National Culinary Review

industr y news

WHAT’S HOT IN 2012?

The makers of Hidden Valley® Salad Dressings have partnered with the American Culinary Federation (ACF) to host the Love your Veggies™ Lunch Break for Schools fundraiser.

The fundraiser will benefit ACF’s involvement in Chefs Move to Schools. Chefs interested in participating must sign up by Jan. 15.

LUNCH BREAK FOR SCHOOLS

1. Locally sourced meats/seafood 2. Locally grown produce 3. Healthful kids’ meals 4. Hyper-local items 5. Sustainability as a culinary theme 6. Children’s nutrition as a culinary theme 7. Gluten-free/food allergy-conscious items

8. Locally produced wine/beer 9. Sustainable seafood

10. Whole grain items in kids’ meals Also in the top 20 trends are farm/estate-branded items, food trucks/ street food, artisan spirits and culinary cocktails. Survey respondents cited smartphone apps and tablet computers as top technology trends, and six out of 10 chefs said they would consider a food truck as an entrepreneurial business venture.

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Local sourcing and children’s nutrition will be the hottest
trends on restaurant menus this year, according to the National
Restaurant Association’s “What’s Hot in 2012” survey of nearly
1,800 professional chefs who are members of the American
Culinary Federation. The top 10 menu trends are:
The first annual fundraising
event will take place Feb.
27-March 2 in cities across
the U.S. Chefs will create,
prepare and sell a delicious
and healthy lunch item during
the week-long fundraiser.
All proceeds will benefit the
Chef & Child Foundation to
create resources for nutrition
and outreach programs. Join
celebrity chef Cat Cora in
creating a healthy lunch, and
help support the fight against
childhood obesity. Everyone
can do his or her part in
promoting proper nutrition in
schools by participating in the
Love Your Veggies™ Lunch
Break for Schools fundraiser.

For complete What’s Hot in 2012 survey results, visit www.restaurant.org/foodtrends.

EXPLORE CHINA’S CUISINE MORE INFORMATION www.acfchefs.org/lunchbreakforschools Unilever Food Solutions and The Culinary Institute of America present a gastronomic journey through China in the sixth volume of the “Savoring the Best of World Flavors” DVD collection, exploring the cuisines of Beijing, Chengdu and Hong Kong. On disc 1, tour Chinese kitchens, markets and restaurants with Steve Jilleba, CMC, corporate chef with Unilever Food Solutions, and regional culinary experts KF Seetoh and Fuschia Dunlop. Chefs Yu Bo and Liu Shaokun discuss the nation’s rich cooking traditions and emerging Chinese cuisine. On disc 2, Jilleba recreates many of the authentic dishes sampled in China. To request a free copy of the DVD, visit www.unileverfoodsolutions.us/dvd_offer.