As we look ahead to 2024 food trends, we aren’t ready to let go of comfort food yet. Yes to mac & cheese in various forms. But there’s another category that has more to give. That is stuffed foods. And not just with cheese and bacon, per the American comfort palate. Think Vietnamese spring rolls, Argentinian empanadas, Polish pierogis, Japanese Gyoza, and Indonesian/Filipino lumpia.
The annual What’s Hot chef survey is out, and the No. 7 chef-predicted trend for 2024 is stuffed vegetables, as in Chiles en Nogada, stuffed peppers and stuffed cabbage rolls. Perhaps some of the least labor-intensive stuffed vegetable opportunities might center on those with natural cavities, like squash and avocados. More labor-intensive, but bound to get rave reviews, would be stuffed Brussels sprouts, outfitted with a mixture of bacon bits, breadcrumbs and Parmesan before roasting.
But back to the comfort of stuffing. Bread and its loose derivatives are a universal comfort category that can go in so many directions. My favorite restaurant here in Kauai (Tidepools in The Grand Hyatt Hotel) offers Malasadas on the dessert menu, which are deliciously fried donut holes coated in sugar. Our server suggested a DIY stuffed rendition where we cut the Malasadas in half ourselves, scoop ice cream into them and spoon a sauce over the top. Of course the flavor is over the top, but it might be the self-stuffing experience that most resonates.
Here's another stuffed standout. Papa Johns just announced the launch of its new Cheesy Calzone Epic Stuffed Crust Pizza. I mean, the crust itself serves as the calzone, stuffed with mozzarella and garlic-herb ricotta.
Comfort, stuffing and street food all go together, and the Asian street food Wow Bao concept is a great posterchild for that. While steamed bao buns are solidly Asian, the culinary jewels in the middle don’t have to be. Draw inspiration from Wow Bao’s bun filling choices: teriyaki chicken, BBQ pork, spicy Mongolian beef, cheeseburger and coconut custard.
Polish Pierogis have inspired numerous restaurant concepts. One is Pierogis House in Morristown, N.J., with at least eight filling themes that are worth calling out, partly because the operator readily strays from Polish fillings: Potato & Farmer’s Cheese; Sauerkraut & Kielbasa; Spinach & Feta; Buffalo Chicken; Lentil & Mushrooms; Philly Cheese Steak; Potato, Bacon & Cheddar; and Jalapeno, Bacon & Cheddar. Guests can order either boiled or pan-fried Pierogis and for an extra charge can choose additional toppings like sauteed mushrooms, caramelized onions, bacon bits and apple sauce (!)
Going into 2024, consider ways to feature comfort fare in a stuffed platform as an LTO. If you want to include global flavors, College and University dining might be a good place to begin some R&D.
Jody
