Just google food trends and you will find hundreds of articles about the new food trends of the world. Shockingly there is none about the food trends in Kuwait! Seriously? Come on! We live a country where food is celebrated & rejoiced. Where food is the buzz of all buzzes (to me at least). But rest assured am here to the rescue. I’ve compiled the below list of top ten food trends I see blooming for 2013.
Opinions expressed below are 100% mine. I don not claim that I have the know how of what is really going to happen. I just thought it would be fun & useful list. So I hope you enjoy the read.
The list is numbered according to what jumped to my mind first, not what is actually number one or ten.
1. South American cuisine.
Forget about Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Lebanese, Moroccan etc… South American food is the food to try. Recently, Missoni Hotel held a Brazilian Food festival to celebrate the opening of its new Brazilian restaurant, Luna. There are currently two Braizilian restaurants in Kuwait that I know of Luna – Hotel Missoni & Cuts – Movenpick Hotel
2. Say goodbye to Pinkberry queues.
These endless queue at frozen yogurt joints have finally came to an end. The cheesecake factory is the new IT place.. At its opening in the avenues, people stood in queues for hours just so they can dine in. Personally, I refuse to stand in a queue for food, unless say, we’re at war, the kids are starving & we desperately need some bread. Else, am passing on all kinds food queues. Even if a cheesecake is at the end of line (pun intended).
3. Home based bakeries.
Not all of us have the willing or ability or patience to make our own desserts. Although there are many professional bakeries in Kuwait, currently many are swaying away from these and are ordering from home based small businesses.. Why I think these are a blooming business in 2013? Simply, people love homemade food. Kudos to all the ladies (and gents) running these home based bakery business. I have no idea how you do it.
IMHO, there should be some sort of a website or directory. This will help people find what they want instead of reyling solely on google searches / instagram / whatsapp ads.
IMHO, there should be some sort of a website or directory. This will help people find what they want instead of reyling solely on google searches / instagram / whatsapp ads.
There is even a paleo home bakery. Why didn't I hear about this when I was on low carb diet?
4. Diet foods.
This is a trend that won’t fade anytime soon. According to Arabtimes, Kuwait has ranked second in obesity (link here). The USA was number one. So statistically speaking, if you are planning to start a deit food business, Kuwait is the second largest niche of people who needs help dieting. If diet sounds appealing to you, you probably should not be reading this blog. But if you insist, you could read it and contact one of the many diet companies here in Kuwait such as: Diet Center, LoFat, Dietcare, Calorie Control, etc…
After you contact them, please do yourself a favor and have some brownies with ice cream.
After you contact them, please do yourself a favor and have some brownies with ice cream.
5. Cooking classes.
No one can master all the culinary arts of cooking. Unless you’re Martha Stewart or Jamie Oliver of course. But since most of us are not, a cooking class here and there can only be beneficial. Am just waiting to have some free time on hand, and I plan to attend a cooking class or two, the Japanese cooking class at Chef boutique look really appealing. Perhaps I’ll even drag my husband with me. It wouldn’t hurt him to learn to cook a decent meal for me as a change. If you’re interested, you can contact Chef boutique, Whisk Kuwait (their Facebook page).
There’s even a place that teaches kids how to cook. It’s called Young Chefs Academy. I have great hopes of dragging my kids there also. Once they are old enough anyway.
There’s even a place that teaches kids how to cook. It’s called Young Chefs Academy. I have great hopes of dragging my kids there also. Once they are old enough anyway.
6. Tea shops.
Is tea the new coffee? Saying yes is probably wishful thinking. But gourmet tea shops are here to stay. Do yourself a favor and have a real cup of tea. Not just a lipton tea bag. A dilmah tea maybe. Or if you’re feeling really adventurous, try:
- The English Tea lounge (at the Sheraton Kuwait, or the Avenues +965 22597914),
- Teavana (Avenues Grande),
- TEAGSCHWENDNER (Marina mall, Al bairaq mall, the Avenues, Galeria 2000)
These teas are not your average tea. They can be quite expensive for a “tea”. But if you’re a tea person, you’ll find a way to justify the price tag.
7. Supermarket Range for Special diets.
You may having already noticed the supermarket shelves and restaurant menus items which are Free from Wheat, gluten, sugar, fat, diary, soya.. Suitable for vegetarians etc…
I suspect in 2013, these product range will rise as the demand increases.
But can someone please explain to me how something made artificial flavorings, with artificial colors, and artificial sugar, and fat, that is zero calorie and zero cholesterol still be called food??? Come on! Half of the “free from” range, doesn’t even qualify to be food.
If you are going gluten / wheat free because of a food allergy, than good for you. If your following because of a trend, trends fade. Get a new lifestyle.
8. Salted caramel: everybody’s new favorite flavor.
Sweet & Savory. This is the newest favorite. Every year there is a new flavor and this years trend salted caramel.. More salted caramel items are appearing on menus and supermarket shelves: Salted caramel macaroons, frozen yogurt, cheesecake, cake, you name it. Salted caramel is here to stay.
At least with this flavor I can have both salty and sweet at one bite. Saves me the calories from consuming sweet and then salted.
9. Organic and imported are still on.
I don’t see this going away anytime soon. Just talk a short walk through TSC or Lulu or Carrefour, and you’ll see fancy imported items chocolate, tea, vegetables, meat, flour, chips, baby food product etc…
The downside, the price of these items is outrageous. 3 Kuwaiti Dinars for spaghetti? Come on.
If you are on a tight budget, this is a useful link of what fruits & veggies are best bough organic. Link here. One of the top twelve are grapes, strawberries, apples & pears. None of which I’ve seen here. Perhaps we’ll start seeing these soon.
10. Instagram.
If you don’t Instagram your food, you’re probably better off not eating it. This is a world trend not only Kuwait, where everyone is posting photos of the food they are having / cooking / buying. Just open Instagram, and write: #food, or #instafood and you'll see what am saying.
I like the food trend of Instagram. Now, at restaurants and dinner tables, everyone is pulling their smart phone to take a food photo before the forks. That's a cool trend.
Is there anything I missed? Do you have a second opinion? Or am i just too good at forecasting the obvious? We'll see about that in 2014 inshalla.
I like the food trend of Instagram. Now, at restaurants and dinner tables, everyone is pulling their smart phone to take a food photo before the forks. That's a cool trend.
Is there anything I missed? Do you have a second opinion? Or am i just too good at forecasting the obvious? We'll see about that in 2014 inshalla.
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