food allergy conscious moved up the list from No. 6 to No.
3.
Detailed findings from the 2012 Canadian Chef Survey will be posted
later this week at www.restaurantcentral.ca
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