As Singaporeans move toward healthier food and lifestyle choices, your menu should too.
Here’s a list of healthy trends that chefs should take note of and implement to keep up with growing demand.
1. Beans
As Singaporean diners move toward more health-conscious food choices, beans are slowly starting to rise in popularity. This is fantastic news as beans are a sustainable and affordable source of plant-based protein.
Include this new age superfood as a part of your dishes and you’ll be ahead of the curve when it comes to keeping abreast of dining trends.
2. Fermented vegetables
Kimchi infiltrated Singapore’s food scene and supermarkets around the same time the Korean craze hit. In 2017, pickles and sauerkraut will be joining this list of fermented favourites.
In addition to being healthy food choices, these foods also limit food wastage. (When was the last time you saw diners wasting huge amounts of kimchi and salted vegetables?) You can consider including these items in your menu if you’d like to offer Asian salty delights.
3. Turmeric
Turmeric has long had a reputation of being a spice with healing properties in Asia. But increasingly so, the rest of the world is catching on to the incredible health benefits of turmeric and it’s popularity has since spread world wide.
Thanks to its attractive colour and aroma, turmeric can enhance your dishes by making them more appealing and flavourful. Try using them to add some spice and make your dishes more aromatic and visually appealing!
4. Heirloom ingredients
Heirloom ingredients have leaped from the produce aisles into the world of packaged goods. What are they? They are produce that haven’t been crossbred or genetically modified for at least 50 years, implying that they taste exactly as they did to our ancestors. This usually means that flavour is top-notch as these ingredients are as naturally grown as it can be.
What does this mean for innovative restaurant chefs? It may be good time to start diversifying your menu to include heirloom fruits and vegetables to attract the modern superfood-loving diners.
5. Root-to-stem eating
As more and more consumers appreciate the value of eating entire vegetable pieces, it makes sense to start creating meals that make it simple for them to do so.
From carrot top pesto to stir-fried beet greens, make it easy for your guests to eat every part of their veggies – from root to stem. Aside from reducing food wastage and saving money, root-to-stem dining reintroduces diners to a fresh array of flavours and textures that were previously lost when we tossed various parts of our produce out. To get started, try experimenting with potato skins, asparagus stems and even fennel stalks!
6. Ugly-looking produce
The shape of our vegetables doesn’t indicate its nutritional value. As such, a bent broccoli doesn’t mean it will taste bad or has a lower nutritional value than a perfectly-shaped one.
Hence, smart chefs around the world have begun buying “ugly” produce that others have rejected (for purely aesthetic reasons) at considerably lower costs. This allows them to keep costs down while pleasing customers with great-tasting food.
7. GMO-free foods
According to research done by Alter-Net, 43% of people across the world indicated that they would gladly pay more for GMO-free foods. In fact, food brands are already fighting tooth and nail to gain a better share of the natural foods market.
Offer GMO-free items in your menu and be known as a forward-thinking, health-conscious restaurant that truly cares for diners.
8. Plant-based meals
Plant-based food is increasingly being touted as good for both human and planet health. They’re also available in an incredibly diverse range, allowing chefs to create delicious plant-based meals.
It would seem that the future will see increasing consciousness among diners of what they eat. As chefs and food operators, it definitely helps to understand how to use these superfoods to remain relevant.
