Hollywood Says These Food Trends Are “Out”
Food trends come and go every year. One year, hummus is all the rage, and the next year, it's kale. Food chefs have to work with these trends when they arise. But they don't have to like them.
From avocado toast to cilantro to all-organic restaurants, celebrities have revealed which trends they dislike. Some dislike the trend because they see it everywhere, whereas others believe that the new fad diet does not work long-term. Learn why these celebrities and celebrity chefs are over these popular food trends.
Quit Dumping Cilantro On Everything, Ina Garten Says
In 2017, Food Network star Ina Garten caused a stir on VICE's Munchies podcast when she revealed her hatred for cilantro. She believes that cilantro is too strong and can easily overpower a dish. To make matters worse, many restaurants toss cilantro onto meals as an afterthought.
She's not the only one who dislikes the fad. Chef John DePierro also wants the "microgreen" trend to go away. "Dumping a pile of microgreens on a dish doesn't improve it," he told Bloomberg. "It’s time to move on."
Richard Blais Does Not Need Anymore Bacon
From bacon sandwiches, desserts, and salads, "bacon mania" has been around since the 1990s. Top Chef star Richard Blais is over it. He told US Food, "Don't get me wrong; I love bacon and pork, butt … ha! That’s a pork butt joke!"
Although bacon is tasty, it is not the healthiest meat. Around 68% of bacon's calories are fat, mostly saturated fat, which can harm your heart. It is also treated with preservatives such as nitrates that are unhealthy. Choose leaner, more nutritious meats instead.
Zimmern Doesn't Fall For "Healthy" Juices
Brands such as Naked Juice claim to supply healthy vitamins and fiber through their vegetable and fruit-based juices. But Andrew Zimmern does not like those. According to him, many of these juices have around 45 grams of sugar. That doesn't sound healthy.
Juiced fruits and vegetables also have fewer nutrients than whole produce. Robin Foroutan, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, says that juicing destroys fiber and antioxidants. If you want a smoothie or juice, make one yourself. Do not buy one that is preserved with excess sugar.
Alex Guarnaschelli Has Stopped Calling Single Foods "Trends"
Whenever a single food becomes popular--such as avocado, coconut oil, or kale--the media calls it a "trend." Food Network star Alex Guarnaschelli is tired of this. For her, foods such as scones and muffins are eternal; they won't magically disappear when they go out of style.
Simmons agrees, especially surrounding the concept of healthy foods. "Kale is legitimately not a trend; it's a green," she asserts. Above all, you shouldn't eat vegetables like Kale because they're "in." Instead, eat them because they taste good and provide healthy vitamins and fiber.
Why Many Celebrities Quit Keto
The keto diet has made headlines as an ideal weight-loss method. But many celebrities have tried it and quit. Tamra Judge, a star from The Real Housewives of Orange County, stopped after a month. She experienced "keto flu," influenza-like symptoms from eating too much fat and not enough carbs.
Botched surgeon Dr. Terry Dubrow also tried the keto diet and stopped, calling it a "dumb diet." "It's obviously not the way humans are supposed to eat," he said. "You must have fruits and vegetables and fructose and carbs."
Roy Choi Isn't Nuts About Hummus
Hummus is a dip make from olive oil and chickpeas. It can go on sandwiches, vegetables, flatbread, or even meat. But Korean American chef Roy Choi is not too thrilled about the hummus trend. The owner of gourmet Korean-Mexican taco truck Kogi says that he's tired of hummus appearing everywhere.
Even so, that's no reason to avoid hummus entirely. Hummus provides an excellent source of plant protein that improves gut health and blood sugar levels. But don't be surprised if the hummus trend dies and stops appearing in every restaurant.
Jesse Tyler Ferguson Is Over Avocado Toast
Plenty of celebrities eat avocado toast; it's a healthy, aesthetically-pleasing meal. But many actors, like Modern Family star Jesse Tyler Ferguson, are over it. "I don't want to see it go away," he said. "I just don’t think every restaurant needs to put it on the menu."
Canadian chef and food writer Gail Simmons agrees that avocado is a bit overdone. "I could do with a little less avocado in my life," she said. Sure, add some healthy fats to your meal with avocado--but don't put it on everything.
Andrew Zimmern Thinks That Organic Restaurants Are Not That Special
You may have seen organic restaurants hike up the prices by claiming that they shop for local, organic food. But according to TV chef Andrew Zimmern, most restaurants buy local and organic produce anyway because it's higher quality.
"Chefs who put sentences on the bottoms of menus that say, 'We try to shop organic and local whenever possible'--it’s an immediate cue that there’s someone mindless in that organization," he told US Food. "Asking for extra credit for the things you’re supposed to do is shocking to me."
Why So Many Chefs Hate Truffle Oil
In 2019, truffle items frequently appeared on restaurant menus. You might have seen truffle fries, truffle burgers, truffle potato chips, and more. On an episode of MasterChef, Gordon Ramsey and Joe Bastianich denounced the oil. Bastianich even took a bottle of the oil and threw it in the trash.
While truffle oil can be tasty, it can easily overpower a dish if you use too much. Plus, many celebrity chefs are just over it. Martha Stewart told Today that she "would never use truffle oil, oh never."
Why Gail Simmons Never Got The Unicorn Frappuccino
When the unicorn Frappuccino came out, many people thought that it was overkill. But that's not the only insane dessert; many restaurants create over-the-top Instagram-worthy desserts. Gail Simmons, one of the judges of Top Chef, is "over it."
Simmons wants all of her food to have a purpose. "I want to be able to eat and enjoy it, and I can't really enjoy that stuff," she said. Not to mention, many of those desserts are overloaded with sugar and carbs. But they look pretty, but they are not healthy in the slightest.
Charcoal Does Not Make Food Better, Says Gabriel Kreuther
Since 2018, activated charcoal has been a trendy ingredient in dishes. Small quantities of charcoal are supposed to aid the digestive system. But famous restaurant owner and chef Gabriel Kreuther disagrees. "Contrary to popular belief, it's counterproductive for our digestion," he said.
Too much activated charcoal can rob the digestive system of nutrients. Gastroenterologist Patricia Raymond says that charcoal is prescribed to people who take too much medication, since it soaks up vitamins. If you eat it too often, charcoal could deprive your digestive tract. Ignore this trend, as Kreuther said.
Ramsey Hates Placing Foam On Top Of Food
In 2016, Gordon Ramsey went on Reddit and posted, "Ask Me Anything." He revealed that he does not like the trend of foam on savory dishes. The trend began in the 1990s, and by 2006, the National Restaurant Association called it "passé." But the trend has recently returned.
In the mid-2010s, foam once again appeared on fish, soups, desserts, and more. Many of these are flavored and colored to make the dish look fancier. "Foam should be used for shaving, not go on top of food," Ramsey said on Reddit.
Curtis Stone Is So Over Pumpkin Spice
Curtis Stone is a Michelin-star chef and host of Top Chef Masters. When asked which food trend was the worst, he replied, "Pumpkin Spice Spam." Yes, there is a pumpkin spice edition of Spam. Stone's funny response illuminated a larger trend, which is putting pumpkin spice flavor in everything.
Stone isn't the only one who is over pumpkin spice. Since Starbucks first released the latte in 2003, pumpkin spice has been everywhere. Psychology professor Catherine Franssen believes that the fad stems from a nostalgic feeling of people equating pumpkin spice with autumn.
Frozen Pizzas Are Never Healthy, Says Ted Allen
Because frozen pizzas are so convenient, many companies have made healthier versions of the product with kale and cauliflower crusts. But that hasn't swayed TV personality Ted Allen. In an interview with Time, he said that frozen pizzas have "the lowest quality ingredients," "so much sodium," and "lousy sauces."
Chef Gabriel Kreuther agrees. "Time to say goodbye to cauliflower [pizza] crusts," he told Bloomberg. "They're not really tasty, and the texture is awfully chewy." If you're going to eat pizza, you might as well have a delicious, high-quality one from a good restaurant.
Alton Brown Is Over The Southern Foods Trend
Southern food has been on the rise in the past few years. The cuisine, which is inspired by Creole and Cajun food, is one specialty of chef and TV host Alton Brown. Brown said that he is tired of people labeling this wide variety of cuisine as "Southern food."
"I think we've beaten Southern food about to death," he said, "and now we should just move on to just good food or bad food." Since Southern food varies by state, it does not make sense to call every American comfort food "Southern."
Mareya Ibrahim Does Not Like The Gluten-Free Trend
In 2016, gluten-free diets were touted as being healthier than whole-grain diets. TV chef Mareya Ibrahim does not agree. She says that many gluten-free flours are simply white flours, making them less healthy than a whole-grain diet.
Plus, most people do not need to go gluten-free. "Unless you have a true diagnosed celiac disease, it's usually the other ingredients that are a problem, like quick rise yeast and a lot of sugar," Ibrahim told HuffPost. You can have a perfectly healthy digestive system while eating gluten.
Gordon Ramsey Ignores The "Soup Of The Day"
Many restaurants have a "soup of the day" or soup du jour item on their menu. Gordon Ramsey is tired of this trend. He told Town & Country that soups of the day are more likely soups of the month. If you ask restaurants about their special the day before, it may be the same soup.
The phrase "soup of the day" sounds like a limited time offer that you need to take advantage of now. When people see fresh, limited-time foods, they may pay more for it. That is why Ramsey does not like the trend.
Todd Mitgang Says Stop Making Food For Instagram
Instagram has helped people discover new restaurants. But some chefs, like Todd Mitgang, are over the "Instagram-worthy" food trend. "While I love beautiful photos of food, social media has pushed people to value the look of a dish over the taste and quality," says the executive chef at TacoVision.
Pastry chef Joey Schwab agrees, calling Instagram food "excess for excess's sake." Rather than creating food for taste, many people make food that looks good. That is what results in over-the-top desserts that are too sweet even for sugar lovers.
Mexican Food Isn't Just Tacos, Sánchez Says
Celebrity chef Aarón Sánchez built his reputation off of Mexican food. When people only define Mexican food as tacos and Tex-Mex (Mexican from Texas), he doesn't like it. "Tex-Mex is a different genre of cuisine separate from authentic Mexican food!" he claimed.
Not to mention, Mexican food does not equal fast food. The cuisine features a wide range of tropical fruits and vegetables, a depth of flavor, and pickled foods. Mexican cuisine does not have to be heavy or greasy, and much of it is healthy.
Beyond Burgers Are Not Necessarily Healthier
Many fast-food restaurants have offered a plant-based Beyond Burger. These are great for people who don't eat red meat, but they are not necessarily healthier. Mareya Ibrahim told HuffPost that the Beyond Burger and Impossible Burger both have more saturated fat than a regular fast-food burger.
Lisa Richards, the creator of the Candida Diet, says that most manufacturers add excess sugar and fat to plant-based products to make up for the bland flavor. The next time you buy a plant-based product, check the nutrition label. They are not necessarily healthier.
