Chefs predict the food trends of 2024
The global dominance of ube, sinigang shots, all things adobo, and Iloilo as the next foodie destination? We asked the top chefs in the country about the current scene and food trends that will prevail in 2024.
Margarita Forés of Grace Park Dining, Lusso and Cibo
How has COVID-19 affected our eating habits?
COVID-19 brought on many challenges for our industry, but brought out much resilience and innovation, too! Food delivery, home meal replacement, and packaged food creativity flourished and created new income streams for us.
Is ordering online still a thing or do people prefer going to restaurants now?
People are so enjoying dining out these days, perhaps even revenge dining, after the few years of restrictions due to the pandemic. The vibrant dining scene is also a result of this boom, with new concepts mushrooming everywhere, as well as new players in the industry making things so much more interesting.
Much expansion as well from the original stakeholders in the industry is the best proof of this. But because the market has a new awareness of the convenience and practicality of ordering online from COVID days, this option has remained and given restaurant owners and caterers like me a flourishing new revenue stream that at first just helped us to survive, but has even helped us continue to grow. Surprisingly, this has not diminished for us at Cibo, my catering division, Grace Park, and Lusso, and even for my son, Amado’s brands, A Mano and Ramen Ron.
A great example of this is his Ramen Ron brand. We decided to start Ramen Ron a few months before COVID-19, and our partner, Chef Tamura, who was always averse to taking out ramen, had to be convinced to do ramen kits at the onset of the crisis. The popularity of the ramen kits during that challenging time was instrumental of course to the success of now two branches of Ramen Ron, the first at Rockwell and the second at Central Square in BGC.
What will the new flavors be?
Looking into some food industry research companies’ predictions for flavors that will be big this year, I was thrilled to see that our Philippine ube was one of them! With that, gochujang, following the current Korean boom, was not a surprise. Other flavors that are trending are yuzu, ponzu, black garlic, the iconic Italian pig face Calabrian chili wet sausage, Nduja, and even Spam!
What will be the hot global cuisines of 2024?
With the success of Jeremy Chan’s Ikoyi in London, and Kwame Onwuachi’s Tatiana in New York, I think African-inspired cuisine will be the next big thing.
Plant-based concepts will also be much sought after, with many more chefs challenging themselves to convert to this more sustainable alternative.
What will be the next foodie destination/town in the Philippines?
Many foodie destinations all over our archipelago are catching the interest of many. New concepts in Baguio, Sagada, and surf town La Union are all creating a buzz.
In the Visayas, Bacolod will always be a foodie destination. Places like sustainable restaurant Lanai by Slow Food champion Chin Chin Uy are sought after. Manila-based restaurant groups expanding into the Ayala Mall, plus the renovation of the iconic Manukan Country by the SM Malls are just some openings food lovers of Bacolod are excited about. Dumaguete, Iloilo, and Cebu are also creating much buzz. Our decision to enter the Cebu market, after much success in Bacolod, was perfectly timed.
In Mindanao, interesting concepts in Davao and Bukidnon that celebrate the amazing produce of the region are also much sought after.
What’s your prediction for dish and drink of the year?
I won’t predict one particular dish, but perhaps ending a meal with a shared clay pot or palayok dish to end a beautiful tasting meal, like Zaiyu Hasegawa’s different versions of clay pot rice dishes like one with Japanese oysters at Den, Barry Quek’s Jasmine Rice with Grilled Lobster and Sambal at Whey and Jorge Mendez’s Nabe with Wagyu and Snow Crab at Modan.
Spicy and savory cocktails, some with fish skin or chicharon garnishes or flavors like XO sauce on them have come to the fore in the last year, and I believe they will be even more in demand this 2024. Come and try our Sinigang Beef Broth Vodka Bullshots at Grace Park!
Jordy Navarra of Toyo Eatery
How has COVID-19 affected our eating habits?
The pandemic has taught us to take better care of ourselves and be more mindful of other people. The line of work we are in isn’t just about procuring ingredients, cooking, and serving. There are a lot of people involved every step of the way; going through the hardships that the pandemic brought has highlighted the need to make, strengthen, and further relationships made, with the people whose items comprise each dish.
Is ordering online still a thing or do people prefer going to restaurants?
I don’t think it’s one or the other. If anything, they co-exist with each other.
What will be the hot global cuisines of 2024?
It’s difficult to put a finger on this because of the sheer number of restaurants that exist in the world.
What will be the next foodie destination/town in the Philippines?
My dad is from Butuan, so that’s a place I’d like to revisit and immerse myself in when time permits.
What’s your prediction for dish and drink of the year?
Predictions and trends are hard to foresee but I feel like there’s still more to explore with Filipino food, because there’s still a growing interest in local ingredients. It’s great to see how we can do food and drinks our way.
Claude Tayag of Bale Dutung
How has COVID-19 affected our eating habits?
People are not only more health conscious, but price conscious as well.
Is ordering online still a thing or do people prefer going to restaurants now?
Online ordering has dramatically gone down since after the pandemic. People still prefer going out.
What will the new flavors be?
Ube the world over.
and all things adobo is in the forefront.”
What will be the hot global cuisines of 2024?
Philippine cuisine (Filipino-inspired at best) is the hot global cuisine for 2024. I traveled a lot last year promoting my Ultimate Filipino Adobo book, in five cities in the US (including Chicago where Kasama Restaurant is, which is the first Filipino establishment to be awarded a Michelin star), as well in Mila, Zurich, Frankfurt and Paris. There has been an upsurge of upscale Pinoy restaurants all over. And all things adobo is in the forefront.
What will be the next foodie destination/town in the Philippines?
Foodie destinations in the country are spread all over, which is a good thing.
What’s your prediction for dish of the year?
Pinoys keep pushing the envelope for reinventing our traditional dishes like Abe’s Sinigang with Ube, Manam’s Sinigang with Watermelon, Cafe Juanita’s Three-way Adobo, just to name a few. I see a lot more adobo variants coming out, as well as more lechon pork crackling.
Josh Boutwood of Helm, Ember, and The Test Kitchen
How has COVID-19 affected our eating habits?
There’s a generational shift to a more healthy lifestyle. That’s what we are seeing.
Is ordering online still a thing or do people prefer going to restaurants now?
From our data, dine-in surpassed takeout/delivery substantially. I feel guests prefer the social aspect of dining in a restaurant. We prefer this as we can craft an experience from food to service to ambiance versus just sending a packed dish.
What will the new flavors be?
I feel unlike previous years, trends are becoming harder to predict. I'm not sure if that’s because the social media pace is much faster than before or because we are traveling more.
What will be the hot global cuisines of 2024?
I think African cuisine will be the rising, shining cuisine of 2024.
What will be the next foodie destination/town in the Philippines?
For selfish reasons, I want to say Manila, but there is so much going on in Iloilo at the moment with Roxas City included. I would love to see my home province of Aklan become a destination, too.
Miko Calo of Metronome
How has COVID-19 affected our eating habits?
People drink less alcoholic beverages.
Is ordering online still a thing or do people prefer going to restaurants now?
Online food ordering still exists but I have noticed that my social media feed is not filled with random home businesses making random food products.
What will be the hot global cuisines of 2024?
Filipino cuisine is gaining more ground internationally.
What will be the next foodie destination/town in the Philippines?
This isn’t a prediction but I’m hoping that food in Mindanao and its different regions gain more attention.
What’s your prediction for dish and drink of the year?
I’m not sure about food, but I feel like natural wines will gain more ground.
Chele Gonzalez of Gallery By Chele and Deli by Chele
How has COVID-19 affected our eating habits? Are we more health-conscious now?
I don’t think people are really more healthy right now. It was more of a trend to be healthy, organic, and sustainable pre-pandemic. During Covid people wanted to be more experiential, they wanted to enjoy, they wanted to spend, and we were entering a new phase of dining where caviar, Wagyu, and very elite, exclusive ingredients were put on the table and more people wanted to access those compared to before, especially in the Philippines, but also worldwide. Some people are more conscious about keeping their bodies and minds healthy, but I also see a big trend in luxurious foods.
What will the new flavors be?
One will be the evolution of traditional food, still keeping it rustic but precise. The other one is fine cuisine where everything is perfectly executed, using very fine products and techniques and luxurious ingredients.
What will be the hot global cuisines of 2024?
Chinese is getting more refined in fine dining, especially blended with other cultures. Still, No. 1 is the redefinition of French cuisine in a very light, fine way, also blended with other cuisines.
For sure Filipino and Southeast Asian cuisines are getting more popular and accessible; Peruvian because Virgilio (Martinez’s restaurant Central) is No. 1, so it will bring so much attention to Latin American cuisine. Endemic, very unique, and seasonal produce is also coming back.
What will be the next foodie destination/town in the Philippines?
Bacolod is becoming a very trendy and foodie destination. Chicken inasal has the possibility to become a world trend because it’s easy to understand, very aromatic. And Bacolod has a strong culture of food and when people go there they’re very surprised and amazed. Iloilo also.
What’s your prediction for dish and drink of the year?
There was an article saying that sinigang could be one of the top dishes in the world, and I truly believe that because sinigang is the pure essence of Filipino cuisine, even before the Spanish arrived. I would like to see kinilaw as one of the top representatives for the Philippines, because everyone who tries kinilaw is amazed — the ginger, and the aromatics make a very welcoming and refreshing interaction with Filipino cuisine. I will also push for chicken inasal because the three of them make a big impact and very coherent ecosystem.
Bruce Ricketts of La Chinesca
How has COVID-19 affected our eating habits? Are we more health-conscious now?
I think now people are so much more conscious of where their produce and ingredients come from, how they’re handled, and how they’re processed. It’s quite nice because whenever we discuss product provenance at my restaurant, I can see guests’ faces light up when we share sources and techniques, and there’s more appreciation for the finer details.
What will the new flavors be?
I want to think more chefs will revisit old or existing flavor combinations with deeper cooking techniques and fresher perspectives.
What will be the hot global cuisines of 2024?
Japanese cuisine and tradition will always hold a special place in everyone’s preferences.
What will be the next foodie destination/town in the Philippines?
Iloilo, due to its recent recognition by UNESCO as a city of gastronomy.
What’s your prediction for dish and drink of the year?
Quesabirria taco, whisky highballs, hotpot!
Jorge Mendez of Mōdan
How has COVID-19 affected our eating habits?
COVID-19 reshaped the way we think about food and dining in such a way that we are more intelligent and methodical with how we decide on what is good or bad, more because it gave us more time to research food (some even went as far as to make their food: sourdough, for example). We look at flavors more. I see that people now are a bit more into satisfying their cravings than being “healthy;” we’ve been caged for too long that we want to explore and put our newfound knowledge to the test.
Is ordering online still a thing or do people prefer going to restaurants?
Being cooped up inside for years has made us crave the restaurant/dining-out scene for far too long. We like being outside and with the company of our friends in our favorite restaurants, and experiencing being served. Online orders have slowed down dramatically over the year; we had to put our cloud concept on hold because it wasn’t doing as well as we’d hoped.
What will the new flavors be?
I think it’s different for each person, but if it were a flavor I would call it a “Newfound nostalgic flavor,” like the ones you haven’t thought about in years but when you taste it again it evokes this very deep sense of comfort, of home, of good times. To me it’s tamarind.
What will be the hot global cuisines of 2024?
Globally speaking, I feel like Asian flavors, leaning towards Japanese and Korean food. The world has seen what they do, and their deep culinary histories.
What will be the next foodie destination/town in the Philippines?
I believe Metro Manila to be a melting pot, and it still hasn’t stopped being a leading destination.
What’s your prediction for dish and drink of the year?
I think curry with be the dish of the year. From different parts of the world, it’s varied and caters to a wide range of palates. The drink of the year will be tea. I’ve seen different styles of tea being served, and it has gotten into food as a flavoring component globally as well, not only in Chinese cuisine.
Thirdy Dolatre and Kevin Navoa of Hapag
How has COVID-19 affected our eating habits? Are we more health-conscious now?
KN: COVID has affected our eating habits tremendously. We feel everyone has been more health-conscious now due to the risks of getting viruses with a weak immune system. I noticed how some of our guests would ask about the calories on our menu.
TD: We also love how some diners have a higher appreciation for plant-based dishes nowadays. We can honestly say that vegetables that are prepared and cooked properly can go side by side with meat and seafood dishes.
KN & TD: We personally even made a conscious effort to change our eating habits. We lessened our drinking and we counted our calories on days that do not require us to eat heaps, menu planning, events, etc.
Is ordering online still a thing or do people prefer going to restaurants now?
KN: Once dine-in was allowed, we saw a decline in orders from our takeaways and our friends’ online businesses. However, I noticed a change after the pandemic that people realized how convenient it is to order Grab/Foodpanda, etc., on days they aren’t able to cook in their homes.
TD: We're in the post-pandemic era and there are lots of exciting restaurant concepts popping up. We expect a very exciting dining scene in Manila this 2024.
What will the new flavors be?
KN: Since everyone has been health-conscious since the pandemic, flavors of fermentation and how fermentation pulls out and enhances already existing flavors will most likely be something new and interesting to some. People are more open-minded to try fermented food because of the awareness some people have shed over this whole movement.
TD: For the past years, we've been living in a very progressive world where people often forget what's original. People will be in search of what's classic, and rooted, and in pursuit of what's authentic. Expect classic flavors presented and recreated in new ways.
What will be the hot global cuisines of 2024?
KN: At the moment, I’m very proud to say Filipino cuisine will still make its mark in the global scene and continue to garner attention in 2024.
What will be the next foodie destination/town in the Philippines?
KN & TD: We honestly think the next foodie destination will be Iloilo. Food in Iloilo is very different and rich in culinary history. They were recently awarded as UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, the first Philippine city to be recognized as such.