Nine trends shaping the hospitality industry in 2017

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What’s on The Menu in 2017 Largest foodservice and hospitality event in Canada shares top nine upcoming hospitality trends; RC Show takes place February 26-28

TORONTO – December 15, 2016 – Farewell white linen tablecloths. Hello fast casual. Welcome to the table cauliflower, but beware as butchers strike back. “Based on industry insights, these are some of the things diners should expect to see in the coming year,” says Shanna Munro, President and CEO of Restaurants Canada, the industry association presenting the annual RC Show. “The new year will bring with it a fresh way to dine out. These trends will come to life at the upcoming RC Show as we serve up new products and ideas to connect and grow Canada’s hospitality industry.”

Here are nine trends shaping the hospitality industry in 2017:

1. Virtual Restaurants:
With more restaurants opting for seat-less environments, new delivery options, and apps serving up home-cooked meals in minutes, virtual restaurants will continue to grow in 2017. The concept, brought to life at the show by UberEATS, offers on-the-go diners the ability to customize and personalize their meals.

2. Vegetarian Dishes Go Mainstream:
Vegetables will continue to dominate dinner plates in 2017 with new options to dazzle eyes and delight taste buds. Companies have found ways to offer choices that even barbecue-obsessed consumers will be satisfied with as their healthy substitute. See incredible and unlikely pairings at the Ontario stage, and discover how chefs are putting veggies at the centre of the plate.

3. Butchers are Back:
Veggies may be on the menu, but meat won’t be going away any time soon. Butchers and major players like Canada Beef will be upping their game in 2017. They will be bringing the butcher block and trendy off-cuts (e.g. pigs’ tails) to draw adventurous diners to the table. It’s true head-to-tail cuisine. And watch for consumer interest in tracing where their meat comes from and how it was raised.

4. Waste-based Cooking:
If you’re looking to eat more ethically in 2017, many chefs are cooking this way too. With billions of pounds of food going to waste each year, the industry is moving toward transforming the “un-coveted” side of food. Chefs are using produce scraps and underutilized cuts of meat to create new and invigorating dishes for their menu. This new “root-to-stem” approach means carrot tops are used as garnishes, pigs’ ears are front and centre, and we’re doing better for the planet. Look for the industry to showcase direct distribution of seconds, with start-ups focusing on selling imperfect or unused food.

5. Portable Power:
Wrap it, roll it or serve it in a bowl. Portable menu options such as the sushi burrito will continue to gain popularity, in large part due to a growing millennial demographic which prefers fast, healthy and complete meal choices – that is, fast casual cuisine.

6. Fermented Everything:
Already a huge trend seen by the rise of kimchi and pickled vegetable dishes, fermentation will be making an even bigger appearance in the beverage category, in drinks such as fermented coffee beans, wines, teas and signature cocktails. This year we’re concocting some of the tastiest treats and pairings to cross your palate in our bigger and better Shake & Sling Pavilion and new Tasting Lounge.

7. Water:
Water can change flavours and cleanse a palate, and now diners are starting to notice what chefs have known all along. With the U.S. recently introducing the first certified water sommelier, look for water selections on menus. Coconut water might have kicked things off, but expect to see maple water, birch water, peach tree water and maybe even pine water.

8. Alternatives:
With Canadians’ affinity for trying new things, a few foods you shouldn’t be surprised to see on the menu in 2017 include: sea vegetables and seaweed, locally grown cauliflower instead of kale, and alternative proteins – from pulses and alternative grains such as pigeon peas, cranberry beans and black beluga lentils, to edible bugs and other forms of insect protein.

9. Edible Cocktails:
With access to ingredients from the back of house, bartenders are turning their cocktails into more than just another drink. From oyster-infused gin and a bacon-flavoured rum, to jelly shots and boozy ice cream, cocktails are now a meal in themselves. The Chef Inspired Bartender Competition is sure to impress and will unveil some of this year’s most mouth-watering and munchable cocktails.
The Next Big Thing Media are invited to join more than 15,000 industry professionals to see these trends come to life at the upcoming RC Show 2017 at Toronto’s Enercare Centre, Feb. 26-28, 2017. Taste, learn and experience what hospitality visionaries will be bringing to the table in 2017 and beyond.
Stay tuned for even more trends and insights, as we unveil Restaurants Canada’s 2017 Canadian Chef Survey, where 500 professional chefs from across the country weigh in on what’s hot and what’s next.

For more information, visit RCShow.com. Follow the conversation on Twitter @RestoShow #RCShow17.
To arrange an interview or for more information please contact: Media Contacts: Lisa Raffaele │647-837-1265│ lisa@punchcanada.com
Jessica Patriquin │ 647-837-1260 │ Jessica@punchcanada.com Media Accreditation: Members of the media and bloggers who wish to obtain a media pass must apply in advance for media accreditation. Watch for the application form on our website, coming soon: RCShow.com/media

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About RC Show
The largest foodservice and hospitality event of its kind in Canada, the RC Show brings 15,000 industry professionals together for three days of inspiring talks, high profile competitions, demonstrations and workshops. With over 250,000 square feet of product innovation the show includes dedicated pavilions curated to deliver the best in restaurant design, bar and beverage, coffee and tea, pizza, eco, tech and the local food movement. About Restaurants Canada
Restaurants Canada (previously the CRFA) is a growing community of 30,000 foodservice businesses, including restaurants, bars, caterers, institutions and suppliers. We connect our members from coast to coast, through services, research and advocacy for a strong and vibrant restaurant industry. Canada’s restaurant industry directly employs 1.2 million Canadians, is the number one source of first jobs, and serves 18 million customers every day.