ECEP RELEASES MID-YEAR TREND REPORT

One of our favorite trends comes from the TV show, The Bear -- bringing artisanal pottery to the table. Photo by Sally Pinera for The Ark Rentals and 24 Carrots Catering and Events

The following are seven trends in catering, hospitality and business that have been identified by Elite Catering + Event Professionals (ECEP) for mid-year 2024. ECEP is a collaborative network of leaders from the world’s top catering and hospitality organizations.

Trends were compiled by the ECEP Trends Council: Michael Stavros, Partner, M Culinary Concepts, Phoenix, Arizona | Holly Safford, Owner, The Catered Affair, Boston, Maine | Bridget Bitza, Chief Revenue Officer, Butler’s Pantry, St. Louis, Missouri | Kashif Browne, Executive Chef, Ridgewells Catering, Washington, DC.

These trends were chosen not just for how they reflect events today, but for the idea of them as pivotal shifts at the core of environmental, cultural, design and culinary excellence.

HERITAGE CUISINE: FOOD WITH HISTORY

Bingemans Catering in Ontario, Canada, established Cedar Spoon, an indigenous catering company in 2022. Led by Chef Destiny Moser, a First Nations Ojibway from the Rainy River Region of Ontario, Cedar Spoon is dedicated to the awareness of Canada’s roots from a heritage cuisine perspective.

It’s well known that UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) identifies and protects cultural and historic sites worldwide. It’s less known that it also identifies elements of natural heritage such as food and eating rituals.

So far, the countries whose cuisine are on the list are France and Mexico (the state of Michoacán in particular). UNESCO also now includes dishes and eating rituals. Trending: A new list of UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage food items such as Chinese tea, harissa and Ukrainian borscht.

The ECEP Trends Council underscores the significance of heritage cuisine. "The future of food often lies in our culinary past," notes Kashif Brown of Ridgewells Catering. "As the world shrinks and our appreciation for cultural diversity grows, integrating heritage cuisine into catering menus will continue to rise."

PLANT BASED FOODS ON CENTER STAGE: THE STAR IS A MUSHROOM

Illustrating the trend's mainstream adoption, 24 Carrots Catering and Events in Costa Mesa features three mushroom-centric dishes: Mushroom Sope, Open-Faced Wild Mushroom Ravioli with Herb Froth and Chiffonade Basil, and Wok-Fried Wild Mushroom and Chive Bao. Photos: Amelia Lyon, Lorely Meza

Mushrooms are still trending as meat alternatives and functional foods. Their umami-flavor, meaty texture, naturally occurring protein and nutrient-dense profile give them a growing appeal for a range of food applications. Brands to watch include: MyForest Foods, offering a whole new way to go meatless with mycelium via a salty-sweet-savory “whole-cut” vegan bacon product that is garnering a lot of attention.  Meati Foods mushroom root-based cuts of steaks and chicken have gotten nods from Sweetgreen and Momofuku. And OmniFoods created huge buzz this year at the Natural Products Expo West tradeshow with “Lion’s Mane,” a mushroom steak dubbed a “new generation of fungi innovation.”

NON-ALCOHOLIC SPIRITS: COCKTAILS THAT AREN'T MISSING A THING!

At the “mock” bar, 24 Carrots Catering & Events and Proof of the Pudding have an assortment of creative zero-proof cocktails on the bar menu. From left: Putting on the Spritz, 24 Carrots & Catering, Photo Jackie Culmer | Blackberry Basil Lemonade, Proof of the Pudding | Butterfly Tea, Proof of the Pudding

More events will feature bars dedicated to mocktails, beautifully crafted zero-proof cocktails. With so many new elegant non-alcoholic spirits such as Seedlip Citrus, Ritual Zero-Proof and Wilderton Bittersweet Aperitivo, mixologists at catered events are getting creative with them. The mocktails they are creating boast complex flavor profiles and mirror premium ingredients, crafted with the same meticulous attention to detail found in traditional cocktails. Their prices reflect this, and guests are willing to pay for this elevated experience.

CREATIVITY ON THE MOVE: ROAMING CARTS

A Gin and Tonic cart from Vestals Catering and custom wedding cart are just two examples of roaming carts that guests love.

The Cannoli Cart by 24 Carrots & Events is a clever take on table side chef preparation. Photos: Amelia Lyon

Clients are giving caterers and planners "carte" blanche when it comes to getting creative with roaming food and drink carts at events. No event is complete without one this season. Guests enjoy them before and after an event, as well as during. Carts have been making an appearance table side, in the instance of the cannoli cart, at after-party events, and even on dance floors with specialty items and cocktails, or a shot of espresso to keep the energy high.

BUSINESS TREND: PRIVATE SOCIAL MEDIA

M Culinary Concepts, The Catered Affair and Proof of the Pudding use HubEngage, an employee communications and engagement app platform. According to Kori Carter Gillespie, Director Brand Marketing at The Catered Affair, the platform has streamlined internal communication and fostered a thriving workplace culture from kitchen staff to event coordinators. Photo: Unsplash

HubEngage is an employee communications and engagement app platform that enables a free exchange of information through social media like posts. HubEngage is being used by more and more catering firms to ensure that positive feedback is amplified and created. ECEP members The Catered Affair, M Culinary Concepts and Proof of the Pudding are using this feature with oversight from Human Resources to bring large teams together and keep communication lines open to teams spread over huge events and dozens of venues.

ECEP TREND REPORT: THE SCIENCE OF FARM TO TABLE

At Proof of the Pudding in Atlanta, Chef Howard Garnell created a rooftop garden at one of the catering firm’s venues. The garden is soil-free and irrigated through reclaimed water (AC runoff and collected rainwater). The pump used to collect the water from the AC unit and deposit into the collection bin is also solar powered, so it’s 100% electric-free. Plus, most of the garden was propagated from just a few starter plants.

While the idea of urban farms and gardens is nothing new, what is trending is the ability to now bring high-tech to nature for water collection, power and propagation. Urban agriculture helps in the development of a variety of environmental, economic, and social benefits to the surrounding communities. Urban farming can reduce transportation costs, help reduce runoff associated with heavy rainfall, and lead to better air quality.  

ECEP TREND REPORT: DESIGN INFLUENCE FROM THE BEAR

Beautiful plates elevate the table to restaurant quality design. Photos: 24 Carrots and Events. Plates from The Ark Rentals, Photos by Sally Pinera

That scene in Season 3 of The Bear when fictional Chef Camen "Carmy" Berzatto's quest for perfection has him losing his mind over tiny differences in almost identical stoneware. Spoiler alert: They are exactly the same. They are also made by Jano Pondolfi, a stylish chef-inspired dinnerware brand. The plates significantly elevate the look of already spectacular food. Thanks to shows like this, the dinnerware trend is coming to catering tables thanks to design-minded specialty rental firms, catering chefs, and of course, our clients who want their events to emulate the highest of style. Owning and renting small quantities of artisanal place settings and/or working with specialty rental companies is giving some hospitality purveyors their own branded look.

"The trends we are looking at are not just for this season and then gone, ” says Stavros, “The goal of the ECEP Trends Council, through this and future trend reports, is to pinpoint meaningful shifts in style that have a lasting impact. Whether these trends are emerging for the first time or making a comeback, they are pivotal in hospitality — linking us to our past while paving the way to our future.”