Out with the old and in with the nouveau! Nouveau Niche that is. Top culinary trends lists from publications across the country are declaring 2007 the year of the “niche market:” small details, small plates, and small neighborhood joints have resulted in big bucks for little restaurants in and beyond New York City. Critics seem to agree that boutique is chic, local is the leading ingredient nationally, and diners are opting for sophisticated comfort over lavish opulence at every turn. Last week The Times published Bruni’s retrospective on the state of NYC dining and it was a virtual ode to the 2 star corner bistro. The National Restaurant Association has released two studies that quantify chef practices for 2007, proving that craft beer and small plates are as big as magnums of Cristal and Biggie Smalls once were. And if you have $300 to drop on the real-deal insider-info, Plunkett’s Food Industry Almanac 2007 is sure to reveal the niche markets that are making big bucks for small entrepreneurs across the globe.
this week: A Critic’s Notebook: 2007: Let’s Eat, Not Fuss, by Frank Bruni of The New York Times
this season: Small Is Big On Restaurant Menus and Craft Beer Tops Beverage Trends and Top 20 Culinary Trends, from the National Restaurant Association
to build your library: Plunkett’s Food Industry Almanac 2007: Food Industries Market Research, Statistics, Trends & Leading Companies, by Jack W. Plunkett
