What food trends do you expect to see in 2014?

"We’ve rounded up five of our favourite food trend predictions for 2014 – which would you most like to see fulfilled?

Farm- to-table: hyper-local sourcing

The trend for supporting smaller, locally-based producers has been growing for several years and is now firmly entrenched among mainstream consumers. Chefs and diners alike recognise that in most cases locally-sourced ingredients provide better quality, as the food is fresher and hasn’t had a chance to lose nutrients over time – not to mention the reduced carbon footprint associated with transporting food shorter distances. Consumers are also increasingly concerned about their food’s traceability – we want to know where and how it’s been farmed, especially when it comes to meat. It’s easier to answer these questions when the food has been raised nearby.

As a result, nowadays most restaurants are eager to showcase the local provenance of their food – and some are taking it a step further with the advent of chef or restaurant-owned farms and gardens, in which the food is both grown and prepared on site. This hyper-local sourcing can take other forms, too – witness the rise of the urban beehive and the rooftop city garden. This trend is surely good news for consumers who want to support local business and also to enjoy high-quality, ethically-sourced food.

Dessert mash-ups

After the massive success of the cronut (a combination of a donut and a croissant) in 2013, we expect to see even more dessert mash-ups taking centre stage in 2014. Already on the radar is the townie – a brownie in a tart shell that’s already making waves in London – and the piessant – a cross between a pie and a croissant. It makes our mouths water to think what could be next on the horizon – especially if the mash-up craze continues to extend to savoury dishes, too.

Sous-vide cooking

If you haven’t yet heard of this trendy cooking method, you almost certainly will this year. Sous-vide involves sealing food in an airtight plastic bag then slow cooking it in a water bath. The technique helps the food cook evenly throughout - without the outer layers drying out or burning before the core is done – thus keeping ingredients moist, juicy and full of flavour.

Sous-vide accomplishes this feat by cooking food at a lower temperature than normal, but for a longer period of time. Once cooked, the food can be kept at optimum serving temperature in its water bath for as long as needed, or stored in the refrigerator for extended periods of time as long as it’s kept sealed away from the air. Already a favourite of professional chefs, the sous-vide method is starting to make its way into home kitchens as well - so you may soon get a chance to test its results for yourself.

Nose-to-tail and root-to-stalk eating

In the same way that the recent recession inspired people to save money by cooking from scratch, the concept of using the whole animal or plant represents a return to a more traditional style of eating, in which avoiding waste was paramount. It also taps into people’s concerns about the sustainability of the food industry, particularly in regards to cattle farming and other meat production. By using each animal more intensively, the growing demand for meat can be met without increasing the number of animals quite so drastically.

Thrift aside, the growing interest in using more unusual cuts of meat - such as the Denver cut steak, the spinalis , and the Vegas strip - has also encouraged more intensive use of an animal. Of course, innovative cuts are not simply about reducing waste  – there is also a certain cachet in obtaining rare cuts that may not be widely available from butchers or restaurants. As people become ever more adventurous in their eating patterns, we expect to see even greater use of the whole animal and plant in cooking.

Gluten-free options

Another trend that has been kicking about for a while, the gluten-free movement is expected to further permeate the mainstream dining scene. In recent years the consumption of gluten (a protein found in grains such as barley, rye and - most notably - wheat) has been linked to everything from skin breakouts and weight gain to headaches and mood disorders.

While a small percentage of the population do suffer from coeliac disease (an autoimmune disorder that effects the small intestine and is aggravated by gluten) or other, less intense forms of gluten sensitivity, many ordinary shoppers have also adopted the idea that avoiding gluten will benefit their health, fuelling a mounting demand for gluten-free products. While there is still considerable debate as to whether eliminating gluten is useful for those without a sensitivity, the trend doesn’t seem set to diminish anytime soon – especially when combined with the burgeoning popularity of alternative grains that are naturally gluten-free, including nutritionally-rich “ancient grains” such as amaranth, spelt and quinoa. As novel ingredients with a host of health benefits, they’re fast becoming popular replacements for rice, pasta and other more common starches, and will likely appear in more and more restaurants and kitchens during 2014.

What food trends do you expect to see during 2014?