With the new year will come new trending ingredients, cooking philosophies, and dishes. Here’s what local chefs think 2015 will hold.
Chef de Cuisine Marlon Rambaran of Scarpetta at The Fontainebleau
For starters, I think dining will continue to evolve with technology. I think both restaurants and diners will continue to become more tech-savvy, whether it be tablet ordering, pre-ordering meals using mobile devices, etc. I also think there will be a continued focus on organic and natural ingredients, as diners are educated and health- focused. We will see more chef-driven, fun, casual concepts with a focus on local, seasonal cuisine accessible to all.
Chef Diego Solano of Bulla Gastrobar
I think the concept of Spanish tapas will be a big dining trend in 2015, especially since Bulla will be opening two or three more restaurants next year. One popular ingredient in Spanish tapas is eggs, and I think that will be one of the trending ingredients. I prefer to use organic quail eggs—fried, boiled, or poached. They are quite difficult to work with but they are very popular on tapas.
Chef/Owner Marco Efrati of Hosteria Romana
In 2015, we will focus on bringing people the best meat on the market. We started dry-aging black Angus beef in-house in 2014—an expensive, time- consuming process, but one that yields a truly indulgent result. Dry-aging can take anywhere from 15 to 28 days, and typically up to a third or more of the meat’s weight is lost as moisture leaves the product. This concentrates the flavors of the meat. We sear each cut to order, and the result is the most tender, flavorful beef you can imagine.
Chef Joao “Juca” Oliveira of Tutto Pizza
Miami has become a true cosmopolitan city, and with that comes a more sophisticated palate. Yet sophistication doesn’t translate into complication. As a chef, I am going “back to basics” and see this being a trend in 2015. I’m choosing locally-grown produce and organic ingredients whenever I have the chance, and I’m keeping it simple, leaving the fuss out of the kitchen and letting the freshness and quality of my ingredients do the talking.