Michelin-Star Chefs Give Their Food Predictions for the 2018 Wedding Season
For couples planning their wedding, one of the most important (and fun!) components is the curation of the dinner menu. There might be preconceived notions about what might be served, but whether or not you're a foodie or a less adventurous eater, it's worth hearing from the world's best chefs on what's trending up.
If you're looking for a guide (or even validation) on what cuisine to offer up on your wedding day, look no further.
Beautiful food + drink Tiffany Pascua, executive pastry chef at Hotel Bel-Air, says the painted cake trend is still going strong and Hugo Bolanos, executive chef at the same property, expect to see curated beverage lists where presentation is part of the allure
Meatless options get beefed up A common sight in Michelin starred restaurants is an uptick in Mother Nature's harvest. "There is an increase in interest around plant and vegetable-based dishes, says Adam Smith, executive chef at Coworth Park, who makes it a point to source local produce for his dishes.
Alessandro Buffolino, head chef at Acanto, echoes this sentiment. "I expect to see more offering options like vegan cheese, meatless entrees or vegan frozen desserts." But bland, dairy-free flavors are a thing of the past. Buffolino predicts chefs will surprise their customers with sweet and spice flavors, and "flavor injectors will boost the taste.
Spice up your life "The focus on wellness shows no signs of abating," says Henry Brosi, executive chef of The Dorchester. "We're seeing a greater understanding from our guests [to the health benefits of] natural powders such as matcha, maca root, cacao and ground turmeric for their drinks and meals." Expect to see a few tried and true favorite on the menu but be prepared for lesser-known ingredients says Henry.
For 2018, there will be a greater use of fungi in beverages such as coffee and tea like reishi and chaga. Chaga is known for its impressive anti-oxidant and anti-retroviral properties, and reishi for its anti-viral and anti-oxidant properties. We may also see a growing trend for algae and seaweed and gut-friendly food – Probiotic, prebiotic and anti-inflammatory ingredients."
Doing it for the 'Gram Social media continues to play a strong role during wedding celebrations, but not all cameras will be glued on the couple. Guillaume Katola, executive chef at The Grill, says chefs will continue to create novel dishes that appeal to an online audience. For example, the gin and tonic souffle offered on The Grill's menu during the summer. Overall, he believes dining will continue to put an emphasis on experiential with theatrical items such as tableside service for meat, fish and cocktails.
Japanese dining on the rise In keeping with the health trend, Asian cooking techniques are trending up. Rather than using salt, chefs like Adam are opting for fermentation, picking and the use of soy to enhance flavors. This method of cooking is more sustainable than what we see in the West. Adam hopes this leads to the minimization of food waste and a trend in the use of overlooked ingredients such as offal.
Style Me Pretty Contributor - Ximena N. Larkin is a writer and publicist. She lives in Chicago with her husband and dog.
