Gastronomic trends: what we will eat in 2024

What we will talk about in the article:

Authenticity: folk techniques and local products

Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary’s word of the year, “authenticity,” was the most frequently used word of the year in 2023 at chef symposiums and conventions. The dictionary itself defines the concept as, “Authenticity is often associated with identity, national or personal.” Often the words “cuisine” and “dish” accompany the definition of “authentic“. Thus, food is fixed as the most important sign of authenticity.

The restaurant experience confirms this. Consumers are increasingly dependent on the origin and authenticity of the food and are willing to pay more for both factors, so this ultimately opens up opportunities for restaurateurs to generate higher revenues. Having seen every possible type of fusion cuisine, the public wants to go back to their roots, reconnect with ancestors and local customs, and learn more about themselves rather than the world. Dishes with meaning and history, like understanding the origins of foods and their journey from the earth to the table, provide this opportunity. In this case, national cuisine is defined not as a set of recipes, but as an understanding of folk cooking techniques and knowledge of local products. It is not without reason that Russian chefs speak with one voice about the discoveries they made while traveling around the country – from Kaliningrad ripple and Siberian fish to horse mane from Tatarstan.

The green agenda: plant-based diets and meat scouts

Veganism, vegetarianism, flexitarianism – plant-based diets are on the rise. Meat is losing its position on the plate, the industry is responding with numerous substitute products that now convincingly mimic the flavor of meat. “Meat substitutes” made of vegetable proteins are at a plateau after rapid growth, but this is clearly not the end of the road. The development here is seen in three possible scenarios, each of which will potentially produce winners.

The one-to-one meat imitation strategy will lose ground and the focus will shift to the richness of edible flora. Recipes will be made from whole plant-based foods (vegetables, fruits, grains, seeds, legumes, herbs, seaweeds, etc.) rather than isolates and concentrates.

At the same time, meat replication will enter a new phase with the emergence of “superimitations” that mimic specialty meats and seafood such as bacon, scallops, premium whole cuts, foie gras and sashimi with minute details. Ingredient suppliers are offering more and more solutions to reproduce the perfect marbling of animal fat or the iron-rich flavor of blood with remarkable precision.

Cultured meat produced without traditional farming has also not yet “taken off ” – there are difficulties in scaling production outside laboratories. However, here experts consider the idea of hybrid products promising: just 10% of cultured meat makes plant-based meat much more rich in flavor.

In Russia, neither the technologies themselves nor the products they offer have so far found mass support from the consumer. However, a counter-trend has emerged in response to their global success. Purposeful selection and conscious enjoyment of meat are manifested in the new food trend Carneficionados, which unites meat connoisseurs among both chefs and eaters. It is enough to remember the restaurant “Thirst for Blood” headed by Pavel Potseluev, an expert in meat fermentation, or Meat Coin with Turkish chef Mehmet Chalyshkan, for whom a whole group of meat scouts work – they are looking for the best cattle all over Russia.

Rule of three: simple ingredients and pure flavors

The trend toward simple and straightforward food continues the move toward simplification. And it’s the right trend. Stop blowing smoke in your eyes (literally and figuratively!) and trying to impress the public with multi-ingredient dishes with inedible decorations. There should be a minimum of ingredients on the plate, but they should all be of the highest quality. This is the only way a steak and fries can turn into Steak and Fries.

It is believed that the perfect combination is demonstrated by three properly selected ingredients. By emphasizing each other’s strengths and masking each other’s flaws, they add up to a perfect dish that any addition can easily ruin. The pure, unadulterated flavor palette of the dish gives more pleasure. In 2024, food prepared according to the “rule of three” will receive top marks.

Mini plate society: small portions and ordering “at the table”

“Let’s order everything at the table ” – the sharing revolution has led to unexpected consequences that will be even more prominent in restaurants in 2024. To make it easier for companies to try a dozen-plus different dishes and not suffer from overeating, portions have shrunk markedly (to be fair, the cost-of-living crisis has also had an impact on the process). Singles in trendy places now have to order at least three appetizers and a main course. And the very notion of a main course is under threat. This section of the menu is rapidly shrinking to accommodate the growing list of starters.

– trend for 2024

The possibility (or necessity?) to order more dishes than the usual formula of “first, second and compote” puts at risk the wallet of the customer, who is subject to the “IKEA effect”, when a lot of inexpensive goods in total exceed the planned purchase budget. Against this background, the concept of the Greek cuisine restaurant “Hermes” with fixed prices for all dishes, as well as restaurants serving full-size large portions of food in the old-fashioned way, look most attractive. Both could grow into a counter-trend in the coming year.

Less is better: cafes near the house and sandwiches from a star chef

The Russian catering industry is still dreaming of a little place on the corner. Chefs want to open such a place, and the public dreams of going to such a place: to wear slippers, to be recognized, to order “as usual”, to order without strained smiles, everything honest and open. Such bistros seem comfortable, with an affordable price tag, a small but well thought-out menu, with an atmosphere of coziness and safety. Such a dream is cherished, for example, by Evgeny Tsyganov (Eno Bistro, Moscow) and Maxim Lyubimov, chef and co-owner of Leo Wine & Kitchen and gastrobar “Nachalo” in Rostov-on-Don, and Andrei Shmakov (Savva, Moscow) even managed to open his own snack bar. They clearly believe: “It is better to do little but good than a lot but mediocre”. If successful, the trend has radiant prospects and is capable of changing the perception and attitude to the fast food industry. It is hampered by the lack of suitable small premises with low rent in densely populated areas and the lack of managerial skills of most chefs, but with a lot of desire, all of this can be overcome.

Oriental syndrome: spices, spices and spices again

While in London they are looking at Caribbean cuisine, in Russia the most striking trend of the moment and of the near future is a slightly different Asia, not as we are used to. In principle, Asia has not been losing ground for many years, but it is now that a new round of this culture is evident. At that, we can speak both about little-known cuisines of the region, say, Khmer or Iranian, and, what is more likely, about the next fusion variations. Chefs and restaurateurs are responding to the demand for festive, dressed-up food with interesting flavors, quietly following the political and economic agenda unfolding to the East.

– the trending spice of 2024

Among other things, the trend will support the growing demand for spices that can define both the chef’s handwriting and the style of cuisine, transforming the same eggplant into a distinctly Italian, Indian or Lebanese dish. Trending spices and blends for 2024 include Aleppo peppers (aka pool biber or halabi, moderately spicy, with fruity-raisin tones and a hint of cumin), umami enhancers with seaweed and mushrooms, smoky flavors and African spices such as spicy Berber blend, chakalaka and iru (fermented carob beans). The Calabrian chili pepper is also predicted to be popular. It lends its bright flavor to pasta sauces, sausages, appetizers, condiments and even spicy honey!

Collaborations everywhere: chef tours and edible paintings

Collaborations, joint projects and collaborations – these concepts have entered the everyday life of restaurants and food producers. And for good reason. Several turbulent years for the hospitality industry with endless changes and complexities encourage not only to broaden the horizon, but also to look for opportunities in other industries and support from friendly colleagues.

The number of touring restaurant dinners, which usually allowed the public to appreciate the style of a famous establishment from another city or even country, has exceeded all imaginable limits, on the one hand, revealing industry leaders, on the other – undermining interest in the format itself. The small number of collaborations between restaurants and cosmetic brands indicates that the easiest way to find parallels between the world of food and the rest of the world – in terms of taste and flavor – is almost exhausted.

We are on the cusp of new collaborative approaches to dining, and the possibilities are almost limitless. A light dinner before a play, served in 10 minutes with a discount on presentation of a theater ticket, brunch for owners of four-legged pets or dishes inspired by an exhibition in an art gallery or a collection of a fashion brand – everything can become the basis for cooperation between restaurants and businesses in the neighborhood. And you don’t necessarily have to look for direct profit in it. An example? Restaurateur Evgeny Reimer’s “Art of Eating” festival, which was invented based on the collection of Russian art from the Samara Art Museum, will become a Russian festival and will be held in 10 cities across the country in 2024. Because food is about emotions, beauty and learning about the world around us.

Maximizing pleasure – from simple ingredients to global flavors to enhancing everyday life – and minimizing stress: whether that means slowing down, seeking convenience or value, helping to solve environmental problems, or finding ways to improve health and mood – all are reflected in emerging trends. We are unlikely to see revolutionary, abrupt and irrevocable transformations in 2024, but changes developing in certain niches are subtly changing the entire food system.