The culinary taste trends and the gladiator pizza

Get the Home-Based Catering Business Guide

Launching a home-based catering business can open the door to a fulfilling career. Grasp the fundamentals to start, from licenses and permits to essential marketing strategies.

Download

First Name*

Last Name*

Email*

Phone*

Program of Interest*

Diploma in Culinary Arts & Operations Diploma in Professional Pastry Arts Diploma in Food Entrepreneurship Diploma in Plant-Based Culinary Arts Diploma in Holistic Nutrition & Wellness Associate Degree in Culinary Arts Associate Degree in Baking & Pastry Associate Degree in Food Entrepreneurship Associate Degree in Plant-Based Culinary Arts Associate Degree in Holistic Nutrition & Wellness Associate Degree in Hospitality & Restaurant Ops Mgmt Not Sure

Download

By clicking the "Download" button, I am providing my signature in accordance with the E-Sign Act, and express written consent and agreement to be contacted by, and to receive calls and texts using automated technology and/or prerecorded calls, and emails from, Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts at the number and email address I provided above, regarding furthering my education and enrolling. I acknowledge that I am not required to agree to receive such calls and texts using automated technology and/or prerecorded calls as a condition of enrolling at Escoffier. I further acknowledge that I can opt-out of receiving such calls and texts by calling 888-773-8595, by submitting a request via Escoffier’s website, or by emailing [email protected].

Edible trends tend to have a short life span in the modern, tech-driven world. With a large focus on finding the next “new” food, chefs may feel as if their restaurants are being thrown for many culinary loops. Chefs, and many online culinary students, scan the Web for hints of the next food trend so they can incorporate it into their cooking repertoire or a menu. The New York Times attempted to simplify this process for chefs by analyzing their article database in order to decipher what trends are on their way out and what will be the food staple of tomorrow.

Trend tendency
Food trends are only considered vogue when they are sparked in the think tank kitchens of new and innovative restaurants in central hubs of culinary arts like New York City. After the public has had the opportunity to approve of a trend, it begins to make its way into more accessible food establishments until it takes a slot in a chain restaurant menu.

The data compiled by The New York Times quantified the total times a food trend was mentioned in the paper during the past three decades. After logging the numbers, it was revealed that the hottest trends of the 1990s and early 2000s included fried calamari, sun dried tomatoes, radicchio, quiche and goat cheese. Discovering that these trends are on their way out should not encourage chefs to avoid including them on their menus, but they should consider toying with the food trends that The New York Times discovered are on the rise.

These newly famous foods include quinoa, short ribs, ramen, kale (yes, it is still on the hot list) and Brussel​s sprouts. However, after the article listing the new food trends was published, writer for the Times Neil Irwin felt there was a clear omission: pizza.

Reigning champ
Pizza has such a strong connection with American youth and culture that it has been on a culinary rise since the mid 1950s and only recently peaked. In 2011, pizza had a record number of mentions in Times articles, making it the top dog of food trends. If food trends are to be measured as the Times has suggested, by number of paper mentions, pizza is still the No. 1 food trend. What makes it such a popular choice is that it is not a stand-alone product. It can be made with kale, Brussel​s sprouts or goat cheese toppings. Pizza can also be baked with a quinoa crust. Pizza may be a comfort food staple, but it is a trendy one.