The teams at af&co and Carbonate just released the 15th edition of their annual hospitality trends report, outlining what they predict to be the top food, beverage and hospitality trends for the coming year. Get a taste of their intel with these six food and bev trends.
Hottest Dish of the Year: Maitake Mushrooms
Creative chefs looking for meaty alternatives to actual meat have long favored mushrooms—and maitakes are the new “it” varietal, taking the place of yesteryear’s grilled portobellos. Often served roasted or fried, the craggly surface makes for an explosion of texture, while also capturing any bit of flavorful sauce or dressing. It may not taste like a burger, but it is incredibly satisfying, and is even showing up alongside meat and seafood. Try it:
Cuisine of the Year: Filipino
According to 2021 data from the Pew Research Center, the Asian population in the USA doubled between 2000 and 2019. Filipino Americans make up the third largest group at 19%, or approximately 4.6 million people. Over the last decade, Filipino food has gained increased recognition in the U.S. Popular pop-ups have become multi-store brick & mortars; Filipino chefs have won national and international awards, or become YouTube stars; popular Filipino mash-ups have attracted large audiences; and last year Jollibee Foods Corporation, the Filipino fast-food multi-restaurant group, announced plans to launch 300 stores across the U.S. Now, Filipino restaurants are becoming dining destinations with national acclaim—and booking out months in advance. Try it:
Ube is Ubiquitous
For many, the first encounter of this bright purple ingredient is in Filipino desserts. For others, it may be bubble tea. In either case, love the pleasant sweet flavor and eye-catching hue has propelled this ingredient’s popularity on Instagram with chefs embracing ways to push the color further forward. Your concept doesn’t have to embrace Asian flavors—simply treat Ube as a purple version of a Southern sweet potato. Try it:
Dessert of the Year: Baked Alaska
A dessert that experiences a resurgence every few decades—in large part thanks to its tableside theatrics and show stopping presentation—the classic Baked Alaska is back in full force. Modern iterations may be super-sized to share, flamed tableside, or deconstructed—no matter the presentation, it’s hard to go wrong with ice cream, sorbet or semifreddo topped with torched meringue. And the show makes it all the more worthwhile! Try it:
Drink of the Year: The New Seafood Cocktail
In the 80s and 90s popular cocktails tended toward sweet; in the early aughts bitter was big; now in 2022, briny is back in style. We’re not just talking about dirty martinis, but the newly branded “coastal” cocktails that embrace oceanic flavors and ingredients, often with an eye-catching edible garnish. Try it:
Cocktails for a Crowd
There has been an exuberant return to the conviviality of shared large-format cocktails, as people throng together looking for some fun and personal connection. But don’t expect the pitchers or scorpion bowls of the past, as hip and happening cocktail bars are introducing new, aesthetically pleasing and interactive ways for people to share a spirited drink. Try it:
