Hot Trends: Top Catering Trends of 2015

Planning on attending social events this year?  You can be sure to expect any one of these trends to be present at any of your social outings!

1. Local Sourcing

Local sourcing has been on the rise for the past few years.  Many people are opting to buy locally to help their hometown farmers, keep money in their own town economy, eat fresh food packed with nutrients and knowing for sure where exactly everything came from!  Everyone can tell a tomato that was grown and picked fresh that week, compared to a tomato that was from a commercialized farm and shipped to the supplier.  

2. Vegetarian Options

Many events always include a vegetarian option.. but why only have one?  Nowadays, people are starting to think smarter about the food that they eat, but no one wants just a plain, boring salad or white pasta dish at a a gala or wedding that you are attending this year.  Chefs are becoming creative, adding color, or presenting vegetarian options in a new and out of the box way!

3. Upscale Comfort Food 

Okay, so maybe your night out is considered a “cheat night” and you want to be able to eat whatever dish you want, be it healthy, or your guilty pleasure (mac and cheese, burgers, mashed potatoes).  Would regular mac ‘n cheese actually be exciting for you? Or would adding a twist to it, with roasted red peppers, Italian meats or seafood, and topped with fresh basil bring more excitement to your taste buds?  Chefs are recreating the wheel of comfort foods and adding upgrades to what was an easy dish to make, and adding more flare to it.

4. Mash Up Dishes

These dishes are out of the box, and not exactly what you would be expecting…for example.. Dessert Pizza? Not to mention, Mazzone Restaurants are already on top of this trend at Tala Bistro (this is my favorite dessert, couldn’t help it :))   But these dishes are taking away staple items from the dish, and turning it around into something either sweet or savory.  The dessert pizza is one great option, with candies, chocolate and dough crust, or taking away burger buns off a BTL and replacing with grilled ramen noodles.  For this trend, anything goes!

5. Gluten Free Dishes

Whether you are a person that is allergic to Gluten, or trying to cut carbohydrates in your diet, Gluten Free options are on the rise!  Good thing for those people who are severely allergic, anyone can now order gluten free bread, pasta, or pizza without lacking the taste of the original food item!

For more trends or foodie news, check out this page for anything in the hospitality industry! PlanYourMeetings.com