Stephanie Goldfarb is chef and owner of Seven Species Supper Club & Catering. In 2014, she was named America’s Best Cook by the Food Network.
We asked her to elaborate on what flavors are on their way out (kale) and what is likely to be popular in 2018 (more spices).
Q&A
Looking back at 2017, what evolving trends did you see dominate the food landscape?
2017 was all about fresh flavors and healthy options. I think we are seeing a lot of restaurants growing out of the “bacon on everything” trend from 2015-2016 and moving into produce-centered dishes. Similarly, low-waste or no-waste kitchens were thankfully the goal for many, many chefs.
Looking back at 2017, what ingredients did you see gain popularity with consumers?
Cauliflower, coconut, turmeric and microgreens seemed to be everywhere!
Conversely, did you notice any trends or ingredients lose momentum in 2017?
Kale! It’s been…done. And there are so, so many more exciting, deeply flavorful greens out there that chefs are getting their hands on. Chard, carrot tops and cress to name a few.
Looking ahead to 2018, do you anticipate any interesting themes or trending ingredients in the food landscape?
Purple foods are super in-fashion right now, and I’m betting this will carry over into 2018. And as always, we are going to see a major upswing in spice usage, African, Latin, and Asian ingredients, and focus on heirloom varieties of just about everything.