A look back at the top food trends of the noughties

Posted by Daniel Palmer on 7th January 2010

Sushi, gourmet burgers and superfruits have been listed among the top food trends of the last decade, according to editorial staff at the American-based Food Channel (foodchannel.com).

Below are their opinions on the decade that was 2000-2009, with a perspective on top trends, top flavours and the leading news stories.

Top Ten Trends

  1. Sushi
  2. Bacon
  3. Cupcakes
  4. Sliders
  5. Gourmet Burgers made with Kobe or Angus Beef
  6. Superfruits such as Acai, Pomegranate and Blueberry
  7. Oils, such as olive oils and truffle oils
  8. Whole grains, such as Kashi, polenta, risotto
  9. Artisan foods, particularly in breads, cheeses and dark chocolates
  10. Coffees, teas

Top Flavours

  1. Pomegranate
  2. Wasabi
  3. Cranberry
  4. Ginger
  5. Blueberry
  6. Hibiscus
  7. Bacon
  8. Green tea
  9. Dark Chocolate
  10. Mint

Food Influencers

  1. Organic foods
  2. International Cuisines
  3. Food TV and Internet
  4. Food Safety
  5. The Economy and subsequent shift to home cooking
  6. Fast casual restaurant concepts
  7. Fair trade and Artisan concepts in bread, chocolates, cheeses
  8. Mobility/Social Media/Twitter notifications/Underground dining
  9. Mixology
  10. Culinary education

Prominent News Topics

  1. Food Safety
  2. Food Prices
  3. Slow Food
  4. Sustainability
  5. Consumer generated advertising (e.g. Dorito’s Super Bowl ad)
  6. The demise of traditional publishing
  7. Organic
  8. Private branding
  9. Carl’s, Jr.’s edgy advertising
  10. McDonald’s innovation

Top Restaurant Trends

  1. Fast casual concept
  2. Tapas and shareables
  3. Gastropub
  4. Molecular Gastronomy
  5. Taco Trucks
  6. Underground dining
  7. Fusion
  8. DIY
  9. Catering
  10. Upscaling of Bar food

Top Recipes

  1. Macaroni and Cheese
  2. Bread Pudding
  3. Risotto
  4. Biscotti
  5. Ceviche
  6. Deep Fried Turkey
  7. Creme Brulee
  8. Bruschetta
  9. Tilapia
  10. Guacamole

Top Food People

  1. Food bloggers
  2. The local farmer
  3. Celebrity Chefs such as Rachael Ray, Jamie Oliver, Curtis Stone and Gordon Ramsay
  4. Julia Child/Julie Powell
  5. The home cook
  6. Grant Achatz
  7. Alice Waters
  8. Thomas Keller
  9. Martha Stewart
  10. The local restaurant chef