We may have spent 2020 refining our palates from the comforts of home rather than our favourite restaurants, but that has not stopped the food industry from evolving to produce a new set of must-try trends.
From last year’s air fryer craze, and home schooled sourdough making, to a newfound appreciation for sustainable ingredients, it seems that the food trends of 2021 will pay homage to everything from comfort food and ‘flexitarianism’ to the finer ingredients in life.
Read on to find out how the team at Vesper Bistro and Bar are keeping their finger on the pulse and leading the development of the next food trends.
Fancy fish
Red and white meats no longer form the basis of our protein sources. Thanks to popular chefs and food thought leaders like Josh Niland, who is famous for his ‘nose to tail’ cooking, fish has seen somewhat of a revival in the food scene.
Here at Vesper, from our menu inception, fish & seafood has been a hero protein due to its prominence in Mediterranean island cuisine. While common examples like salmon and tuna are still among the most recognized, we have taken an approach to forward some of the lesser known fish and their differing elements into our dishes.
Think scallops paired with bottarga in our risotto, a vibrant gazpacho-style soup anchored by a sliver of mackerel, or our famous kingfish ‘crudo’ with a spicy citrus salad.
Our appreciation for fish has been transferred across our main course dishes aswell – we are loving our red snapper fillet with seven olives ragout and the Vesper variation on ‘fish and chips’ highlighting the beautiful rockling.
Flexitarian food
Whether it is to improve our health or live more sustainably, flexitarianism has been a prominent movement within the food industry over the last few years.
For many of us, that means embracing plant-based foods in our diet by substituting meat with vegetables and vegetarian forms of protein.
We’ve joined the flexitarian movement by creating dishes that offer taste, texture, and flavour without the presence of meat. Our mushroom ravioli with smoked burrata and red cabbage is the perfect winter warmer, while our stuffed eggplant brimming with freekeh, malt glazed squash and beetroot utilises vegetables and grains in the most flavoursome way.
A little bit of luxury
Who could blame us for wanting to treat ourselves to a taste of luxury after a year spent (mostly) inside?
We were all quite eager to return to our favourite restaurants once lockdown restrictions were lifted, and it made sense to celebrate the occasion with something special.
This mindset is still evident today, where diners are looking towards ingredients or features that we normally wouldn’t enjoy at home.
Our Raw Bar staple of mozzarella with Yarra Valley salmon caviar and ‘colatura di alici’ is a stellar example of the little taste of luxury we have all been craving.
Have our variations on 2021’s food trends piqued your hunger? Discover our menu here, or head to our website to make a reservation at Vesper Bistro and Bar today.
