Food trends for the Indian market that will rule in 2022

Another year has passed by and 2022 has the path for the foodservice industry paved already – a concrete focus on health. Let's peek into what the forthcoming year would look like with the new food trends for 2022.

It is a new dawn of the decade. We have entered the year 2022. Celebrating the eve some time back, wishes of good health and prosperity through the year echoed on everybody's ears from their loved ones. Good health is majorly driven by nutrition and we all know the foodservice sector has brought herculean changes while aiming to fortify people's nutrition experientially.

The decade's start saw Covid's global outbreak, upending the way foodservice served the masses. The trends have been reeling and one can witness several of those paving their way into 2022 too. The pandemic brought to the fore the importance of immunity, for which menus at eateries were redesigned with inclusions of immunity-boosting dishes. Veganism and plant-based milk and meats were already seeking a dominant stance among the masses in yesteryears, but the outbreak of the novel coronavirus further bolstered this transition. Though nutritious meals were everywhere, the virus' omnipresence stemmed the widespread opening of cloud kitchens. Guaranteeing fool-proof contactless food has not just been from the foodservice aggregators but goes back into the kitchens where the traditional cooking equipment are outgoing with smart cooking equipment taking over the reins.

While the aforementioned have become dominant to mark their way into 2022, many more rising trends are set to take over the way patrons experience their food at the restaurants. One important trend of focus by several eateries remains sustainability. To make this world a better place to live, restaurants are increasingly focusing on minimizing food wastage by repurposing peels and discarded parts of fruits and vegetables to be used in concoctions and stocks for lip-smacking gravies.

Packaging has too been moved to bio-degradable ones over the predominant plastics. The 'carry your straw' movement initiated by a renowned café chain in abroad and India revolutionized the concept of sustainability. The ripple effect has advanced several steps above, and almost every standalone eatery to chain of food outlets is eyeing to make their packaging as eco-friendly as possible. Some restaurants are also investing in electric bikes for food deliveries aiming to reduce their carbon footprint.

Yet another trend is increased reliance on local produce to aid community welfare and to dismiss ancillary procurement costs. With the dependence on imported goods thinning, a range of India-made cheeses to pickles and sauces being made within the country are set to become the mainstay of the restaurant menus.

Moreover, forgotten recipes are being resurrected at a pace unimagined. The Covid-induced lockdowns brought chefs to visit their hometown and spend time more with their families, leading them to re-learn and ace the ancient recipes which they cherished as children. They are now extending it to the patrons. Menus of several restaurants have already started paying homage to the lesser-known heritage recipes being handcrafted by the culinary experts.

"Food is medicine" as is said, chefs are making sure that it doesn't taste like it. Health will remain the focus through 2022. Much has moved in substituting refined flour and other ingredients with super-foods like millets to help the gut cope better while also saving on the costs by investing in these economical crops.

Last but not the least, tech and food will keep going hand-in-hand boundlessly in 2022 like in the previous years too. From culturing meats to devising contactless dine-out experiences and navigating spotless food delivery aggregator platforms, tech has paved way for food to better reach their patrons. While arresting wastage remains a focal point in 2022, smart equipment for the professional kitchens to aid efficiency while cutting down on the energy costs will be spotlighted by the restaurateurs in 2022. RATIONAL has been pioneer in bringing smart combi-steamers that cater to the modern-day need with all the functions in place to help the chef serve perfect scrumptious dishes while subsequently reducing wastage.

Author - Saurabh Puri, Marketing Communications Manager, RATIONAL International India Pvt. Ltd.