New ingredients, new preparations, unusual combinations, experimental cooking methods: every year, the culinary world launches new trends, bouncing from Michelin-starred kitchens to street food stalls, from niche producers to global markets. What are the hot trends of 2024? Which products are a must for anyone who wants to be food trendy?
Yogurt, kefir, kimchi, kombucha, and the good old sauerkraut: fermented foods are all the rage. This ancient practice has been rediscovered and is gaining more and more popularity. Not just for their taste, but especially for their health benefits. These foods promote gut health and overall well-being: bacteria, yeasts, and molds transform proteins and carbohydrates, producing lactic acid, enzymes, vitamins, omega-3s, and probiotics.
What’s the real trending ingredient this year? The large, rough fig leaves. In recent months, chefs seem to have gone crazy for this ingredient, which has boldly entered countless recipes (some have made a ragù from it, others serve a fig leaf mignonette with oysters). Plus, there are syrups for cocktails, liqueurs, and infusions: hidden behind a fig leaf lies true versatility.
This year, two foods have truly taken center stage as alternatives to meat for their protein content. Beans have always been around, but they’ve never been as popular as they are now, from high-end cuisine to casual appetizers. And then there are mushrooms (like the king oyster, a 2024 must): the idea is to replace all animal-based products with plant-based alternatives.
Not just beer and wine: the so-called “non-alcoholic spirits” phenomenon is on a steady rise. Bars, restaurants, and beach clubs have caught on, and mocktails, the alcohol-free versions of cocktails, are now available almost everywhere. Producers are multiplying, recipes are evolving, and alcohol-free drinks (offering the same flavors and complexity as traditional alcoholic products) are especially popular among young people.
Fine dining is expensive, and the high-end restaurant scene is struggling: upscale kitchens seem less and less sustainable, yet chefs have become celebrities. This has led to the trend of seeing packaged products linked to the name of a chef or restaurant: Cracco set the example, and now sauces, condiments, and mayonnaise from various chefs are everywhere. Marketing, celebrity, and product quality: the recipe is served.
