When it comes to current food trends, there are a few that should never have taken off in popularity. To help you stay profitable and on trend, here are four fads to consider 86ing from your menu and establishment.
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Sous-Vide Steaks
Some chefs swear by sous-vide steaks, but unfortunately, this textural travesty is a trend that's worth bailing on. This cooking technique involves vacuum-sealing foods and simmering them at a low temperature for long periods of time. According to Pulitzer Prize-winning restaurant critic Jonathan Gold, cooking sous-vide steak means that "every bite of your main course is exactly like every other bite of your main course," which he goes on to describe as "bland and bloody."
Instead of investing in expensive immersion-cooking equipment, stick to charring your chops on a grill or searing your steaks on a stove to make sure that each bite has its own textural significance.
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Tie-Dye Food
Rainbows are rare natural occurrences that should be marveled at and appreciated with awe. But when you start seeing rainbows everywhere—from your morning bagel to your lunchtime grilled cheese—it can be a little much.
Mediaite officially declared tie-dye food as "the worst trend of 2016" back in April, saying that "unless the trend is actually improving upon the taste, please leave my delicious food as it was intended to be." Ditch the yellow no. 5 and stick with bagel-colored bagels and cheese-colored cheese.
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Fake Truffle Oil
Sure, truffle oil has been around for a while, but only now does it seem like it's everywhere—including in all the wrong places. Go down to your neighborhood bar to watch a game and you'll undoubtedly find truffle fries on the menu. Head down to your favorite fast-casual burger restaurant, and you'll discover truffle aioli as a topping.
Unfortunately, the reason that this seemingly precious (and very expensive ingredient) is suddenly so prevalent is that it's fake. The truffle oil you find everywhere (except for really fancy restaurants) uses a chemical compound that's found in truffles to give the oil its signature aroma. So instead of oil (or aioli) that's infused with delicious truffles, you end up with a liquid that has no actual truffle in it.
Once the cat's out of the bag, you can rest assured that the fake truffle oil trend will fade.
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Savory Ice Cream Flavors
Some chefs have built their reputations on weird ice cream creations—ranging from bacon ice cream to foie gras ice cream to lobster ice cream. Unfortunately, if diners want ice cream, they're likely to go with basic chocolate or vanilla, and these unique concoctions are expensive to waste. This culinary trend should melt before any other unsuspecting palates are perplexed.
There are some current food trends that shouldn't stick around. Start by eliminating these four fads from your menu. Your guests—and their taste buds—will thank you.
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