4 Food Trends to Watch for this Year, From Jackfruit (What?) to Sour Beer

NYC chef Jordan Andino stopped by Rachael Ray to talk about the food trends he thinks will be huge this year. The executive chef and owner of 2nd City, a Filipino taqueria in the West Village, turned to social media for inspiration when coming up with his menu items and restaurant concept. Jordan told Rachael that Pinterest is teeming with ideas — some of which became his predictions for the food and drink we’re going to see more of in the coming months. Here are the top four food trends that he thinks will blow up in 2017:

JACKFRUIT

Rachael Ray Show

Jordan called this a dream fruit because it’s vegan, has a texture similar to chicken, and absorbs pretty much any flavor you pair with it. Jordan mixes jackfruit with barbecue sauce and loads it onto nachos for Rachael, who proclaims: “It’s very cool, very vegan, very healthy.”

BUDDHA BOWLS

Rachael Ray Show

Also vegan and super healthy, Jordan said that rice bowls (or in this case, white quinoa) should be thought of like a “savory parfait” and he thinks the more veggies you add, the better. The general rule of thumb is: keep it healthy — think proteins, veggies, and grains. Rachael agreed, “It’s like a trifle, but a salad!”

NAAN

Rachael Ray Show

Jordan called naan the Indian version of pita, and the yummy Indian flatbread with a crispy, chewy texture can pretty much work for any meal. In the video above, Jordan prepares his naan as a pizza, using pesto, chicken, and (of course) freshly shaved Parmesan cheese. Rachael loves how fast these pizzas can be whipped up — in 10 minutes or less!

SOUR BEER

Rachael Ray Show

While Rachael admitted she’s not much of a suds girl, Jordan’s prediction that sour beer will take over the mainstream gave her a dose of curiosity. “Is it citrus-y?” she asked. Jordan said it’s even more than that: “Pucker-y! It’s like squeezing an entire lemon into an ale.”

Check out the video above for more of Jordan’s culinary vision for the new year.