Masa
“We plan to do more with masa, one of the key ingredients in making corn tortillas from scratch. We're looking forward to more experimentation with traditional Mexican dishes and putting our own creative spin on them.” —Katie Barszcz and Richard Chudy, chefs at the Skinny Beet, Boston
Photo: Courtesy of the Skinny Beet
Crushed Oats
"We're looking forward to using crushed oats more often in 2013. In addition to being a super food and a healthier alternative to breading, crushed oats also develop a light crust in the cooking process which adds a different level of texture to the dish." —Dan Pogue, executive sous chef at the Westin Copley Place, Boston
Photo: Courtesy of the Westin Copley Place
Acadian Caviar
“For years, sturgeon caviar was difficult to source and prices soared. Now, fishermen on the East Coast have developed a sustainable system for farming sturgeon. After nine years, the stock has matured and is ready to produce large yields of Acadian caviar. We are looking forward to using it throughout our menus.” —Sebastien Centner, director of Eatertainment Special Events and Catering, Toronto
Photo: Courtesy of Eatertainment Special Events and Catering
Vadouvan
"Vadouvan is a great savory spice blend, flavored with garlic and shallots—kind of like a French curry—that is fun to add in to lamb dishes and chicken and crab salads. Right now, I am thinking of how to use it in a sweet dish, like white chocolate curry ganache.” — Greg Hozinsky, executive chef at the Strand House, Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Photo: Courtesy of the Strand House
Tea
“Being a Southerner, I like my tea. Not only does it provide great health benefits, the tannins in tea make it an excellent tenderizer—we’ve been marinating lamb in mint tea—and when infused with other flavors it can become the backdrop for many other dishes and drinks.” —Sandra Moyers, chef de cuisine at A Divine Event, Atlanta
Photo: Courtesy of A Divine Event
The Ingredient: Chile de Árbol
“I love chile de árbol—Spanish for ‘tree chili’—and am excited to use more of it in the coming year. It has this great smoky, subtle flavor that is the perfect alternative to black pepper.” —Elaina Vazquez, owner and head chef at Boutique Bites Catering & Events, Chicago
Photo: Courtesy of Boutique Bites Catering & Events
Polenta
"Polenta is an essential ingredient of Italian cooking, but I see it becoming more popular in other kitchens in 2013 for its versatility and affordability. Polenta is the perfect base for both savory and sweet dishes and delicious when served creamy, grilled, pan-seared, or au gratin.” —Julio Genao, executive chef at Casa Nonna, New York
Photo: Courtesy of Casa Nonna
Yuzu
"I think that in 2013 yuzu will break through to cuisines other than Japanese. Yuzu is a Japanese citrus that has a great flavor and zest to it and can be used in drinks, dressings, and sauces. We use it in our kiwi-and-scallops dish, which includes slices of torched scallops and kiwi topped with yuzu pepper paste and a yuzu vinaigrette." —Adam Cho, chef at Katsuya by Starck, San Diego
Photo: Courtesy of Katsuya by Starck
Beef Brisket
“We will be using more beef brisket due to its versatility, flavor, and easy of availability. We are able to use it in a variety of ways from smoked brisket, to house-cured corned beef for hash, to house-made pastrami.” —Robert Ciborowski, executive chef at Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel, Orlando
Photo: Courtesy of Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel
Guanciale
"I've always been fond of guanciale—the cheek of the pig—because of its versatility. I like to use it in place of bacon a lot, like in our guanciale pizza with black truffle and egg.” —Justin Toth, executive chef at the Madelyn, New York
Photo: Courtesy of the Madelyn
Quinoa
"It’s not so much a new ingredient, but quinoa is the perfect food—full of protein, and it’s vegan and gluten-free. It’s like a good food trifecta. I'll be using lots of quinoa in 2013." —Joe Fontanals, executive chef at the Sheraton New York Times Square, New York
Photo: Courtesy of the Sheraton New York Times Square
Blood Oranges
"I love getting blood oranges from the local farmers' market beginning in January—they’re the perfect combination of sweet and sour. They can be incorporated into a light dessert for the spring, like a blood orange mousse. Another trend I see coming for 2013 is the use of vegetables and other healthy ingredients in dishes that aren't normally considered healthy, such as a sorbet or tart. It's a great way to have your guilty pleasure without feeling too guilty." —Chris Brugler, owner and head chef at Chris Brugler Catering, Los Angeles
Photo: Courtesy of Chris Brugler Catering
Kale
"People are growing more health-conscious, so I am trying to incorporate more nutritional ingredients into my recipes and one of those is kale. Kale is rich in fiber and vitamins and is a powerful antioxidant. It makes for a great addition to any dish from soup to sauce or as a stand-alone side.” —Maria Zoitas, chef at Westside Market NYC, New York
Photo: Courtesy of Westside Market NYC
Local Greens
“I am looking forward to using fresh mesclun and arugula from the rooftop garden at our new restaurant, the LCL: Bar & Kitchen, which features locally sourced products. You can’t get lettuce more local than this! I’ll also be incorporating a variety of herbs and heirloom tomatoes from the rooftop as well.” —Brian Wieler, executive chef at the Westin New York Grand Central, New York
Photo: Courtesy of the Westin New York Grand Central
Puntarella
"Puntarella, a bitter Italian green, has very complex flavors that vary depending on the parts of the plant used—the outer leaves are bitter while the inner stalks are sweeter. It can take everything from pastas to salads to new heights. It will be appearing in many of our dishes for spring, as will locally sourced guanciale. I recently made a seasonal risotto with both ingredients—the rich and creamy risotto is balanced by the brightness of the puntarella and the guanciale provides a nice, salty finish.” —Sebastian Gumowski, executive chef at Sterling Affair Caterers, New York
Photo: Courtesy of Sterling Affair Caterers
Vinegar
"Move over fatty, sweet, and salty—make room for tart, acidic, and bitter flavors this upcoming year. Fermenting juices and adding a splash of vinegar to flavored waters, champagne cocktails, and even beers will get even the sourest guests to pucker up." —Patty Fallahee, owner of the Spot Gourmet, Los Angeles
Photo: Courtesy of the Spot Gourmet
Fruit and Vegetable Dust
“We’re making 'dusts' from fruits and vegetables. We dehydrate tomato skin, orange peel, beet shavings, dried strawberries—you name it—and then use it as a garnish on everything from salads to cocktails.” —Kathleen Schaffer, executive chef at Schaffer’s Genuine Foods, Los Angeles
Photo: Courtesy of Schaffer's Genuine Foods
Local Wines
"Wine has three main uses in creating a meal: It can be used as an ingredient in a marinade or sauce, as a cooking liquid, and as flavoring to finish a dish. I’m excited to use varietals from local wineries to create new menu items, as well as help support and sustain other small businesses in the area." —David Leiter, owner and head chef at Leiters’ Fine Catering, Williamsport, Md.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Parmesan
“It’s not just for pasta: Dry aged cheeses, such as Parmesan, have the ability to deliver great savory umami flavors to a dish.” —John Reed, executive chef at Customized Culinary Solutions, Skokie, Ill.
Photo: Courtesy of Customized Culinary Solutions
Ancient Super Grains
"Ancient super grains—which include, but are not limited to, amaranth, farro, bulgur, quinoa, and kañiwa—can be used in everything from baking to hot applications to cold salads. Plus, they’re easy to cook and packed full of nutrition and flavor." —Sean Docker, assistant banquet chef at the Peabody Orlando, Orlando
Photo: Courtesy of the Peabody Orlando
Dungeness and Blue Crab
"After being a sponsor of Monterey Bay Aquarium's program to raise awareness for sustainable seafood in 2012, I’m excited to use more fresh blue and Dungeness crab in catering menus for 2013, while spreading the news about the positive effects of using sustainable seafood." —Robyn Almodovar, chef and owner of Palate Party, Miami
Photo: Courtesy of Robyn Almodovar
Garam Masala
"Garam masala, a blend of ground spices common in India, is a worldly ingredient that adds an abundance of exploding flavor and enticing aroma to a dish." —Michael Giletto, executive chef at CulinaryFX, New York and Philadelphia
Photo: 718photo.com
Lobster Rolls in Washington
New York-based Luke’s Lobster has arrived in Georgetown. The seafood purveyor’s namesake lobster rolls, along with its crab rolls, shrimp rolls, chowders, and new menu additions like the Blue Monster blueberry ice cream sandwich, are available for in-house events at the two-story restaurant, as well as for delivery in the area with orders of $200 or more.
Photo: Courtesy of Luke's Lobster
Vietnamese Sandwiches in Washington
Vietnamese-inspired eatery BonMi caters for parties of six or more. The Complete BonMi package costs $15.65 per person and includes bánh mì-style sandwiches (with a choice of vegetarian or non-vegetarian filling), green salad with pickled vegetables, a variety of bagged crunchy snacks, and healthy sweets made with dates, almonds, and dried fruits. Summer rolls and house-made beverages are also available.
Photo: Jeremey Keats Saladyga
Healthy Catering in Washington
Kale is having a moment—the leafy green vegetable is making its way onto many restaurant and catering menus. For health-conscious clients, Design Cuisine has crafted a new “super foods” catering menu that features roasted kale chips, caramelized cauliflower, and bison meat.
Photo: Courtesy of Design Cuisine
Soul Food in Philadelphia
The Roots’ drummer Questlove has launched his Philadelphia-based catering company, Quest Loves Food. Available for catering nationwide, Quest’s menus highlight Creole- and Korean-inspired soul food, including the musician’s signature origami-wrapped fried chicken drumsticks.
Photo: Courtesy of Quest Loves Food
Event Catering in San Diego
San Diego chefs Brian Malarkey and Antonio Friscia have launched catering and event company Campine. One fun idea: fresh shellfish cooked in a galvanized tub over a propane burner. The chefs fill the tub with potatoes, corn, carrots, and Old Bay seasoning. Everything is poured onto butcher paper and served with craft brew.
Photo: Courtesy of Campine, A Culinary + Cocktail Conspiracy
Event Catering in Toronto
Executive chef Domenic Chiaromonte of T2 Resto-Lounge now heads the kitchen at C2 Catering Couture, a Toronto catering company that creates customized, playful, and artistic dishes, like the Sugar Bubble, filled with a fortune cookie and chocolate mousse; it’s served with a hammer to crack it open.
Photo: Courtesy of C2 Catering Couture
Draft Beer in Orlando
A great solution for B.Y.O.B. locations, Taps From Scratch offers the Pub-Hub, a portable, refrigerated unit that can hold two to four types of draft beer and also has space for glasses and other beverages. A three-day rental for a two-tap Pub-Hub costs $250, which includes delivery and set up anywhere in the Orlando-Tampa area.
Photo: Courtesy of Taps from Scratch
Chocolate Bonbons in Orlando
Orlando-based Bedazzle My Bonbons is now offering a new display option: The Bonbon Pyramid displays 84 glitter-coated chocolates on all four sides. It can be placed on a lazy Susan to create a rotating display.
Photo: Nina Mullins Photography
Mini Cupcakes in New York
Baked by Melissa offers a giant gumball machine that dispenses pods containing the company’s signature mini cupcakes at events. The machine can fit 2,000 pods, with a minimum order of 1,000.
Photo: Courtesy of Baked by Melissa
Oysters in New York
As an interactive alternative to a stationary raw bar, Oysters XO equips its servers with buckets of oysters on ice hanging from their waists as they make their way through a crowd, shucking oysters on the spot. The servers also carry containers of various sauces, as well as buckets for empty shells. The oysters come from oyster farms on the East and West coasts.
Photo: Roberta Marroquin Doria
Macarons in New York
New macaron purveyor Dana’s Bakery is putting an all-American spin on the French classic, with flavors like red velvet, thin mint, s’mores, and cookie dough. In addition to custom colors and flavors, Dana’s offers macaron towers and dessert bars. The cost is $2.25 per macaron for orders of 61 to 200 and $2 for each additional cookie over 200.
Photo: Courtesy of Dana's Bakery
Chocolate Truffles in New York
Esprit Events is offering chocolate truffle-rolling stations. Guests pick either a citrus chocolate or lemon cognac truffle-on-a-stick and then dip it in white or dark chocolate and roll it in their choice of toppings such as crushed pretzels, wasabi peas, potato chips, coconut, cocoa, or cinnamon. The station can also offer pre-rolled truffles.
Photo: Courtesy of Esprit Events
Healthy Catering in Miami
Deliver Lean is a healthy meal-delivery system that offers a menu of low-fat, high-protein foods, including egg-white omelets and pork chop entrées. Deliver Lean will cater ready-made meals for office luncheons or events from Jupiter to Miami, starting at $8 per person.
Photo: Courtesy of Deliver Lean
Doughnuts in Los Angeles
Fonuts are made using different methods of steaming and baking at high heat to replicate the texture of a doughnut, without the use of a fryer. Available for large orders and pickup for events, with varieties that include wheat-free, vegan, sweet, and savory, the cost is $38 for a baker’s dozen or $16.50 for an assorted bag of mini Fonuts.
Photo: Tina Norton
Mexican-Korean Fusion in Houston
Austin-based food truck Coreanos relocated to Houston in 2012, and its Mexican-meets-Korean fare is available for event catering. The mobile truck can show up on site at events to serve just one item—such as short-rib-topped cheese fries or Korean barbecue burritos—or it can offer guests the entire menu. The cost is $12 to $18 per person, with a $500 minimum.
Photo: Tom Morris
Cookies and Sweets in Houston
Putting a playful spin on the dessert of the moment, Petite Sweets can cater French macarons—$1.75 per piece—in creative, seasonal flavors like pumpkin pie, candy cane, and mint chocolate chip. Event trays can be customized by color, and the bakery also offers whoopie pies, cake pops, marshmallows, and mini cupcakes.
Photo: Courtesy of Petite Sweets
Frozen Desserts in Chicago
Ice Cubed specializes in small-batch ice cream, handmade ice pops, and other frozen desserts in flavors inspired by savory dishes. The Prix Fixe ice pop features layers of flavors inspired by a five-course Italian meal including prosecco, lemon-beet salad, bresaola, veal ragout, tomato confit, and tiramisu. The Cubed menu offers frosted cubes in flavors such as hot chocolate biscotti and burnt milk with peach jam and cloves. A truck is available, and staffers can create custom flavors.
Photo: Courtesy of Iced Cubed
Vietnamese Sandwiches in Chicago
A food truck specializing in Vietnamese bánh mì sandwiches, Duck n’ Roll can deliver food to offices and events in the city and suburbs. Chef Amy Le’s menu draws on her own family recipes and includes baguettes filled with fresh herbs, veggies, and meats such as five-spice duck, miso-braised short ribs, and Thai chicken curry. Depending on the menu, the average cost is $7 to $40 per person, and Le can serve groups of 25 to 400.
Photo: Courtesy of Duck n' Roll
Cocktail Catering in Chicago
Revae Schneider, a former mixologist at Chicago’s Gilt Bar and Union Sushi & Barbeque Bar, launched her bar-catering and styling company Femme du Coupe with the aim of making mixology accessible. She offers a variety of liquor-related services, including guiding guests as they create their own drinks. Schneider also teaches private corporate groups of as many as 50.
Photo: Eva Daibrel
Event Catering in Chicago
Brittany Ferrin and her husband and co-executive chef, Vaidotas Karsokas, launched catering company Truffleberry Market in 2008, with the goal of making everything by hand with artisanal ingredients. They recently added savory ice cream cones to their offerings: Handmade wonton cones are filled with creamy burrata cheese and drizzled with aged balsamic vinegar; a sun-dried tomato stands in for the cherry on top.
Photo: Courtesy of Truffleberry Market
Brunch Catering in Boston
Everything Bagel hors d’oeuvres from Bakers’ Best Catering are ideal for a brunch event or meeting. A toasted bagel cup is filled with salmon cured in toasted and dehydrated milk powder, plus sesame and poppy seeds, onions, and garlic, topped with spiced cream cheese, pickled red onion, frisée, and Meyer lemon pearls.
Photo: Courtesy of Bakers' Best Catering
Cupcakes in Boston
Popular Washington, D.C.,-based bakery Georgetown Cupcake has opened its first Boston outpost in Back Bay. The shop offers catering for meetings and events, as well as gift boxes of seasonal assortments. Treats cost $15 per half-dozen, and $29 per dozen.
Photo: Courtesy of Georgetown Cupcake
Italian Food in Austin
To feed a crowd quickly, catering company 86 This has a line of bulk family-style meals, available from $40 for 12 to 14 people, that include dishes such as “messy Sicilian lasagna” delivered ready-to-eat and serve. The company also serves box lunches, trays, and plated meals.
Photo: Courtesy of 86 This
Cocktail Catering in Austin
Lisa Messelt of LM Cocktail Catering can create an array of high-end Jell-O shot cocktails. Push aside thoughts of the jiggly, college-era snacks stuffed in Dixie cups: Instead, flavors like blackberry bramble and Pimm’s cup are presented in elegant hors d’oeuvre spoons and paired with fruit. The shots can even be designed in the shape of corporate logos.
Photo: Courtesy of LM Cocktail Catering
Pizza and Subs in Atlantic City
Italian restaurant Tony Boloney’s has launched the Mustache Mobile. Available to cater private events throughout the South Jersey area, the truck can serve anything on the restaurant’s menu (think pizza topped with fresh herbs, homemade marinara, and hand-pulled mozzarella, and subs stuffed with hand-rolled meatballs or 10-spice steak). Catering fees start at $1,000 and include two hours of serving time, food, plates, cups, napkins, cutlery, and garbage cans.
Photo: Courtesy of Tony Boloney's
Event Catering in Atlanta
Catering company A Divine Event creates eye-catching food displays that make a statement, including its Sticks, Spoons, and Shooters option for cocktail hour. The concept involves bite-size sweet or savory hors d’oeuvres served in shot glasses and on sticks or spoons.
Photo: Anna & Spencer Photography
![“It’s the rise of the cultural center: From the opening of the buzzy new Smith Center for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas, to the attention piled on L.A.’s California Science Center [pictured] for the addition of the space shuttle Endeavour (around which events can be booked), it’s a great time for the intersection of live events and civic culture.” —Alice Dubin, West Coast editor](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2012/12/wol_life_tunnel_1.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=crop&h=167&q=70&w=250)
