2023/2024 Taste Trends: Unwavering Savory Cuisine

The latest culinary landscape showcases a discernible trend in savory food, where restaurants and the industry at large explore innovative flavor combinations, out-of-the-box ingredients, and local influences to create enticing and immersive dining experiences.

Take inspiration from our #TasteTrend rundown to apply new and exciting concepts to your own kitchens and food businesses.

Savory on puff pastries

In lieu of exclusively incorporating sweet flavors or toppings, puff pastries are presently being paired with an array of savory flavors, an emerging trend that is gaining momentum as an increasingly diverse range of combinations emerge in the market.
 

The growing popularity of these savory embellishments on puff pastries serves to elevate the gustatory experience, providing a delightful harmony of textures and tastes.

TREND INSPIRATION:

INNOVATE THE TASTE

• Consider puff pastry as a dough for pizza, solo or for family sharing.
• Country crossover. Elevate Asian flavors by making it as a topping or filling for puff pastries.
  
• Shapes matters. Recreate the dish by differentiating the shapes of the pastries and putting savory notes and flavors. Eg. square shaped croissants filled with meat
  
• Pastry as a wrapping for meats ie. meatballs, beef wellington bites, savory pocket pies, turnovers
  

SHAPE THE CULTURE

• Cafe or coffee shops can offer this light meal for coffee pairing.
• It can be offered as main course for single-served order.
• On-the-go and all-in-one puff pastries are convenient and perfect even for the busiest customers.
• DIY or creating your own toppings can also be an experiential marketing.
• Review your menu. If you’re a bake shop offering pastries, consider adding savory fillings or toppings.

REDEFINE THE SEGMENT

• Café 
• Restaurant
• Buffet
• Catering
• Food Stalls

Black is back

The incorporation of dark colorants into savory dishes has emerged as an intriguing culinary trend, captivating both chefs and diners with its visually striking and distinctively dark hue.
 

Innovative ingredients such as squid ink, burnt coconut, black coffee, black salt, and activated charcoal have changed the way we look at, as well as plate and present our dishes. From gourmet pizzas to artisanal frozen yogurt, the use of this unexpected color in both sweet and savory cuisine has become a creative avenue for chefs to experiment with contrasting flavors and textures, providing an alluring and contemporary dining experience.

TREND INSPIRATION:

INNOVATE THE TASTE

• 
  Use black as a versatile garnish to create artistic patterns and contrasts on your plates. Experiment with different flavors for spherification.
  
• 
  Add a black color and savory taste to your baked goods, such as black brioche, squid ink bread bowl with seafood chowder, black pizza dough, tortilla wrap, and chips.
  
• 
  Incorporate black color into your Pinoy dishes, such as black sinigang, pansit sa pusit, black rice lugaw.
  

SHAPE THE CULTURE

• Highlight the sophistication of the color black. start with a black-colored dish as a canvas and contrast it with other vibrant ingredients.
• Surprise and entice consumers. Experiment with black versions of food that are usually white or light-colored.
• Ensure that the color enhances the taste. Use natural ingredients that have a dark hue and rich flavor.

REDEFINE THE SEGMENT

• Restaurant
• Cafe
• Resto-bar
• Buffet
• Specialty Store – Native Delicacies

Elevated Pinoy tasting menu

Restaurants that offer tasting menus in the Philippines have risen to prominence by showcasing an elevated approach to Pinoy cuisine, celebrating the rich and diverse flavors of local ingredients and traditional cooking techniques.
 

These establishments curate thoughtfully-crafted, multi-course menus that artfully combine classic Filipino dishes with modern innovation, presenting a refined and immersive dining experience that highlight the country’s culinary heritage. Through meticulous attention to detail and culinary craftsmanship, tasting menus contribute to the ongoing redefinition of and appreciation for Pinoy cuisine garnering accolades and captivating both local and international customers. Even moreso, it is a stage upon which Filipino talent is at the forefront, displaying knowledge and technique that is up to par with world-class standard.

TREND INSPIRATION:

INNOVATE THE TASTE

• 
  Instead of a buffet, serve small portions of kare kare in dessert cups with the sauce, meat, and vegetables layered on then garnished with peanuts.
  
• 
  Experiment with Bonuelos and Panipuri as the base of your dishes, such as Bonuelos filled with laing pate and topped with crispy garlic, or Panipuri stuffed with oyster kilawin and drizzled with coconut vinegar.
  
• 
  Create different textures from vegetable chunks and flavors, such as maja blanca from corn, puree from squash, or gelatin from malunggay.
  

SHAPE THE CULTURE

• Adjust the serving portions of existing menu items to preserve the flavor profile and avoid waste.
• Experiment with new presentation styles for classic Filipino dishes. Reinvent the plating of familiar dishes to create a fresh and appealing look.
• Craft a set menu that tells a story of the culinary heritage and culture. Collaborate with local farmers and producers who grow indigenous ingredients and support social causes.
• Apply the bite size trend of dessert to savory dishes, ensuring that each bite has a balanced and satisfying flavor.

REDEFINE THE SEGMENT

• Buffet
• Cafe
• Resto-bar
• Restaurant

Interactive dining experiences

Contemporary restaurants have embraced the practice of incorporating finishing touches to meals directly at the table, including techniques such as flaming, torching, and artfully pouring sauces. The once clandestine operations confined to the kitchen have now been brought to the forefront, captivating the senses of diners as culinary artistry unfolds before their very eyes.
 

This captivating technique not only adds a visual spectacle but also imparts unique flavors and aromas, enhancing the overall sensory experience for discerning diners. The rise of interactive dining allows patrons to engage with their meals in a more immersive manner, heightening anticipation and fostering a deeper connection between the culinary artistry and the enjoyment of the final dish.

TREND INSPIRATION:

INNOVATE THE TASTE

• 
  Use of nitrogen smoke and manageable fire element in serving.
  
• 
  Pouring of hot sauce in to something cold and crispy to ensure quality of the dish, like for Pinoy soup.
  
• 
  DIY kits that taste like you dined in the restaurant but you actually made it yourself. Eg. make your own pocket pies – inside the kit should have the dough, cooked meat, and other ingredients. Customers just need to bake or fry.
  
• 
  Make your own glaze! Serve your fried food like wings, porkchop, nuggets, etc. with an array of glazes. Guests will glaze the food themselves–they can even mix and match.
  

SHAPE THE CULTURE

• Train staff to deliver high-quality service and explain the techniques of molecular gastronomy.
• Ensure that the branding is consistent and appealing for social media exposure.
• Create interactive menu items for different segments, such as kids that involve building their own sushi or pizza.
• Develop shelf-stable DIY kits that include separate ingredients and instructions for pouring and mixing.

REDEFINE THE SEGMENT

• Restaurant
• Cafe
• Rest-bar
  
• Buffet

The dynamic landscape of savory food trends continue to drive culinary innovation forward and captivate food business owners and customers alike.  
As flavors evolve, global influences intertwine, and creative techniques flourish, we can eagerly anticipate a future filled with even more enticing and delectable savory dishes to enjoy and explore. 
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