Celebrity Chef Insights On The Latest Group Dining Trends
CHEF CAT CORA
The chef, author, restaurateur, and television host is best known for her featured role as the first female “Iron Chef” on Food Network’s Iron Chef America. Since then, she has shattered the glass ceiling as one of the first females to dominate the historically male culinary industry and has blazed her own trail, becoming the first woman inducted into The American Academy of Chefs Culinary Hall of Fame. Cora has since been featured extensively on a number of television shows, most recently as co-host on Bravo’s Around the World in 80 Plates as well as Fox’s My Kitchen Rules. She has opened more than 18 restaurants across the U.S. and globally, including: Cat Cora’s Kitchen, Ocean by Cat Cora, Cat Cora’s Gourmet Market, Kouzzina by Cat Cora at Disney World, CCQ at Macy’s, Cat Cora’s Taproom, OLILO by Cat Cora, Mesa Burger, and her newest addition, Fatbird Southern Kitchen and Bar in New York City.
What high-end trends are you seeing now?
Health and wellness trends finally caught up to what I have been preaching for the last 20 years. Health and wellness has always been my platform for food. I think there will be even more new and innovative life-extension and longevity concepts coming for nutrition, like probiotics, kefir, as well as fitness concepts like core fitness and balance through meditation, tai chi, yoga, and other forms of wellness.
What strategies are there for groups without big budgets?
Do-it-yourself dinner parties as well as bring-your-own-dish BBQs, wine-and-crafts concepts (paint and wine) and window garden/herb garden and wine.
What are some of the most popular ingredients right now?
Matcha, plant-based proteins, and turmeric are three exciting foods that come to mind. I love a daily matcha.
What do you see as the next big thing?
Meal kits are hot and still getting hotter with all the online kits available. Sober-dining mixologists are mixing up more high-end nonalcoholic drinks for those shunning alcohol for healthier living. Carbs are back, vegan eating is in vogue, minerals are in, teas instead of coffee, nootropics for brain energy, matcha foods as well as other naturally attractive colors in food.
What trends are cooling down?
What I am about to list are things I still love — I am talking popularity versus leaving for good: Molecular gastronomy seems to have been falling out of popularity. Bowls of any kind, especially smoothie bowls with fruit and granola, although I love them. Toast dishes, ramen bars, and fermenting everything, to name a few.
Source: successfulmeetings.com
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