National Restaurant Survey Results: What’s Hot

Posted on April 30th, 2009 11:02am by Nancy Nichols
Filed under Restaurant News, Travel, Twitter, Wine & Spirits

I’m readying myself for the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago from May 16-19. I can’t wait to stroll around and check out all of the geeky new foodservice equipment, listen to some of the speakers (Hi, Steve!), and dine at Topolobampo.

Anywhoo, the NRA has released the results of annual their annual What’s Hot Chef’s Survey. They polled 1,600 chefs. The results are riveting. Check them out.

1.  Locally grown produce 89%
2.  Bite-size/mini desserts 83%
3.  Organic produce 82%
4.  Nutritionally balanced children’s dishes 81%
5.  New/fabricated cuts of meat 78%
(e.g. Denver steak, pork flat iron,
bone-in Tuscan veal chop)
6.   Fruit/vegetable children’s side items 74%
7.   Superfruits 73%
(e.g. acai, goji berry, mangosteen)
8.   Small plates/tapas/mezze/dim sum 73%
9.   Micro-distilled/artisan liquor 73%
10.  Sustainable seafood 71%
11.  Kitchen-safe Snuggies.

I snuck the last one in to see if you were still with me. If you would like to be with me in Chicago, add DSideDish to your Twitter.

9 comments

  1. Nancy will you go to Hotdougs in Chicago and bring me two back?

    @ 11:06 am on April 30, 2009

  2. Topolo Margs = best margs ever.

    @ 11:34 am on April 30, 2009

  3. ah jeez nance, you’re goin’ without me!?

    @ 12:45 pm on April 30, 2009

  4. I’m going to be attending too – I can’t wait :)

    @ 1:23 pm on April 30, 2009

  5. Come on luscher.

    @ 2:22 pm on April 30, 2009

  6. lo ciento, no can do. The “boss lady” put the kibosh on it.
    If you do anything, go to “Mr. Beef on Orleans”
    and don’t go in there like a tourist, they’ll “trow” you out. Act like you been there before. Order a “Beef. Wet. Giardinara.” Lean over the counter and have at it. Don’t you dare cut it in half and don’t wipe you hands or mouth until you are done.

    @ 4:06 pm on April 30, 2009

  7. I am so f’ing jealous. Make sure you have Lou Malnati’s Pizza – even if you have to drive to the ‘burbs.

    If The Boy weren’t graduating this year, I’d be there with you. Have sista’s at the north and south end of Lake Michigan. We could show you the best time.

    @ 10:14 pm on April 30, 2009

  8. Forget deep dish in Chicago…nasty! Make sure to go to Spacca Napoli for VPN Neapolitan pizza. Also – Weiner’s Circle but not til after midnight…

    @ 7:35 am on May 1, 2009

  9. lol if you go to the Weiner Circle, get a chocolate shake. If you’re really hungry, instead of beef, get a combo. And for deep dish, I thought Pequod’s was pretty good. But really my favorite thing was all the bakeries in Chinatown. Well that, or the sweetbreads at Bistro 110.

    @ 9:55 am on May 1, 2009