Every year brings forth food trends that are remarkably different from the ones that existed the previous year. The year 2020 predicts food trends that will lean away from indulgence and move towards a healthier space. By getting into a healthy mind and body space, it promises better gut health, higher nutritional values, and an active mind! 

The gastronomy specialists across the world have announced the advent of organic, sustainable, green and healthy food that combines the benefits for both the mind and the body. In a broader sense, it is having awareness of what we are consuming and what impact it’ll have on our bodies and minds. As we all are now more aware of our food having a direct linkage with our immune systems, our heart health, and on our psychiatry, healthier cooking and eating is what 2020 culinary trends impose.

More than the appearance of the plate, chefs are more focused on health in the plate than ever. This phenomenon is named the ‘mindful eating’ which is maintaining an in-the-moment awareness of the food and drink, one puts in their body. It is paying attention to signals that one’s body sends about satisfaction, taste, and fullness. It is also observing how food makes one feel.

With a major prerogative on nutritious dense foods, superfoods like nuts, seeds, legumes, sweet potato are becoming more and more popular and are no longer the claim of some nutritionist chefs. Healthy cooking will become the new norm in terms of food and that’s the reason why vegetable cooking is more and trendier in all areas of catering, from fancy and exquisite restaurants to the street food stands. Vegetables and plants will not just be used in garnishing but will be used alone or in combination with other important ingredients of a dish. Vegetables will be the new stars in the kitchen but not just any vegetables – those from quality agriculture guaranteed to be sustainable and without the use of chemicals.

Besides, mindful eating, the other major growing concern for the chefs is the environment. With climate emergency on everyone’s mind, the chefs are becoming more and more proactive by seeking more sustainable food options especially seafood. It has become imperative to follow human and ethical practices and aware of our duty to let the soils and seas regenerate. The chefs are no longer hesitating to use reasoned farmed fish rather than a fish resulting from intensive fishing.

And one of the biggest trends for 2020 is the comeback of bread! Criticised over the past few years because of its negative impact on health like calorie intake and gluten intolerance, the bread is coming back with new codes and criteria. You’ll see the use of local, wheat, organic and OMG-free cereals and other healthy variants without any adverse effect on health.

Another thing that will trend is the ‘return of the past’ or the comeback of grandparents’ food that represented personal and shared stories. The act of sharing will become more and more prevalent even in gastronomic restaurants and the meals will become more like a community act and a team sport. 

The trend for authenticity is also reflected in the return of ancestral means of preservation such as fermentation, smoking, and salting in cooking. Nowadays, it’s also very easy to get and use such equipment at home. Chefs are thinking out of the box than ever and applying these techniques to use fermentation to smoke a lot of products like vegetables, oils, dairy products, etc. and to create new recipes. 

Another trend that will emerge in 2020 is the Ithameshi cuisine which is the fusion of Japanese and Italian cuisine. The recipes will focus on tradition and products, two things that represent well its two countries that seem very different but, in the end, very complementary. A lot of Japanese chefs came to Italy to learn traditional cuisine and techniques, then returned to Japan and now apply those techniques to Japanese products.

All in all, it’ll be a year of experimenting with several trends that will be lead towards eco-friendly, sustainable, more raw and authentic cuisine with minimal or no wastage.

By Benoit Carcenat, Director in Culinary Arts and Gastronomy, Glion Institute of Higher Education

---

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the article belong solely to the author, and not necessarily reflect the views, thoughts, and opinions of EducationWorld.