affection and intelligence are on the menu of the future

The gastronomy of the future is being prepared now. And it is made with affective and modern food, which is good for your health, makes full use of food, values ​​the use of vegetables, seeks different sources of protein, presents contrasting flavors, has dishes to share and uses native and natural ingredients. . These are the eight gastronomic trends captured by Unilever Food Solutions and presented in early March in the 2023 Menus of the Future Tendency Report.

The document; launched at Unilever’s Food Innovation Center in Wageningen, the Netherlands; is the result of a year of research in dozens of countries, which involved 1,600 chefs, 44,000 food contexts and 178 reports on trends and behavior. In addition to presenting and explaining the trends, the work also shows how they can be applied in practice.

For each of the gastronomic trends, guest chefs have developed recipes that show how to put the idea into practice. “We bring these eight trends into applicable recipes, which can be executed by all types of restaurants and chefs”, explains chef Thais Gimenez, spokesperson for Brazil and Latin America for the survey.

The eight global gastronomic trends for 2023 identified by the Unilever Food Solutions survey are inserted in a macro context, which encompasses four behaviors that, according to the survey, will compose our tables in the coming decades. They are: conscious choices, healthier living, pleasurable experiences and the culinary renaissance.

To arrive at these data, in addition to listening to chefs around the world and evaluating behavioral research, the study also analyzed the behavior of social media and keywords in 25 countries. “We know that some regions and countries adhere more to some of these trends than others”, says Thais. She highlights low waste, healthy food and modern affective food as the most relevant for Brazil.

For this study, the chef developed a creamy moqueca with hearts of palm and pickle farofa. The dish, which uses turmeric and has no animal protein, is in the chapter that deals with food that is good for you, but also fits into a reinterpretation of affective foods, two of the gastronomic trends highlighted by her for Brazil.

The recipe has simple preparations and ingredients that are common in the daily life of many gastronomic establishments in the country. The difference lies in the combinations of flavors and the techniques applied. In it, the base of the moqueca is made only with vegetables and includes potatoes to give creaminess. Whole and grilled shitake goes into the cream, on top of which is placed grilled hearts of palm and a farofa prepared with pickled carrots and radishes.

“Your customer will only want to try something new if you present it to him. And, when you change the technique, you already change the dish and manage to impact new people”, comments Thais.

Check below the eight gastronomic trends identified by the study at Unilever Food Solutions. To see the full study and recipes, visit the link.

• Menus with low waste – Full use of food through intelligent menus that explore different techniques and optimize inputs. This trend helps save the planet’s resources and also has a direct impact on restaurants’ cash.
• Food that is good for you – Opt for lighter preparations and with ingredients that contribute to digestibility or bring other health benefits.
• Modern Affectivity – Rereading of traditional dishes that are very present in our affective memory.
• Conscious protein – Use of other sources of protein besides meat and other ingredients of animal origin.
• Contrasting flavors – Dishes that feature foods of contrasting colors, flavors and textures, creating a surprising experience for the palate.
• New Share – Generous dishes, made to eat with friends or family. It ranges from roasted whole fish to cold cuts boards and bar portions.
• Irresistible vegetables – Use of different vegetables as the center of the dish through clever combinations of ingredients and technique.
• Native and natural ingredients – It’s time to enjoy what grows in our backyards, such as edible flowers, buds and PANCs.