From social networking’s impact on success to a greater emphasis on in-house rustic fare to save cost, Technomic predicts the biggest influences on U.S. restaurants next year.

Just as the nation's economic forecast includes mixed signals, restaurants across the United States face a varied landscape of expected trends in 2012. Technomic, the leading foodservice research and consulting firm, sees these seven developments making news in the coming year:

1. Consumers Seek a Twist on the Familiar. Shell-shocked consumers are in no mood to take risks, but novel flavors still tingle their taste buds. Look for comfort foods with a twist (gourmet, ethnic, artisan, wood-fired) as well as innovation in familiar formats (sandwiches, wraps, pizza, pasta) rather than breakout items taken from less-familiar global cuisines.

The truth about GMOs.

By Christopher Koetke, CEC, CCE

In this world, we live surrounded by myths and even believe some of them. Lobsters scream when you boil them. Eating bananas makes you more appealing to mosquitoes. And a company has genetically engineered and marketed a tomato containing a gene from the arctic flounder to make the tomato more resistant to frost and cold. Like most myths, this one has a kernel of truth, but turns out it’s more of a red herring than a fishy tomato. Yes, back in 1991, DNA Plant Technologies did experiment with this, but it was a total failure, was never marketed, and the idea died in the laboratory. So please feel free to continue eating tomatoes.

As educators, we often stay away from controversial issues like genetically modified organisms (GMOs), either because we don’t feel secure in our own knowledge of them or because we see them as too political and polarizing. And in the culinary world, as we look to many respected chefs who are dedicated to organic and sustainable foods, GMOs elicit a “Hell, no, we won’t go there” response. But is that response built on fact or fiction? Where did they get their information? Was it factual and provided by a neutral source?

Although this part of case-study teaching can be arduous, there’s real value in reading papers. Doing so allows us to suggest ways to improve students’ thinking.

By Dr. Fred Mayo, CHE, CHT

Last month, we discussed Types of Case Studies, as part of the continuing series on case studies. This month’s Mayo Clinic is about evaluating student papers, an aspect of case-study teaching, but also one of the challenges of teaching that many of us dread or at least would like to avoid. In large universities with big classes, teaching assistants often help with, or complete, this task, but in most culinary programs, it is part of our teaching responsibilities. There are advantages and teachable moments involved.

SandwichPro.com offers new on-trend sandwich-making demos.

Courtesy of Unilever Food Solutions

SandwichPro.com recently debuted its “Chef Demo” video gallery full of great sandwich ideas from the Unilever Food Solutions culinary team. Click on the “Recipes” tab, then click “Chef Demos” on the left-hand side. From ethnic-inspired trends to classic combinations that thrill, Chefs Steve Jilleba, CMC, and Matt Burton guide viewers through the recipes with step-by-step instructions. Several of the videos relate to trend articles elsewhere on the site.

Of the three things you can manage—cost, quality and quantity—you can realistically only manage two. Or so thought the Institute for the Culinary Arts at Metropolitan Community College     .

By James E. Trebbien, CCE, CCA

Omaha, according to some of the people who study such things, has more restaurants per capita than any other U.S. city. In addition to this amazing number of restaurants, the menu is varied, diverse, excellent and reasonably priced. The quality of the restaurants is excellent. As in most major metropolitan areas, to be a chef or restaurant manager in Omaha takes a lot of education and knowledge because of the competition, choices, culinary talent and business sophistication.

The president of the American Culinary Federation led an entourage of U.S. chefs to partake in and contribute their talents to the Bidvest World Chefs Tour Against Hunger in South Africa in August.

By Michael Ty, CEC, AAC

Like many chefs, I knew about the World Chefs Tour Against Hunger in 1993 and 2003, events that made a difference in the lives of the children of South Africa. Although I was not able to participate in those first two tours, I knew many ACF chefs who did. They came back with stories that were unbelievable, and some chefs considered the experience life-changing.

One of the industry’s earliest trends forecasts for next year predicts we’ll say hello to sheep’s-milk cheese and local beers and goodbye to “molecular gastronomy” and “foodie.”

Through a recent survey of America’s food-and-beverage media and influencers, Portland, Ore.-based LANE PR has identified a number of emerging trends in the industry. Nearly 70 participants, including influential journalists, restaurateurs and epicureans from coast to coast, weighed in on questions asking “what’s next?” in food, beverages and pantry must-haves, as well as buzzwords we’ve grown to know and those we’ve grown to hate.

While responses in all categories in LANE PR’s U.S. Food & Beverage Trends Report for 2012 illustrate a wide range of opinions, some areas of agreement indicate potential new directions in food and beverage. In some instances, it appears that America will take a closer look at what the rest of the world is eating and will make an effort to incorporate efficient, nutrient-packed foods for better overall health, as well as sustainable foods for a healthier environment.

This year’s Latin Flavors, American Kitchens Conference emphasized cuisines from Argentina to Guatemala and identified hot trends: handheld foods, smoke, bar foods and Cocktails.

The kitchens of The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), San Antonio recently hosted the most prominent collection of Latin-cuisine experts from throughout the Americas. The chefs assembled in Texas for the college’s fourth-annual Latin Flavors, American Kitchens conference, October 5-7. Presenting chefs included Rick Bayless of Frontera Grill, Topolobampo and Xoco in Chicago; Roberto Santibanez of Fonda in Brooklyn; Humberto Dominguez of Restaurant Kakao in Guatemala; and the CIA’s Latin-cuisines faculty: Alain Dubernard (Mexico), Almir Da Fonseca (Brazil), Iliana de la Vega (Mexico), Elizabeth Johnson-Kossick (USA) and Sergio Remolina (Mexico).

In a zero-growth environment, this fast-casual sub-segment continues gaining market share.

The bakery-café segment, which accounts for $5 billion in annual sales and more than 3,600 units nationwide, has successfully navigated the middle ground between quick- and full-service restaurants to outpace industry sales and unit growth for each of the past three years, during which total bakery-café units increased 4.2% and F&B sales increased 12%.

The chef de cuisine of Corn Maiden restaurant near Santa Fe dispels some myths and misconceptions of working with chiles—while talking up their strategic use as a flavor enhancer—in menu development.

By Samuel Reed

Chefs are always looking for ways to make their specialty dishes different from those of others, with unique tastes, textures and ingredients that will enhance the dining experience and leave a lasting impression on their guests. As chile peppers are in peak season, the traditional staple of red and green chiles can provide a unique twist and satisfying flavor to a variety of different meals. Although the chile pepper is very versatile and can be used for several purposes, there are many misconceptions in the culinary industry about how chiles should be used.