Artisan Cheese Platter with Nuts and Berries | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Diners at the launch of the Godrej Food Trends Report (GFTR) 2023, held recently in Mumbai, had multi-millet shahi tukda topped with mango and vanilla bean ice cream. The guests also had Ragi Buttermilk Soup and Nachni Mile Fuel. With the United National General Assembly declaring 2023 as the International Year of Millets, the sixth edition of GFTR highlights the enduring magic of this hardy and nutritious crop.
mushroom trio
The Godrej Foods Trends Report 2023 brings together over 350 food professionals including chefs, home cooks, mixologists, food producers, nutritionists, sommeliers and bloggers from across the country to share their expertise. Curated by Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal, it features a diverse range of voices from culinary anthropologist Dr. Kurush Dalal to renowned chef Manish Mehrotra of Indian Accent restaurant, and restaurateur Sameer Seth, co-founder of The Hunger Inc. who runs Bombay Canteen.
Launch event of GFTR 2023 | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Rashina, who has been curating the report all these years, says she reached out to more people across the country this year in an effort to be more inclusive. “Our regional perspective section has tried to cover as much part of the country as possible. Also, this time we have equal, if not more, women representatives than before,” she says, adding that later her This was important to her because the food industry in India does not give enough recognition to women. She says that over 300 people have responded in different verticals of the industry across India.
One of the first trends the report predicts is about recognizing this country as an atlas of food. Over the years, the notion that Indian cuisine is a monolith has gradually eroded with people from all over the world discovering the diversity and nuances of the cuisine.
“In the last five editions, the focus has been on regional and extra-regional cuisines. For example, Maharashtrian cuisine Koli, Konkani, Pathare Prabhu and many more. Micro level and community level recipes are being explored. With everyone cooking at home during the pandemic, we started exploring recipes other than our own and realized that we all eat daal in different regions. They are just cooked differently,” says Rushina.
The report predicts a greater proliferation of collaborative pop-ups, which in turn will lead to new ideas, themes, recipes and formats. And if you’re seeing a lot more mushrooms in restaurant dishes, it’s because the world of mushrooms is expanding with the inclusion of different varieties on vegetarian, vegan and plant-based menus.
ragi buttermilk sattu soup | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Whether in classic or re-invented incarnations, everyone from home cooks to small businesses can offer foods and flavors to take you on a nostalgia trip in the year ahead. Indian-made artisanal cheeses will shine, with a focus on topli paneer, kalari, chhurpi and bandel, while traditional, regional oils will also see a resurgence.
The report also states that the demand for pan-ready, high-on-flavour snacks is expected to grow with convenience and taste being the driving factors. The domino effect of this discovery of snacks will also increase the demand for sauces, dips and condiments.
Paturi with Nachni Mil Samantas
Health conscious consumers will show increased interest in curd and whey based beverages. The same goes for desserts and in 2023 diners will gravitate towards mindful and portion-controlled indulgences. One-portion sweets are also expected to feature in snacking.
“The snacks – healthy or otherwise – have an explosion of flavors and ingredients. Even my local potato chips vendor is bringing in the taste of Amritsari Chole Masala and Pani Puri Masala,” says Rushina. She adds, “The basics are multi-grain chips and chips made from vegetables. You will see this explosion of flavors in categories like Masala Peanuts, Makhanas, Samosas and Cutlets. Any type of preference, be it dietary or taste-related, is about to be revealed.” If there’s a demand for it, someone will supply it.
Mango multi millet shahi crumb | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Creamy Sikh Cannoli with Millet Porridge