Chefs dish on culinary trends for 2016

What will we be eating in 2016?

If Corridor chefs and the National Restaurant Association are correct, Americans will be eating more locally, more sustainably and more artisanally than ever before.

The assocation's 'What's Hot 2016 Culinary Forecast” surveyed nearly 1,600 professional chefs on which food, cuisines, beverages and culinary themes will be hot trends on restaurant menus in the year ahead.

Eating local was at the top of the list: The No. 1 trend was locally sourced meats and seafood, and locally grown produce and hyperlocal sourcing took spots 3 and 4. Care for the environment also was big - environmental sustainability came in at No. 6, along with sustainable seafood (No. 9), food waste reduction/management (No. 19) and natural ingredients (No. 5). Artisanal and products made-in-house were emphasized, with house-made/artisan ice cream (No. 10), farm-branded items (No. 13), artisan butcheries (No. 14), fresh/house-made sausage (No. 17) and house-made/artisan pickles (No. 18).

None of this is a surprise to chefs in the Corridor, many of whom have been emphasizing local food for years.

'We're just making sure we're staying true to supporting local producers and trying to push that envelope for the local community and expose our community to different styles of dining. We want to making sure we're using good products and supporting people in our community,” said Andy Schumacher, owner and chef at Cobble Hill in Cedar Rapids. 'I think it's cool to see more and more people recognizing the value in that and seeing customers responding to the difference that makes in the food.”

David Wieseneck, chef and owner at the Motley Cow in Iowa City, agreed.

'That's a growing strength in the market that I don't think will be eroding anytime soon. Within that we'll see more locally produced items such as craft beers and spirits and more artisanal and heirloom products and produce,” he said.

He also plans on using local items to cook cuisine from around the world, as well as increasing use grains like amaranth as more people avoid gluten.

'We're continuing to investigate less common ethnic products, like homemade kimchee using house-made spices grown by local farmers,” he said. 'We're smoking peppers in-house to make chili powders and hot sauces.”

Kurt Michael Friese, owner and chef at Devotay in Iowa City, said he wants to combine local sourcing and environmental sustainability in his restaurant.

'Our focus has always been on what they call ‘hyperlocal.' Now I am trying to find ways to implement some of Dan Barber's ‘Third Plate' ideas - encouraging farmers to rotate edible cover crops to help keep nitrogen and carbon in the soil, and encouraging my cooks to use those ingredients and less-popular - read, inexpensive - cuts of meat.”

He said in 2016 the restaurant will be emphasizing meat less overall.

'Our menu has always been around 60 percent vegetarian, but we are moving away from entrees that have large cuts of meat at the center of the plate and using meat more as a flavor enhancer, garnish or side dish.”

Anthony Bata, chef and owner at Bata's in Cedar Rapids, said even when national trends match up with local ones, trend-watching only goes so far.

'Sure we watch trends from around the country, but then we remember we're in a Midwestern city with primarily a Midwestern palate,” he said. 'So we stay grounded and honest to who we are. We purchase the best ingredients from around Iowa and the world; we stay concerned about sustainable ingredients from land and sea and work on healthy choices by having gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options. Plus our executive chef and kitchen staff each contribute to making all our dishes from scratch - nothing processed.

'It sounds simple, really, but we're very proud with what we have to work with here in Eastern Iowa. Wonderful local produce, farms, local pork, bison and beef and strong support for the locally owned restaurants.”

The 'What's Hot 2016 Culinary Forecast” top 20 food trends

1. Locally sourced meats and seafood

2. Chef-driven fast-casual concepts

3. Locally grown produce

4. Hyperlocal sourcing

5. Natural ingredients/minimally processed food

6. Environmental sustainability

7. Healthful kids' meals

8. New cuts of meat

9. Sustainable seafood

10. House-made/artisan ice cream

11. Ethnic condiments/spices

12. Authentic ethnic cuisine

13. Farm/estate branded items

14. Artisan butchery

15. Ancient grains

16. Ethnic-inspired breakfast items

17. Fresh/house-made sausage 18 House-made/artisan pickles

19. Food waste reduction/management

20. Street food/food trucks