This is always an interesting time of year when you see many industry influencers and prognosticators sharing their insights into what 2019 might bring us in the food service and hospitality industry. They highlight notable factors that define and shape what’s next in cuisines that seem to be emerging and hopefully carving out a winning niche.

Here are my thoughts for 2019. I believe it’s going to be a wild and wooly ride, so hold on.

With economic uncertainty looming and volatile stock markets fluctuating like the weather, it will be interesting to see how restaurants at all levels will fare. We will most likely see entry-level wages raised to $15 per hour, having a direct impact on owner-operators' bottom lines. Menu prices will increase as a result. As disposable incomes shrink, dining out fades in the future and making food for the family at home nightly becomes more of a reality. This sets the stage for home meal replacements and next gen kits for the home cooks.

I believe you will see more of what I call hybrid, no frills food and bar establishments popping up. Think smaller physical footprints and a good mixologist pairing unique cocktails with chef-prepared entrées using adventurous ingredients. This will be a simple but great quality dining experience that caters to patrons on the go, leaning more towards food court dining or take out.

We will see the rise of robotic interfacing in the production of our foods. Take a national pizza chain that has embraced AI-powered terminals where you use a touch screen to identify your user name, select your method of payment, and out pops your piping hot pizza made to your specifications. No server, no cashier, no kitchen manager — reducing labor costs to a minimum.

You will see more marijuana products interwoven into daily common day products for the 21-and-over crowd — THC-infused foods and drinks, CBD treatments to help in pain therapy. Cannabis is here to stay. Major industries like big tobacco, soda giants and the liquor industry are lined up and already taking their position in this new frontier.

Cuisine wise, we continued to see more regional Chinese, Korean and Filipino, while South American regional influences have been becoming more main stream as well. Some of my fellow chefs feel strongly that Middle Eastern cuisine will be hitting center stage. You will see more plant-based proteins at one end and meat grown from animal cells at the other.

All in all, it's gearing up to be another interesting year. My query this week is to all of you readers: What do you see for 2019? Look into your crystal balls and share your visions. Cheers

Always live well…

P.S. Wishing you all Happy Holidays and a Wonderful New Year in 2019!

Things you might see in 2019

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