Top Dining Trends for 2010

 Benchmark Hospitality International’s Top Five Dining Trends for 2010

The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, June 2010 ... Benchmark Hospitality International, the leading, privately-held hospitality management company in the United States, has just released its Five Top Dining Trends for 2010.   The trends were observed by its 30 properties coast to coast and off shore, and were announced by Giorgi Di Lemis, vice president of food & beverage.

“The world is getting smaller, flavor is going global, and sourcing ingredients increasingly is occurring in the chef’s back yard,” said Mr. Di Lemis.  “And the immediacy and reach of social media is revolutionizing customer involvement in the dining experience.  Today nothing is taken for granted in the success of a restaurant.”

Trend #1        Cultural Diversity and Authenticity Reign Supreme

Restaurant patrons are representing increasingly varied backgrounds and their preferences and demands are requiring culinary teams to create menus that are diverse,  rich with intense flavors, and are authentic -- the “real thing.”

Patrons want a dining experience that is sincere and honest – no disingenuous or gratuitous menu additions will be accepted by their increasingly sophisticated palates.  For example, the Slow Food movement has taught us to respect products of true artisan origin, derived of ancient methodologies.

Restaurateurs must be genuine in their relationship with their customers and deliver what they’ve promised. Today’s customer is not only seeking an authentic experience but recognizes when misguided.  If you say you offer Cuban cuisine … make sure it’s genuine!

Trend #2        Health and Wellness Begin at Home

America is finally waking up to the fact that health and wellness start at home!  Fad diets and government intervention have not sufficiently protected consumers and countered the food industry’s supersizing or the American consumer’s overconsumption.

Today almost every agency is scurrying to find solutions to the problem. What’s working?  The most basic approach of all:  educating children during their formative years on healthy portion size and sound, nutritionally balanced eating habits, and then setting an example.

Today’s restaurant operators need to respond creatively to satisfy increasingly health-conscience consumers.  This can start with as basic a food preparation technique as substituting intensely flavored herbs for salt, punching up flavor while reducing unhealthy sodium levels.

Trend #3        Biodiversity, Sustainability, Family Farms and Beekeepers

Expect to see more family farms, shrimp farmers, chicken, cattle and cheese producers waging a small but very significant war against mass production and unscrupulous use of resources or inhumane treatment of animals.

Going forward, menus will be infused by the freshest local ingredients as chefs increasingly develop kitchen gardens, produce their own honey and eggs, or secure fresh local and heirloom products in partnership with neighborhood grocers and artisanal purveyors.  Locavore sensibilities are becoming embedded in the consumer’s psyches.  And this trend is here to stay!

Trend #4        The Future of American Flavors is the World

The era for spices and herbs has begun. Consumers and chefs are expanding their repertoire of spices to little known names such as Fenugreek, Annatto, Charoli, Epazote, Galangal, Za’tar – spices from around the globe.

While the wine world was rescued from domination by Chardonnays and Cabernets with grapes such as Verdelho, Tannat, Schioppettino, Mourvèdre, Arneis, Aglianico, the spice world’s rescue has now begun!  Flavor has never tasted so good!!

Trend #5     &
[Back to Press Releases Main]