Photo caption: UFS Future Menus 2024 contains insights, menus and over 30 recipes crafted for the changing palates of Filipinos.

UFS Future Menus 2024 was launched to guide local chefs and businesses to adapt to shifting tastes

Chefs today walk a culinary tightrope. On one hand, diners are more adventurous than ever, craving unforgettable experiences filled with delicious food, creative drinks, and a touch of entertainment. On the other hand, rising ingredient prices, labor shortages and increasing overhead costs threaten to stifle their creativity.

But as always, challenge breeds creativity: The new reality of customer needs and business expenses force restaurants to innovate, crafting exciting dishes that delight diners without breaking the bank. The key? Staying ahead of menu trends.

One of the biggest trends shaping the industry now, according to the Unilever Food Solutions Future Menus 2024 — a report made by 250 in-house UFS chefs and elaborative feedback of more than 1,600 chef professionals across 21 countries which features the Top 8 global trends— is celebrating Local Abundance in restaurants.

Research showed a whopping 77% of Gen Z diners are willing to pay more for locally sourced food, which presents a golden opportunity for restaurants to win the palates and wallets of a powerful consumer segment.

As shared in the report, the ability to embrace and celebrate community is at the heart of all successful restaurants. “If you’re yet to establish your love of local, it’s time to start building relationships with the farmers and growers near you.”

According to the chefs behind the report, combining two or more traditional components using local ingredients is a great way to create something new and refreshing on a plate.

Example dishes featuring locally sourced food that could be incorporated into menus include: