It never fails - new years bring new trends which always seems to bring new words and phrases to describe them. This year is no different, so we figured we’d give you a head start on 5 new industry words you’re likely to hear now - and moving forward.

Chef-driven. There was once a time when chefs were the hidden faces of restaurants. They were rarely seen, but often revered as the hidden hero of the menu. Today is a much different story. With so many celebrity chefs on the map there is a new trend of having the chef be at the center of...well...just about everything. Whether a brand cashes in on a chef’s celebrity status, or they merely use chef-developed menu items to signify healthy and natural offerings, this trend is a response to increased demand for healthier items that are rich in creativity and dimension. And those things come from, usually, chefs.  

Transparent Dining. Open kitchens have been around for some time now. But in the past few years, transparency has grown to encompass not just the physical space where food is prepared, but also what is, and isn’t, being added to our food. So along with being able to see a chef fillet a piece of salmon, you’ll also know that the salmon was caught in a certain region, in a certain way, and has not had any sort of preservative added to it, etc. The days of hidden ingredients are quickly moving past us, allowing transparency to be the norm.

Raw/Simple. Along with knowing exactly what they’re eating, people are starting to demand simpler items that have been processed, even cooked, less. It’s a way of allowing the food to speak for itself - without having it touched by too many hands or being prepared in too many ways. Diners are responding proactively to over-processed foods and restaurants are responding with raw and simple ways to prepare food to show those diners that menu items and ingredients can be appreciated for what they are without a lot of modification.

Vegan. What was once considered an inflexible way of eating has actually gained quite a bit of flexibility in recent times. Many people are far more flexible when it comes to defining veganism. Whether that means going meatless a few days each week, or ensuring certain meals are meatless is up to the individual diner, but smart restaurants are seeing this and increasing the quantity - and quality - of their vegan offerings. So offering a vegan burger and calling it a day doesn’t cut it anymore. Look for creative vegan options that really show depth in the near future.

Responsibly Sourced. Sustainability hasn’t gone anywhere, it’s actually grown to be more inclusive to the point where we recognize “sustainable” and “responsible” as two very distinct - yet important - concepts. Sustainability refers to ensuring the foods we eat today are available down the road to future generations. Responsibility refers to our current generation being able to sleep well at night knowing how their food was grown, caught, etc. Responsibility is important, especially to today’s generation, because it reflects their values and their attitudes toward food.

As much as industry terms come and go, one thing you won’t see go away anytime soon is the demand for menu items and supply chain practices that reflect a growing need for food to reflect our values.

Do you have a buzzword you think should be added to our list? Let us know in the comments!