One of things that makes the food and restaurant industry so exciting is how dynamic it can be. What might be the hottest new restaurant, ingredient or dish type one month can fast become old news, as the latest hype takes hold. Whilst this fast-moving nature of the industry keeps consumers happy, it can make the job of chefs and restaurant owners a lot harder, as they have to constantly adapt and develop their menus to satisfy expectations. This is something that Unilever Food Solutions knows well and that’s why in 2023 it launched its first ever Future Menus trend report, providing chef-led insight into what the food service industry should be planning for going forward.

A year on and Unilever has now released its updated report for 2024 (which can be downloaded here), setting out the six global trends that are shaping the industry in the UK and providing guidance on how chefs can easily implement these trends in their menus going forward. Launched in March at Unilever’s Global Foods Innovation Centre in the Dutch city of Wageningen to an audience of chefs and food service professionals from across the globe, the 2024 report has been put together off the back of hundreds of hours of research and chef interviews, ensuring that it’s predominantly chef driven. Whilst four of the trends in the 2024 report - Irresistible Vegetables, Low-Waste Menus, Modernised Comfort Food and Feel Good Food - remain just as relevant as they did in 2023, this year’s report also highlights two entirely new trends in the form of Flavour Shock and Plant-Powered Protein. 

For chefs, it’s not enough to simply be aware of these trends, they need to understand the reasons behind them and, even more importantly, how they can be incorporated into their own styles of cooking. This is the primary motivation behind the Future Menus report and was apparent from the off during the launch event as demonstrations were given by Unilever chefs, sample dishes were handed out and talks were given by industry experts.

The first trend to be be discussed both in the report and at the launch was Flavour Shock. A brand-new trend for 2024, the motivation behind Flavour Shock is that diners are increasingly wanting to see chefs tear up the rule book when it comes their menus. They aren’t looking for the same old flavour combinations, they want to be surprised; to see combinations on the plate that you wouldn’t expect to work together but do. This might be a Mexican sauce on a beef burger, or, as guests at the Hive were treated to, a salty-meets-sweet cheese stroopwafel. It could also be a surprising twist on a classic dish, which is what this year’s Modernised Comfort Food trend is specifically exploring. The report contains a recipe for a lamb shank fatteh pie, for example, which takes all the elements of a traditional fatteh and recreates it in pie form for a modern take on an old favourite.

Flavour Shock plays into a broader trend of experimental dining, where customers are craving sensory overload. Chef patron of the Michelin-starred Alchemist, Rasmus Munk, spoke at the Future Menus launch about creating food that shocks by being brave and willing to try new things. ‘It’s all about thinking of food as more than just a white plate if you want to create a lasting impact,' he explained. The Unilever report echoes the importance of creating unique culinary experiences, with UFS chef Joanne Limoanco-Gendrano explaining in her article on AI & Hospitality that ‘we find ourselves in an era that is being shaped by the next generation of diners…they are quick to decide if something resonates with them – and can be direct in pivoting to the next enticing offer.’

Something else explored at the launch event was chaos cooking, which is currently having a real moment and involves chefs using whatever they have leftover to create something new. It's a simple way to experiment with new combinations in terms of menu development and can ultimately lead to dishes that surprise and shock in terms of flavour. This idea of using up leftovers to create something new also ties in nicely with Unilever’s Low Waste menus trend, which explores the ways in which chefs can continue to creatively maximise resources. The Future Menus report highlights that in the UK, over 1.1 million tonnes of food are wasted by the hospitality sector annually but by reducing wastage, you can also increase profits, proving that the likes of chaos cooking are good for both business and creativity. There are plenty of other simple ways of addressing food waste in your menus though, outside of chaos cooking. One of UFS chef Brandon Collins’ top tips in the report for reducing waste is to find a pickle brine that you love, so you can quickly and easily pickle any waste products.

A trend which chefs may already be a little more familiar with is Irresistible Vegetables, which has now featured in the Future Menus report two years running, showing that diners’ obsession with all things veg is showing no sign of slowing down. This trend is about more than simply introducing more vegetables onto menus, it’s about making use of their vibrancy to create plates that are aesthetically beautiful. By using a vegetable like a butternut squash for example (as in the recipe below, taken from the report), an otherwise dull-looking dish can be instantly transformed into something bright and incredibly appealing.   

As an ever-increasing number of people begin to adopt a flexitarian lifestyle, it’s more important than ever for chefs to make vegetarian options as appealing as possible while also bringing vegetables into dishes in a manner that’s approachable. ‘Diners will be more likely to try something new if it is tied to familiar dishes like a taco enhanced with simple, yet flavour-packed ingredients,’ explains UFS chef Dana Cohen in the 2024 report. The new plant-powered protein trend also echos this need to create new culinary experiences for people adopting low and no-meat diets by offering the likes of beans and pulses as an alternative.

Being able to serve exciting, vibrant vegetable-led dishes doesn’t begin in the kitchen though. It’s now more important than ever that chefs put the time into sourcing as sustainably as possible, and regenerative agriculture was a particularly hot topic at the launch of the report at Hive. It was impressed upon those in attendance that soil health across the world is in rapid decline, making it harder than ever to grow great quality produce. The example was given of cocoa beans, which have historically been grown in a manner that’s very damaging to the soil. This means that they’re now harder than ever to grow, so prices are at an all-time high and, as a result, restaurants are using less and less chocolate. Increasing numbers of farmers are beginning to employ regenerative practices like cover cropping and no-till farming to address problems with soil health but the key for chefs is ensure that these are the producers they’re supporting. By beginning to champion these sustainable, regenerative suppliers, chefs can be pivotal in creating a shift in our wider food and agriculture ecosystem. The full Unilever report explores the importance of regenerative farming in even further detail, in the form of an article (found on page 62 of the report, which can be downloaded here) with UFS chef Sam Kass discussing its urgency.

Vegetables also have an important role to play in the Feel Good Food trend, which explores the idea of transforming healthy options on menus by thinking outside the box. Customers are now looking for more than just a green salad when trying to eat healthily, but are also placing increasing importance on knowing the nutritional value of what they’re eating. Chefs therefore, need to start thinking creatively when it comes to introducing healthy options to their menus. The 2024 report emphasises the fact that there are so many healthy ingredients worth exploring outside of the heavily marketed superfoods category. Lentils, beans and other pulses, for example, are all packed full of goodness whilst also being a great way of bringing flavour and texture to dishes, making them a no-brainer to include on a menu. Mushrooms similarly are also highlighted in the report as one of the most diverse ingredients around in terms of flavour and texture whilst also being proved to have great health benefits. Incorporating these kinds of nutritionally rich ingredients into dishes is an easy and effective win when it comes to menu design.

Keeping your finger constantly on the pulse in this fast-moving industry can be difficult but the importance of having a deeper understanding of these trends and being willing to adapt your menus accordingly cannot be overstated. The Future Menus report is the ultimate head start for chefs and restaurant owners at every level, who want to stay dynamic and on trend. It’s there as guidance, not as gospel, but by bearing its trends and suggestions in mind going forward, you can be confident that your menus will continue to tick all the right boxes long into the future.

Download the full trend report here, or for further inspiration check out our list of on-trend recipes here