Last week, titans of the hospitality industry gathered at the Jacob Javits Convention Center for a three-day expo to share their advice and predictions on how to navigate the food and drink space. Common themes were environmental sustainability, personal health and bright and bold flavors.
Here are trends to expect according to the 32nd International Restaurant and Foodservice Show of New York, part one: Food and restaurants.
Worldly flavors
Asian food has experienced a boom in popularity across the U.S., specifically Thai food.
According to a 2023 report, Thai restaurants account for 11% of the Asian restaurant market despite making up only 2% of the American-Asian population. And the proof was in the pudding at the Pennsylvania Beef Council’s Great New York Steak-Off on Monday, March 4 as Chef Dhanapol Marprasert — co-owner of Kam Rai Thai restaurant in Astoria, Queens — took home the proverbial bacon.
Nine chefs went toe-to-toe in the rapid-fire competition at the Javits center. Marprasert won the $1,000 cash prize and bragging rights with his “seua rong hai” aka “crying tiger” – a beef dish served with a dipping sauce featuring traditional Thai flavors like tamarind, palm sugar, cilantro root, bird’s eye chili and mint leaves.
“International/global trends are coming on,” said Chef Nickolas Martinez, vice president of culinary operations for Union Square Events. “People are also looking at spices.”
Twice-featured on “Hot Ones” — an interview talk show where celebrities answer questions about themselves while eating progressively spicier chicken wings — Queen Majesty hot sauce was at the show raising brand awareness for their small batch business.
The company, based in Long Island City, Queens, boasts fresh and natural ingredients on their labels with a friendly reminder to “Enjoy in good health!” – a common theme among vendors at the restaurant and foodservice show.
“People are wanting to flavor up their palate without it costing them so much sodium,” said Betsy Craig, the nation’s leading expert of food allergies and menu labeling, who sees food trends as being more about health than flavor preferences.
Eating with good health in mind
Craig, who also founded Menutrinfo in 2010 – a company dedicated to providing allergen and nutritional information and education – predicts a future of plant-based eating and more transparency in food ingredients.
“Vegan is definitely the way folks are going,” Craig told an attentive crowd. “They want to eat healthier vegan, [but] a lot of people with food allergies that are allergic to dairy are trying to eat vegan to eat safer.”
In 2017, a three-year-old boy died from a dairy allergy after being fed a grilled-cheese sandwich at his daycare in Harlem. Last year, two people died from extremely high caffeine levels in Panera Bread’s “charged” lemonade. On March 3, Instagram user @Cindysnacks called out a baker in Long Island for passing Dunkin’ Donuts as homemade, vegan and gluten-free.
Due to tragedies and legalities, restaurants are developing menus to be more explicit and transparent about the ingredients in their food. However, these menus are not mandated by law and are subject to the discretion of the establishment owners. Craig hopes food workers take the time to educate themselves and their employees on the dangers of food allergies and dietary restrictions.
“Who raised the food? Where did the food come from? How is it fed? How is it processed? People want to know more about their food today than ever before,” she added.
International Restaurant and Foodservice Show of New York on Sunday, March 3.Photo ET Rodriguez
Bouncing back from the pandemic
As COVID rears its ugly head again with new infections this year, one can’t help but recall the devastation it caused.
In 2019, tourists poured nearly $74 billion into New York City. In 2020, that number dropped to about $33.9 billion, leaving bars and restaurants scrambling to make ends meet. Four years later, some storefronts still have “for rent” signs while other shops are still trying to bounce back.
“It’s been difficult,” said Susannah Koteen, owner of the Lido Group with its flagship restaurant Lido in Harlem. “We used to see customers five days a week, now we see them about three days a week.”
David Burke, chef and owner of David Burke Hospitality Management, believes that bringing people back to in-person work is the solution to increase restaurant revenue.
“We’re seeing a lot of remote work on Fridays and that’s a challenge for restaurants,” said Burke. “You’re dependent on that office population.”
Desperate times forced establishments and the city to improvise. Suddenly, outdoor dining structures were everywhere. Some were soundly designed, while others made headlines for being obliterated by taxis and city buses. Now, the city is regulating their Dining Out NYC program and people have mixed feelings.
“The outdoor dining sheds around the city have been fabulous – the new proposal is nonsense,” wrote Robbee Fian on the mayor’s office of operations website on Oct. 20, 2023.
“The deserted outdoor dining areas are occupying a significant amount of space designated for parking,” wrote Violet on the same day.
As food establishments navigate the ever-changing regulations and policies of their industry, restaurateurs can expect fees and fines attached to the modified outdoor dining program.
Why does it matter?
According to the New York State Department of Labor, “pandemic-related shutdowns decimated restaurant and bar employment, with close to 208,000 jobs lost.” That’s more than the population of Tallahassee, Florida.
Despite providing more than a quarter-million people low-barrier employment, bars and restaurants is the second largest space for consumer spending in NYC and accounts for a significant portion of the city’s economy.
“Hospitality is so important to New York City,” said Andrew Rigie, executive director of the New York City Hospitality Alliance, a partner in this year’s restaurant and foodservice show. “So, we should have the biggest, greatest restaurant industry trade show here.”
