The Food Channel editorial staff has compiled a look back at the last decade in food, giving a perspective on the top flavors, biggest foods, food influences and top food stories.
Our chefs and editorial staff have seen a lot of changes in the last 10 years, said Kay Logsdon, managing editor of The Food Channel. Food has become a story like never before and its interesting to look back at how its growth has impacted our society. Over the last few years, weve been able to visit restaurant after restaurant, attend the biggest food shows and try new products, giving our editors a first-hand look at whats been happening with food.

According to foodchannel.com editors, the biggest trends of the last decade (2000-2009) include

TOP 10 TRENDS OVERALL

• Sushi
• Bacon
• Cupcakes
• Sliders
• Gourmet burgers made with Kobe or Angus beef
• Superfruits such as acai, pomegranate and blueberry
• Oils, such as olive oils and truffle oils
• Whole grains, such as kashi, polenta, risotto
• Artisan foods, particularly in breads, cheeses and dark chocolates
• Coffees, teas

DECADES TOP FLAVORS

• Pomegranate
• Wasabi
• Cranberry
• Ginger
• Blueberry
• Hibiscus
• Bacon
• Green tea
• Dark Chocolate
• Mint

TOP TEN FOOD INFLUENCERS OF THE DECADE

• Organic foods, along with locavore and community supported agriculture
• International cuisines
• Food TV and internet
• Food safety
• The economy and subsequent shift to home cooking
• Fast casual restaurant concepts
• Fair trade and Artisan concepts in bread, chocolates, cheeses
• Mobility/Social Media/Twitter notifications/Underground dining
• Mixology
• Culinary education

TOP FOOD PEOPLE OF THE DECADE

• Food bloggers
• Local farmers
• Celebrity chefs in general: Rick Bayless, Rachael Ray, Paula Deen, Bobby Flay, Guy Fieri, Emeril Lagasse, Gordon Ramsey, Giada De Laurentiis, Mario Batali, Alton Brown, Tyler Florence, Jaime Oliver, Ina Garten
• Julia Child/Julie Powell
• Home cooks
• Grant Achatz
• Alice Waters
• Thomas Keller
• Martha Stewart
• Local restaurant chefs

TOP 10 GENERAL NEWS TOPICS OF THE DECADE IMPACTING FOOD

• Food safety (tomatoes, green onions, H1N1)
• Food prices
• Slow food
• Sustainability
• Consumer-generated advertising (Doritos Super Bowl ad)
• The demise of traditional publishing (Gourmet Magazine)
• Organic
• Private branding
• Carls, Jrs edgy advertising
• McDonalds innovation

DECADES TOP RECIPES

• Macaroni and cheese
• Bread pudding
• Risotto
• Biscotti
• Ceviche
• Deep fried turkey
• Crme brulee
• Bruschetta
• Tilapia
• Guacamole

TOP RESTAURANT TRENDS OF THE DECADE

• Fast casual concept
• Tapas and shareables
• Gastropub
• Molecular gastronomy
• Taco trucks
• Underground dining
• Fusion
• DIY
• Catering
• Upscaling of bar food
• Logsdon emphasized that all of the lists are compiled as opinion and are not necessarily based in scientific evidence. We did this to create dinner table conversation as much as anything, she said. Food is a natural meeting place, regardless of your political, religious or personal preferences you can always talk about food.

About The Food Channel
The Food Channel immerses visitors in a vibrant online communitycomprised of food enthusiasts, culinary students and professionals joined together by a passion for all things food. The site includes original features, chef-tested recipes for all occasions, chef profiles, 4-star food photography, book reviews and food-event coverage. Visitors will also find a variety of videos on cooking techniques, recipe preparation and interviews on topics of current interest. Weekly and monthly trend and recipe newsletters are available by signing up on the site. For additional food news, trends, recipes, professional tips and reviews, visit www.foodchannel.com www.twitter.com/foodchannel or Facebook at www.facebook.com/FoodChannel.