Inspired Food Trends 2018

Poke bowls – originally native to Hawaii – have been a trending in the US for the past three years and we are slowly seeing them more in South Africa. These bowls have evolved into ‘sushi without the daintiness’, offering easily accessible traditional dishes that can be endlessly customised. Although still a lot harder to find in the JHB region, we definitely see them becoming more mainstream in the coming years.

2. Plant-based protein

With the social focus on saving our environment and being vegan, a lot of chefs have embraced plant based ingredients -Tofu, tempeh and quinoa – to replace the usual ‘meaty’ proteins. This is a lot more obvious with Indian Styled Cuisine, with a lot of restaurants creating menu’s based on their plant-based roots and receiving a lot of success from these evolutions. So expect a little less meat but a whole lot of flavour.

3. The Fourth Meal

With the fast paced lifestyle we all seem to live, everything we seem to do has less structure, this includes our eating habits. How often do you catch yourself eating breakfast for lunch or even dinner for breakfast (doggy bags are always an option). However, the magic number has always been 3 meals. We suggest a fourth, which is generally a treat, to make the business of everyones day just a little bit sweeter.

4. Savoury Desserts

Although not specific to this year, savoury desserts have certainly grown as a trend and has no signs of slowing down. From Oatmeal or Jalapeños into that special Cheese Cake to Basil Ice Cream, the dessert evolution has certainly begun.

5. Water Restrictions

Quite clearly inspired by Cape Town, we see a trend coming from the Mother City in which chefs will create as many variations of deletable dishes while trying to save water where possible. This includes using water from ice buckets to clean windows and cooking H2O ‘light’ dishes that utilise less water entirely.

6. Champagne and bubbles

South Africans do enjoy celebrating the little things, and what would a celebration be without Bubbly. There has been a clear growth and demand for Demi-Sec Sparkling Wines and Champagnes, and this growth will continue as they offer sweeter options that South Africans truly enjoy.

7. Mash Up Frenzy

Our final trend and something we have certainly seen growth throughout the years is the ‘mash up’ of different cuisines. From sushi burgers/burritos to dessert pizzas, there seems to be a lot of interest when combining traditional favourites to create something holistically different. And they seem to photograph very well for instagram to!