BMA House’s catering partner, CH&CO predicts food trends for 2020

At the start of a new decade, many organisers and event professionals are considering the food trends of 2020. CH&CO, catering partner for sustainable venue BMA House, is helping the venue predict and identify what will be popular this year and on into the 2020s.

With over 10 years of experience working at CH&CO, Gary McKechnie, director of food, said: “Over the past five years restaurants have been inspired by street food open-style kitchens. Social eating is going from strength to strength and street food-style stalls are set to move inside. This will make destination dining more accessible by bringing top food and drink concepts together under one roof.”

Delegates are becoming increasingly more educated and environmentally conscious, this is naturally having an impact on food trends. Here are some more of McKechnie’s predictions as to what the main food trends will be for 2020:

• Plant-based menus: the popularity of plant-based menus will keep growing, as people continue to recognise the health and sustainability benefits of plant-based food.
  More gluten-free options: Using almond flour, rice flour and guargum (guar bean extract) especially in dishes with pasta or breads.
• Fermented foods: Gut-healthy probiotics will continue to grow in popularity, such as tempeh, pickled vegetables, infused vinegars and fermented dairy products.
  Levantine cuisine: (Eastern Mediterranean) is predicted to be an influential style for 2020, including Israeli, Turkish and Lebanese.
• Cross-cultural fusion dishes: For example, Mexican and Southeast Asian cuisine, French with Scandinavian flavours, Cantonese Chinese and Peruvian (or Chifa) and South American with Japanese.
• Sour flavours: Rhubarb, tamarind and vinegar.
• The Farm to Fork movement: With the general public becoming more eco conscious, this is set to become even more prevalent this year. From roof top allotment style gardens to supporting local farmers, people want to encourage a food production and consumption process that enhance environmental, economic, social and nutritional health.