2020 Food & Drinks Trends
From keeping it simple and less is more to sustainability and real traceability, we’ve asked top chefs and leading bartenders what they believe will be the next big food and drink trends in 2020.
Vivek Singh – Executive Chef and owner of The Cinnamon Collection, London
“I think bitter tastes will be the most sought after flavour of 2020. In particular, fenugreek is a bitter herb I use a lot and have done so for a long time. I think it will be the ‘new’ turmeric with more people consuming it for its health benefits and distinct flavour.”
Carlo Scotto – Head Chef at Xier, Marylebone, London
“I think flowers are going to become increasingly important in cooking, not only for décor, but for the flavour and texture they bring to the plate. I often use tulips as they have a really unique, fresh, milky flavour that can offset some sharper or more powerful flavours in a dish.”
Matthew Whitfield – Head Chef at The Terrace Restaurant at The Montagu Arms, New Forest
“With the numbers of people eating meat fast reducing, for environmental and health reasons, the spotlight is back on fish, particularly from sustainable sources. Fin-to-gill cooking is having a real moment and I believe that’s only going to continue to grow. I make sure to use the whole fish when I’m cooking to avoid any wastage, taking the fillets off and then scraping the fish bones with a spoon and taking the flesh you get from that to make into a mousse. We also use the bones chopping them up to make a fish soup which we blend, pass and put into a gun charge with gas for a delicious aerated finish.”
Manish Mehrotra – Corporate Chef at Indian Accent, Mayfair, London
“In 2020, sweet potato is going to make a resurgence, particularly in Indian cuisine. It’s such a versatile vegetable. We can use them in chaats (Indian street food), as well as in curries, meats and even desserts. The vibrant orange colour make for creative plating, and sweet potatoes are rich in fibre making them a healthy choice. It’s also a vegetable that provides minimal waste, you can use the skin to make crispy-potato chip-like snacks that are perfect for a unique topping or just to enjoy on their own.”
Pasquali Ferrillo – Head Bartender at Manetta’s Bar in Flemings Hotel, Mayfair
“Healthy eating has been a well-documented trend over the last few years, but more recently, I have seen this extend to drinking habits too. Consumers tend to be more conscious about what they drink and how they drink. This will continue in 2020. I can see more bars offering cocktails with healthy ingredients such as herb infusions, olive oil, rhubarb, pea shoots, marjoram and nettle”
Akira Shimizu – Head Chef at Akira at Japan House London, High Street Kensington
“No longer just a stalwart of Japanese cuisine, sea urchin is gaining popularity and I think we will see it popping up on more menus in 2020. Sea urchin, or uni, is the bright orange, edible part of the spiky creature. It used to be the ultimate status symbol; both sweet and salty, fresh and melt-in-the-mouth – some even call it the ocean’s answer to foie gras as very little seafood has that kind of all-encompassing flavour.”
George Farrugia – Fenchurch Restaurant at Sky Garden, City of London
“Growing up in a Cypriot family, cooking with charcoal was always very much a way of life, but this is becoming increasingly more common in restaurants. I love incorporating the flavours of charcoal into emulsions, dressings, marinades and breads…the list goes on. Charcoal is an incredible way to get maximum flavour from food, but is also a lot healthier than cooking with fat.”
Aarik Persaud – Head Chef at Heritage Restaurant, Soho, London
“Next big ingredients… seafood offal. Every chef in town just got their copy of the Saint Peter cookbook (my wife got it for me for my birthday) and everyone’s going to be trying their hands at all manner of fish guts, scales and eyeballs.. wait for it.”