Expected restaurant trends in 2012

Local sourcing, nutrition, and gluten-free and food-allergy-free options are on the minds of many in 2012.

With the start of 2012 just days away, those in the restaurant business are consulting the tea leaves in an attempt to figure out just what the year ahead is likely to bring. Most aren't sorry to see 2011, a year marked by declines in consumer spending, rising commodity prices, and natural disasters, go. Several industry trades groups have been sounding out their memberships over the past several months, attempting to thereby get a sense of what's likely to be the nature of the dining out business in 2012 and beyond.

For instance, the National Restaurant Association surveyed 1,800 culinary professionals, sounding them out on trends to watch.

Some of the themes that emerged reflect extensions of what's already on the agenda, such as local sourcing, especially of meat and seafood, as well as produce. A manifestation of the more generalized belief that the restaurant industry needs to sustainability-oriented, the survey results suggest that local sourcing will spread from school and college food service, where it's already a best practice, into commercial restaurant operations.

A second trend most chefs expect to become still more important is a focus on nutrition, especially in kids' meals. There the challenge will be, of course, matching up what kids should eat with what they're actually willing to eat, especially when dining out with their families.

Some chefs believe that kids' mini-meals -- scaled-down presentations of adult-focused menu items -- may be preferable to traditional kids' meal presentations.

The survey also revealed a belief that gluten-free and food-allergy-free options will be requested by more and more customers. To meet such demand chefs will have to modify recipes and, equally important, kitchen work practices.

Of course, the one macro trend everyone in the restaurant industry hopes will be strong in 2012 is consumer demand, thereby reversing what have been three economically tough years in a row.