2019 is set to be a big year for the catering and hospitality industry. With consumers increasing concern of provenance and intrigue into the way their food is made, restaurants will certainly start to take a new route with their menus and overall dining experiences.
But what other restaurant trends does 2019 have in store? What food trends are we already noticing two months into the year? We’ve rounded up some of the most talked about trends for 2019, below.
Experience
- Educational experiences are on the up
In 2019, eating out will become much more about the whole experience, rather than just the food. Although this restaurant trend has been emerging for a while now, in 2019 restaurants will need to put more focus on the entertainment factor of the overall dining experience.
That means considering everything from the restaurant décor to the choice of tableware and the use of lighting and music to create ambience. It might even mean creating interactive opportunities for your customers to learn about, and explore, the story behind their food.
- Artisan paves the way
This restaurant trend has also been bubbling away for a few years now, but it’s in 2019 that it will become more prevalent than ever. In essence, it’s about chefs making the ingredients the hero of the dish; exploiting their quality and using knowledge and expertise to prepare them with care.
It’s being driven by consumers desire to know more about their ingredients; how they are produced, where they come from and how they are prepared. We recently wrote about consumer’s interest in provenance and how this is driving the trend of buying British in the catering/hospitality industry. Read the article here.
Food & Ingredients
- Locally sourced products and produce remain the hero
In a recent survey, Nisbets found that chefs will continue to make British produce the hero of their dishes in 2019, with 55% saying they already promote British produce on their menu.
These findings align with our research, where we found that 60% of our respondents felt that purchasing British-made products and produce for their establishment was very important.
With 80% also agreeing that buying British tableware was as important as buying locally sourced ingredients, will this trend move past ingredients in 2019 and into the wider dining experience?
- Fermentation will take off
Fermentation will be one of the most prominent restaurant trends in 2019. Moving beyond its most popular use as a source of good nutrients, pickling and fermentation will become more commonly used across many restaurants. As earlier discussed, one of the biggest food trends this year will be locally sourced, handcrafted foods; and fermentation is a natural progression of this.
For restaurants and chefs, the biggest benefits of this trend are that it’s cheap to execute and yet acts as a great way to upsell some of your classic menu items.
Consumption
- Increased demand for fast-luxury dining
In 2019, fast-luxury dining will be one of the biggest food trends. With consumers growing concern about the origin of ingredients, there will be a desire for high-quality, luxury food served in a simple, easy to consume way.
- Customisation takes hold
Increasingly over recent years, customers have been seeking more personalised experiences. But in 2019, the made to order or build your own trend will really take hold. As a result, we’ll see more restaurants giving customers the option to customise or change certain aspects of their dish, or completely build their own meal from the bottom up.
Have you noticed any of these restaurant trends emerging already? Are there any other trends you’re predicting to take hold which we haven’t mentioned? Let us know in the comments below.
If you’re looking for new tableware for your establishment this year, don’t forget to check out our crockery options. With over 200 different products and more than 30 different glazes, you can choose a combination which complements your restaurant. Browse our website to explore your options or request our price list here.
