2022 Food Trends

Without a doubt, climate change and the recent pandemic has hugely impacted the way we shop for, prepare and eat our food.

Working closely with recipe developer and food stylist Cate Dixon, I created a collection of food images to illustrate the key food trends that we are seeing in 2021-2022.

My favourite trend was “Veg at Centre Stage”.

One of the key changes being introduced in all a lot of food establishments, including many Michelin-star international restaurants, is the introduction of more vegan and vegetarian dishes and menus. 

Vegetables are no longer the ‘boring substitute’, but the centrepiece – the ‘hero’ of the dish. Celebrated for their seasonality and variety, veg dishes are beautifully presented through techniques such as confit (a traditional French cooking method), charring, or fermenting.

‘Nose-to-tail’ cooking (the idea of including as much of an animal as possible in a menu) is replaced with ‘Top-to-tail’. So from cauliflower, for example, you get roasted cauliflower florets, stem purée, and cauliflower leaves, which can be deliciously topped with basil oil, ricotta cheese, and hazelnuts. It’s new. It’s exciting. And it’s good for you and good for the environment. What’s not to like?

Interesting micro-trends also at work here are:

• The ‘Reset Era’, aimed to reverse the damage we’ve done to the planet.
• ‘Eco-2-Go’, the trend to introduce more biodegradable takeaway products, including bioplastic cutlery made from wheat bran, bamboo, or coconut.
• Or ‘Hygiene Halo’. Based on the theory that Covid was transmitted from animals to humans, the idea is that a vegan or plant-based diet with no animal contact provides a cleaner chain of hygiene.

DELIVERABLES

• Art Direction
• Food Photography