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Food trends that tickled our taste buds
From jaw-dropping realistic cakes to home chefs cooking up a storm, here are top food trends of 2021 that whetted our appetite
From jaw-dropping realistic cakes to home chefs cooking up a storm, here are top food trends of 2021 that whetted our appetite
Vegan diets
Veganism grew globally in 2021. The pandemic, coupled with concerns about personal health, planetary sustainability and the ethical treatment of animals, made people switch to veganism and abstain from animal products. A vegan diet based on fresh fruits, veggies and whole grains has become popular. Chef Manish Mehrotra says, “Choices for diners have increased. Even meat and sea food-oriented cuisines such as Chinese and Japanese saw the addition of vegan options worldwide.”
DIY meal kits
With concerns about virus transmission topping the charts, dinners and luncheons have become a homely affair. And restaurants offering DIY meal kits have become life-saving. These meal kits enabled consumers to choose from a selection of recipes online or through an app, which were then delivered to their door, complete with instructions and pre-measured ingredients. “Patrons could decide their portions, dressings and cheeses. DIY meal kits helped them stick to their calorie intake,” says Saurabh Khanijo, restaurateur. With a robust menu complete with ingredients and garnishes, every person could tailor a meal for themselves.
Farm to fork
Fresher, tastier and healthier — locally sourced food slowly became the mainstay of Indian households in 2021. With sustainability on the rise amid the pandemic, the desire for the freshest and locally grown ingredients grew like never before. “Farm to fork has boomed in the last year and a half. Middle-class families became health conscious and started looking for cleanly grown and sourced fresh produce. People were willing to pay a slightly higher price for fresh products. A boom in e-commerce during the pandemic also helped small farmers reach out to customers directly through their websites and social media handles, and they could take orders on WhatsApp. A whole new culture of subzi shopping has emerged,” says Anoothi Vishal, food author.
Zero-waste kitchen
With sustainability being the buzz word for 2021, we became mindful of the waste we had been producing. The pandemic made us understand the importance of recycling. Chefs strived to create zero-waste kitchens as they took eco-friendly and sustainable decisions. “2021 constantly reminded us to revamp our food choices and adopt zero-waste cooking in which no waste food is left behind after cooking, be it fruit or vegetable peels, their stems, seeds and even leaves,” says chef Reetu Uday Kugaji.
Realistic cake
Even on close examination, very few would correctly identify them as cakes. They look exactly like objects and have extra sugar due to the fondant. Right from a banana peel to a laceless shoe to even a human face, realistic cakes made our jaws drop in 2021. “Since bakers had loads of time on hand, they took inspiration from fashion and art to create unbelievable cakes that went viral,” says Nishant Choubey, baker and chef.
Immunity-boosting food
Amid the pandemic, everyone was looking out for ways to boost their immunity. Using this as an opportunity, the food industry conceptualised immunity-boosting menus in their restaurants and cafes. Dishes such as haldi chicken, immunity-boosting daal soups, blueberry smoothie bowls, turmeric ice creams and drinks such as lemon jaggery water and jeera-ajwain concoctions made it to the menus. “At some point, it seemed gimmicky as people overdid the trend,” says Sadaf Hussain, chef.
Home chefs
Food enthusiasts, those who had an interest in cooking, started honing their skills. Soon, people were taking orders online and they eventually made it their profession. “The trend brought out the hidden gems of regional cuisines, be it Bihari, Sindhi, Marathi or Marwari and with the help of social media, people promoted their food and sold it big time. We used to joke that vanilla essence and yeast were being sold in black because everyone was baking in Delhi-NCR,” says Tarun Sibal, chef.
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