Berwald, vice president, Food & Beverage with Benchmark, came to the company with a distinguished, two-decade career of food and beverage leadership. He received his formal culinary training at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, France. He earned his B.S. in Hospitality Administration at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and attended Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, focusing on Hospitality Finance and Marketing. Berwald is active within the American Hotel & Restaurant Association and the National Restaurant Association.

BENCHMARK is looking to the future with its Top-10 Dining Trends for 2020. The trends were observed by Benchmark’s executive chefs and culinary experts at the company’s 80 luxury hotels, resorts and restaurants coast to coast, offshore and internationally.

In addition to offering engaging experiences to each and every guest, Benchmark’s position on food and beverage is to offer the opportunity to learn, focus on wellness and be part of something greater.

2020 DINING TREND #1 | NOTORIOUS CBD

The CBD food trend has exploded in the last 12 months. Coffee shops and cafes are now boasting a startling array of offerings infused with CBD oil, aimed at attracting customers interested in trying new, eco-friendly, plant-based ingredients. Restaurants have also begun to incorporate the oil into their menus, both for drinks and food. CBD-infused drinks are also quickly gaining momentum as serious contenders in the popular beverage market, including: sparkling waters, coffees, teas, energy drinks, beer, wine and mixed alcoholic beverages.

 2020 DINING TREND #2 | THE PLANT ECOSYSTEM

More people are choosing to move away from beef, pork and poultry as plant-based food alternatives are being provided for meat and dairy. Chefs are re-creating meat and dairy flavors from non-meat and non-dairy products such as soy, peas, cashews and almonds.

2020 DINING TREND #3 | PUFFED THE MAGIC SNACK

We have always been told chips are an unhealthy snack option and to stay away from them. There are new products on the market, however, that are providing healthier versions of chips. With ingredients such as chickpeas, beets, quinoa and kale, these snacks are going to make ‘snacking’ OK.

2020 DINING TREND #4 | JACKFRUIT — NOW & BEYOND

The newest go-to meat substitute is jackfruit. Already being used as an alternative for barbecue pulled pork, jackfruit, from Southeast Asia, is a great source of iron, calcium and B vitamins. The texture mimics pulled pork and will soon become a force in the food industry as a meat alternative.

2020 DINING TREND #5 | FRUIT FORWARD

Unique fruit flavors, such as cactus, are taking mixology ideation by storm. Spiny cactus fruits such as prickly pear and dragon fruit are piquing consumer interest. Prickly pear yields a flavorful, ruby-colored juice, while dragon fruit gets attention because of its sweet/sour flavor. Consumers are also exploring bergamot orange, yuzu, calamansi, citron, makrut lime, pomelo, Meyer lemon, blood orange and ugli fruit.

2020 DINING TREND #6 | DAIRY REMIX

Oat milk is now the golden child of alternative milks. It’s terrific in coffees, and baristas can barely keep it in stock. So, it makes sense that companies are launching other oat milk products to help minimize the environmental impacts associated with animal husbandry.

2020 DINING TREND #7 | SPARKLING RESULTS

Sparkling water demand is exploding. Operators looking to harness these trends and turn them into more traffic or higher check averages should offer these beverages and make sure to promote them on social media. By ensuring diners — particularly younger influencers — know what new and exciting drinks are available, operators can count on attracting these new and affluent repeat beverage consumers.

2020 DINING TREND #8 | BRIGHT & BOLD

Color generates emotional appeal with food — it may be as important as taste. Color and functionality collide with ingredients such as blue algae, beet, matcha and butterfly pea flower tea, which changes color from blue to purple when acidity is added to it.

2020 DINING TREND #9 | MORE TRACEABILITY

Consumers are now demanding sustainability in packaging. Whether it’s swapping out Styrofoam and plastic for paper or bamboo, or buying ingredients from sustainable sources, sustainability will sweep the entire industry. The heightened focus on single-use plastics is not just a fad, but a reality that goes beyond the purge of the plastic straw.

2020 DINING TREND #10 | UGLY PRODUCE

Food is a terrible thing to waste, and yet 40% of all the food produced in the U.S. goes uneaten because it is imperfect. Now, consumers are finally accepting misshapen and bruised foods as edible. Start-up food companies that send boxes of said fruit and vegetables directly to the customer’s home will encourage consumers to buy nutritious produce that tastes fine, but is physically flawed. C&IT