Catering Trends: 2007 Chef Survey

Event planners are always trying to incorporate the hottest food and drink items into their menus. But if you want to know the latest event planning catering trends, ask a chef.

And that’s exactly what the National Restaurant Association and the American Culinary Federation surveyed in October, 2006.

According to 1,146 chefs who participated in the Chef Survey, they ranked the following as the top 50 “hot” items:

1. Bite-size desserts
2. Locally grown produce
3. Organic produce
4. Flatbread
5. Bottled water
6. Specialty sandwiches
7. Asian appetizers
8. Espresso/specialty coffees
9. Whole grain bread
10. Mediterranean cuisine
11. Pan-seared items
12. Fresh herbs
13. Latin American cuisine
14. Exotic mushrooms
15. Grilled items
16. Salts
17. Pomegranates
18. Grass-fed items
19. Free-range items
20. Pan-Asian cuisine
21. Aged meats
22. Blue/gorgonzola cheese
23. Braised items
24. Focaccia
25. Red wine
26. Brazilian/Argentinean cuisine
27. Ginger
28. Hard/aged cheese
29. Thai cuisine
30. Infused oils
31. Meatless/vegetarian dishes
32. Microdistilled/artisanal liquors
33. Sorbet/gelato
34. Sushi
35. Vegetable salad
36. Balsamic vinegar
37. Chocolate desserts
38. Cuban cuisine
39. Chevre/goat cheese
40. Coffee
41. Smoked items
42. Figs
43. Fresh fruits
44. Fresh pasta
45. Olives
46. Crab
47. Hot sauce
48. Vodka
49. Alterantive red meats
50. Arugula