Trends
F&B trends to watch in 2023 - UAE
16 Jan 2023
The United Arab Emirate’s culinary scene is expanding, offering a wide range of cuisine options to satisfy the preferences of locals and foreigners alike. In a fiercely competitive market with many food crossovers, restaurant owners are constantly looking for pairings to keep their menus fresh. To address this, Food Forward Consulting weighs in on the latest F&B trends sweeping the UAE.
Veganism and Artisan Home Cooking
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As the vegan movement gains momentum in the UAE, it is crucial for chefs and waiters to start understanding the difference between vegetarians, pescatarians, and veganism in order to better serve their needs and meet their expectations when it comes to food preparation and presentation.
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Serving salads and pasta is no longer sufficient; vegans are demanding savory meals instead. Several new concepts are predicted to enter UAE’s food scene in order to enhance the vegan eating experience by offering intriguing non-animal-based dishes that are bursting with flavor, seasoning, and creativity.
In addition, healthier food options such as artisan home cooking will also trend in 2023 thanks to the consumers’ increased awareness about nutrition-based health matters.
Non-Alcoholic Bars
Generation Z is embracing healthier beverage options, which is why non-alcoholic bars are gaining popularity.
The zero-alcohol revolution with organic, vegan, and halal-certified drinks, is here to stay; It is made available for UAE residents who prefer to be a part of the celebration without sacrificing their well-being.
Non-alcoholic bars are set to revolutionize the UAE culture of gatherings and show that special occasions can be both inviting and limitless.
Quality Food Offering
As the UAE becomes the leading food destination in the Middle East, thanks in part to the arrival of the World's 50 Best, Michelin, Gault & Millau, restaurants will begin to elevate their food and beverage offerings.
Quality and experience, not quantity, will become the main priorities.
Communal Dining
In order to provide excellent ingredients at a more reasonable price and enable customers to experience a broad variety of premium meals, UAE restaurants will move more and more toward serving dishes in smaller portions.
Immersive Dining Experiences
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Excellent cuisine will no longer be enough to draw UAE residents in. The need for spectacular dining experiences that awaken the senses will drive the growth of lifestyle restaurants with entertainment and beachside settings. People are increasingly seeking dining venues that offer everything.
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The popularity of restaurants with fantastic atmospheres, creative food, and live entertainment is forecasted to rise as opposed to the ones that rely heavily on gimmicks.
Chef-Driven Concepts
Chef-driven concepts will be the new crave in the UAE as they offer an exclusive F&B experience where the head chef dictates what items go onto the menu based on his personal expertise and aspirations.
Cloud Kitchens
Numerous cloud kitchens will spring up to meet the UAE’s rising demand for convenience and doorstep delivery. Especially that, cloud kitchens, make it cost-efficient for restaurants to either develop a virtual brand or expand a current concept.
Sustainable Practices
Since the pandemic, UAE consumers are more aware of sustainability credentials and food provenance. As these aspects become determinant factors when choosing where UAE residents dine, restaurants are starting to redesign their delivery and takeaways by reducing plastic consumption, using compostable packaging and utensils, decreasing waste production, opting for local produce rather than imported goods, printing menus on recycled paper, replacing paper napkins with linen ones, using biodegradable bin bags, and cutting down on energy usage.
UAE Restaurants will no longer be known and recognized for their food offerings but also for their sustainability practices.
The eclectic nature of the Emirates’ culinary scene reflects its ongoing pursuit of optimal food industry trends and immersive culinary experiences.
