Food trends for 2012

Caneles: the new cupcakes?

Fusion to the max

One of the new restaurant trends in 2012 will be mixing world ingredients in the one dish. For example, Japanese favourite wasabi is showing up on things like pizza and pasta!

Pickling

Chefs across the globe are finding new and innovative ways to pickle fruit and vegetables. This is fast becoming one of the 'in' ways to prepare side dishes, so expect to see them cropping up on a few more menus this year. 

Pretty plates

Chefs are shifting from piling their food on square or circular plates, to spreading it out elegantly on long rectangle plates. The result is a more refined plate that shows the ingredients better.

Foragers

Thanks to restaurants like Denmark's famous Noma, high-end eateries are foraging for ingredients under rocks and by the seaside. Eating weeds couldn't be cooler. Wood sorrel, honey nettle, pine needle infusions - these exotic ingredients are exciting chefs everywhere.

Caneles

According to some reports, caneles will be the new cupcakes in 2012. This Bordeaux speciality is made from egg-yolk-enriched batter that is baked in copper moulds lined with caramel and beeswax. 

Restaurants' own garden

With fresh local produce being at the height of any kitchen's wish list, there is a growing trend among world restaurants to create their own, on-site gardens and serve the produce to their customers, the Fairmont in Monaco being a prime example. 

Sustainability

As the world becomes more accustomed to the evils of overconsumption, sustainability is fast becoming the new buzzword on menus, particularly when it comes to seafood.

New cuts of meat

In a constant bid to find something new and innovative in the culinary world, chefs are turning to different cuts of meat like beef round knuckle and the beef petit tender.

Sous vide

This cooking process of immersing vacuum-wrapped protein in a water bath and cooking for a long period on a medium heat is growing in popularity. 

Peruvian food

The flavours of Peru are steadily conquering the palates of some of the finest chefs in the world, and it's expected to be a big hit on menus in 2012. The cuisine draws from its immigrant influences of Spain, Africa, China and Japan.