The year TwentyFourteen was a year filled with so many ups and downs, but for foodies it was just ups & ups. The metros are driving the restaurant revolution as more international players test the waters. Two foodie favorites, an international Burger chain – Burger King & a global Doughnut company –  Dunkin Doughnuts opened their doors to the Indian market, while the international coffee chain that entered India in 2013 is on an expansion spree. Reports say there are many more International favorites to follow in 2015.

We’ve welcomed these international chains like no other region. For us Indians, food is synonymous to celebration, food, love etc. We convey our emotions trough food; we eat chocolate to celebrate and when we’re depressed.

Food Festivals continued to be a one-point contact for Indian foodies for an international gastronomical journey. This year, interestingly, also saw a trend where a lot of Tourism Boards associated themselves with Food Festivals, to promote food & culture of their region. Foodies got a chance to relish cuisines from Malaysia, Thailand, France etc.

 

The gastronomical journey for Indian’s was not only limited to International cuisines, but this year also saw a lot of foodies wanting to know more about local cuisines resulting pop-ups and food festivals showcasing  cuisines such as Parsi, Malwani, Marwari and Awadhi.

A look into the recent trends reveals that the Indian consumer today is far more indulgent. Families are breaking out of conventional mindsets and dining out. Consumers from metros and Tier I towns are willing to spend a relatively higher amount on dining out and do so more than once a week in comparison to Tier II & Tier III cities. Customers in Tier II towns still prefer value for money and more destinations or special-occasion dining places. However, the concept of dining out is picking up in these markets as well.

Every year we look forward to putting something new on our plate. It is no different as we set sail on a gastronomic journey in 2015. What cuisine will take precedence over others? Will the go-to cuisine of an Indian – Chinese be replaced by some other ‘lesser-known’ cuisine? What will keep you hungry for more? Read on, to find out what the who’s who of the Indian food industry have to reveal…

Chef Ranveer Brar

“Last year I predicted interest in Peruvian cuisine. This year the prediction is definitely the emergence of lesser known Latin American flavours in India (Peruvian , Chilean). Talking about Indian cuisine, Indian food inspired cafes and casual dining spaces will flourish along with restaurants that celebrate regional flavours (Kolhapuri, malwani etc). Indian food expression
takes a rustic look this year with cafes trying to stylize and glorify it or pic hotel kind of spaces trying to propagate it.

Molecular experiments with Indian cuisine are going to continue, settling down later this year with Indian desserts. Lesser known local and seasonal vegetables (Lilva, Borbotti, Bok Pholl, haak saag) will find space in elitest menus this year as eating local and seasonal is an established norm.”

 

Chef Saransh Goila

“As we are progressing our palate is getting more restless. It craves an adventure every time you eat out. So, 2015 will be about bizarre sushi’s, everything waffles, confused indian cuisine and crazy home delivery menus. It’ll also be about frequent unique and experimental pop ups in already setup restaurants as people crave for something beyond their imagination, something they don’t understand.

Indian cuisine will (sadly) attract more fusion, though local ingredients will try to find a voice in modern indian menus. Jazzy and floral Cocktails will be the new in thing. Home delivery menus will be more elaborate and will provide close to restaurant meals taste at your household. Take Home chefs might just become a thing to look out for too in 2015.”

 

Chef Indrajit Saha, Executive Chef, Sofitel Mumbai BKC

The year 2014 has been a crucial year for the culinary field. A few prominent aspects that have been under focus are modernization, health, technological advancement, deconstruction and reconstruction of dishes. People are aware about many culinary trends, including molecular gastronomy.

However, molecular food may not only be about spherification, but also, elements that showcase modernization. This can be seen in aspects like compression, nitro freezing of specific fruits and vegetables, soils & conceptual approach through modernist grounds.

Modernization and preparation of smaller portions of dishes will top the list of trends in 2015. In addition, exploring unknown flavours and including them in various dishes can also be seen as a trend for the coming year. Few cuisines like Burmese and Ethiopian are also likely to gain popularity and appreciation in the following year. Most of all, our traditional Indian food is also expected to carve a niche for itself in the year 2015.

 

Chef Sandeep Pande, Executive Chef, Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel

Niche, local cuisine to make its mark, for example Sathya, Mopla, Kakori cuisines from unique topographical regions. Era of large restaurants under threat from small boutique pop up restaurants.The age of an all-inclusive menu offering of North Indian, south Indian, Punjabi, Chinese and chaat almost over. The restaurants to concentrate on unique offerings like a specialized Biryani or Tawa halwa per outlet. QSRs to sweep Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities. Chains of QSRs to embark upon an interesting journey.

Thanks partially to FSSAI, and partially to a resurgent, “go local” movement, unique local ingredients like Rajgir/amaranth to make a come back. White home churned butter from Parsi dairy to be in vogue as compared to President. Talk of the town to be unique flours and grains. Maida to take a back seat. Rajgira, bajra, nachni to show up in Indian and Breakfast preparations.The vegetables to take a lead vs. non vegetarian offerings. Food to become more satvik, more for the soul, more to please innerself. Organic offerings, offerings which are nature friendly, food stuff that comes from sustainable sources, food which has been grown on a regional scale by tribals to be in the fore front.

A wave of home chefs catering to unique palates craving for regional unique food offerings to sweep pockets of Tier 1 cities, likes of Hola chef to grow stronger in no.s and offerings.Less sugar less salt to make its mark even in traditional offerings like pickles and halwai sweets. Hygienically cooked food and food outlets to get a big thumbs up.

Indian food trends will enter into new miles in 2015. Hog on foodies! 😀