FOOD TRENDS: What we will be eating in 2024 according to Qld’s top chefs

From tinned fish to fancy vegetables and dining with a side of theatre, these are the food trends our best chefs predict will be hitting tables this year. SEE THE LIST

Restaurant and cafe goers are in for a dramatically different dining experience in 2024 according to our top chefs, as increasing food, labour and energy costs drive a new way of cooking.

We asked some of Queensland’s most celebrated chefs to predict the hottest culinary trends for this year, with everything from tinned fish to fancy vegetables tipped to hit the menu.

Driving many of the movements will be cost-of-living pressures and increasing operating costs, as chefs look to help their restaurant’s bottom line, while also providing a great experience for patrons.

“Rising costs of goods and cost-of-living means it’s a balance between maintaining a perception of value without continuing to raise restaurant prices,” said Jake Nicolson, executive chef at The Ghanem Group, behind Brisbane restaurants including Blackbird, Bisou Bisou, Boom Boom Room and Donna Chang.

He said chefs would be forced to get more creative and sustainable, perhaps using ingredients – particularly vegetables – that would have traditionally been considered scraps in new and exciting ways.

While Tim Scott, owner and chef of Brisbane’s acclaimed Exhibition restaurant, said Queenslanders could expect more simplistic, home-style fare at many venues, as kitchens looked to cut down on the labour costs associated with creating highly technical, time-consuming dishes.

“We’re in a time where most restaurants are trying to gain maximum volume, perhaps to achieve lower labour costs or maybe in lieu of lower average spend,” said Mr Scott.

Here is what our chefs say we’ll be eating and drinking in 2024 >>>

PARED-BACK FARE

Pared-back food with meat and sides ordered separately will be a big trend in 2024, like at Steak at SK Steak and Oyster in Fortitude Valley.

Move over tricked up dishes with culinary wizardry on display, uncomplicated cookery like you could prepare at home is set to take over restaurant menus this year.

“Restaurants seem to be stepping away from crafted dishes with unique protein, sauce and garnish compositions,” said Mr Scott.

“[I’m] seeing a lot of dishes that could easily be replicated at home with ingredients that could be accessed by anyone, with very little technical expertise shown.”

He says this might mean more “family style” restaurants and an increase in steakhouses, trattorias and bistros, with customers ordering proteins, sides and sauces separately.

“It requires more knowledge, skills and labour to execute dishes with full composition. This might mean more plates with less thought or finesse,” he said.

Oscar Solomon, group development chef of The Apollo Group, behind Brisbane’s Greca and Yoko restaurants, agreed and said simplicity and value would be at the core of the dining experience in 2024, following in the footsteps of hit Sydney restaurants like Margaret, Poly and Petermen.

“Neil Perry, Matt Lindsay, Josh Niland are three such examples of chefs that have trailblazed a pathway of simple, flavourful, reductive cooking,” Mr Solomon said.

FANCY VEGETABLES

Vegetables will become more of a hero dish on menus like at Tillerman in Brisbane City with its roast vegetable tarte tatin.

After experiencing a mini boom several years back when the vegan and vegetarian movement took off, vegetables will once again return to the spotlight, but this time more for economic than health reasons, with meat prices having skyrocketed.

“With the overheads and expense of running a restaurant, a strong vegetarian offering is a necessity to balancing a restaurant’s viability,” said Jimmy Richardson, head chef of recently renovated hit Middle Eastern restaurant Gerard’s in Fortitude Valley.

“Plus guests get a cheaper option, so in a way it works both ways.”

Mr Nicolson agreed and said chefs would be using more vegetables, roots, stems and leaves to create everything from salads to sides and mains.

“The focus to limit food wastage in restaurants will continue,” he said.

“Expect to see innovative ways to use whole vegetables, root-to-fruit cooking, beetroot leaves and stems braised in their own juices, pickled cabbage core or asparagus stems, chargrilled cauliflower heart, carrot top gremolata perhaps.

“Whist I don’t think people will turn away from meat anytime soon, there’s a steadily growing health conscious market that enjoy delicious food and will be chasing, variety and interesting ways to eat well.”

GRAINS AND CEREALS

While protein-focused plates were the big focus of 2023, acclaimed chef and owner of Brisbane’s Restaurant Dan Arnold, Pneuma and La Cache a Vin, Dan Arnold, predicts grains and cereals, such as barley, amaranth, and bulgar will find a following this year.

“It’s a good way to have a really tasty, filling meal for not much cost,” he said.

He said it was also a way for chefs to express their creativity in new and different ways, similar to the vegetable trend.

ASIAN FERMENTS

Asian ferments like gochujang will become more popular, such as in this Tanqueray gochujang beef fillet dish by Matt Preston.

With Queensland’s weather similar to that of southeast Asia, Asian flavours and fermented ingredients will continue to be a hit, says Mr Nicolson.

“Fermented Asian ingredients will be more in use – fish sauce, gochujang, soy bean paste, shrimp paste, preserved mustard greens – adding unique tastes and flavours to dishes in 2024.”

SOFT-SHELL LOBSTERS

Soft-shell lobsters are predicted to boom this year.

Soft-shell crabs have become a favourite around the state in everything from baos to banh mi, now there’s a new seafood set to steal its thunder.

Soft-shell lobsters, farmed in a facility in Chinderah, New South Wales by Australian Bay Lobster Producers, are tipped to break into the market in a big way in 2024, according to Mr Richardson.

The carefully bred catch is reported to have sweet and buttery tail meat, while the head meat exudes minerality and salinity, and the shell boasts unique umami and savoury notes.

“I think this year is their year,” Mr Richardson said. “You could see them across the whole industry from up-market pubs to high end restaurants.”

BAKERIES OVER CAFES

Last year was, unquestionably, the year of the bakery, with their popularity and prevalence rising faster than a dough in Queensland’s humidity. And this year promises more of the same, according to Mr Scott.

“As the global economy takes hold and the food industry seems unable to make our prices reflect the true impact on inflation, bakeries and patisseries offer a single laboured food offering that doesn’t require cooking, plating, dishwashing or table service to order,” he said.

“The food is often more consistent and almost always has a more economical food cost percentage.”

He believes we will see a slowing in new cafe openings, instead replaced by bakeries, where people can grab a meal and a drink and go.

BREADS

Bread will continue its rise in popularity, with more styles finding relevance like this focaccia.

On the subject of bakeries, bread is predicted to be another huge trend in 2024, particularly at restaurants, building on the popularity of last year’s pizza bianca and flat bread.

“2024 will see the diversification of the trend in the types of bread making, like the focaccia, baguette, dinner rolls, turkish bread, pain de campagne and so forth,” said Mr Solomon.

“The bread trend won’t stop, [but] merely take a different, more explorative direction.”

He believed sandwiches would also continue their meteoric rise and be fundamental to the trend.

TINS & CANS

Tinned sardines and other canned seafood is due to find a following.

Going out to dinner and being served fish from a can might seem strange to some, but it’s a trend that is tipped to take off this year.

“2024 will see the rise in sardines, pickled mussels, baby octopus, razor clams, tuna, salmon, fish terrine and so on,” said Mr Solomon.

But don’t for a second think a tin of John West is headed for your table, this is premium seafood out of Europe that has been loved and acclaimed for decades.

In fact, we’re already seeing it now with anchovies at Brisbane wine bars, such as Maker, Bar Brutus and Maeve.

The trend is part of the reductive cooking movement, with chefs doing less. It also helps busy, understaffed kitchens offer premium fare with minimal fuss and culinary expertise.

MUSSELS

Chef Oscar Solomon from The Apollo Group believes mussels will be a huge trend in 2024. Picture: Richard Walker

Despite their great flavour, ease of cooking and unique health benefits, mussels have never really reached the popularity they deserve in the Sunshine State. But with soaring costs of ingredients and mussels being one of the cheapest seafoods in the market, Mr Solomon believes 2024 will be their year.

“Mussels will slowly become less frightening for the home cook, as well as popping up regularly on menus,” he said.

“The growth in production of mussels, compounded with the affordability will ensure the humble mussel makes its way onto our plates more and more.”

NON-ALCOHOLIC PAIRINGS

Non-alcoholic cocktails and drinks will continue their boom this year.

With Australians drinking less and about a third now buying zero or low-alcoholic beverages, quality non-alc offerings at restaurants, cafes and bars are becoming a must.

“People are moving to reduce their alcohol intake and no longer go out to spend large amounts on alcohol, so having a premium ‘dry’ offering can set a restaurant apart,” Mr Richardson said.

Mr Scott was also fully behind the health-conscious movement at his restaurant and said they were a huge part of his offering and would continue to be.

“With less alcohol consumption, restaurants can pivot to creating more interesting non-alcoholic drinks to pair or accompany their food offering,” he said. “We have always had an interesting list of house-made non-alcoholic drinks and pairings and they are sometimes majority to alcoholic drinks.”

Meanwhile, Mr Nicolson said diners could expect to see many Asian flavours find their way into new booze-free restaurant options.

“Ingredients such as black sesame, matcha, miso and milk teas, restaurants will capture those interests with things like the use of bubble tea on the drinks lists in cocktails and creating non-alcoholic beverages,” he said.

FOOD WITH THEATRE

While many restaurants will look to pare back there offering, there will also be those who go all out, said head chef at Rosmarino in Fortitude Valley, Dario Manca.

The chef believed a sense of theatre would return this year, with waitstaff slicing whole meats or fish, or serving tiramisu from a large vessel table-side, helping make the dining experience that little bit more special for guests.

“[There will be] more fun between courses, different pace, unexpected entertainment from a dish served in front of you,” he said.