Matt Moran's food trends to watch

At 9Kitchen we see plenty of food trends come and go, some of them exciting and inspiring (the rediscovery of fermented foods) and some of them just downright crazy (freakshakes and chocolate snorting). In light of the variety we see, we caught up with one of Australia's top chefs and restaurateurs Matt Moran for his take on food trends in 2016. 

Narrowing all the trends down to see what clutch might make it into Australian kitchens is tough, according to the chef. 

"So many trends come and go and sometimes they lean more towards a passing fad while others are here to stay," says Moran. "Over the past year or so we've seen the burger craze, the rise of ramen, and the fried chicken trend, just to name a few. But in my circle, my mates and I are all obsessed with barbecuing; smoking meats and experimenting with the amazing flavours you can get from charcoal, wood and other types of fuel." 

With the rise of speciality barbecue restaurants such as Firedoor and LP's Quality Meats, where the focus is on working with woodfire, charcoal and smoke, more people will be trying these techniques at home, Moran predicts. 

"Baking has also had a huge increase in popularity, and we're seeing more organic wines too." 

There's a neat selection of old techniques being rediscovered and revived, but what of the modern kitchen appliances, gadgets and technologies flooding our way?

"I hear of more and more people getting a Thermomix," says Moran.  "It's becoming quite popular for home cooks, as it's an all-in-one gadget that blends, chops, steams, mixes and weighs, so it saves people time." It's a kitchen appliance which arguably makes sense in an environment where we are increasingly aware of the quality of food but still relatively time poor when it comes to preparation.  "I'm also seeing an increase in apps related to food and the industry," says Moran. That includes everything from shopping lists and step-by-step guides to recipe catalogues. "I think that arena is only going to get bigger."

But for Moran, the one significant groundswell that has survived the trend tag to become a permanent fixture in Australia's food landscape is a return to food roots.

"The main thing I've seen evolve over the years that is certainly here to stay, is that people are much more engaged with food in general and they want to understand its provenance," says the chef. "They want to know who grew it, where it was grown, how it was raised or slaughtered and how it's being cooked." 

It's an ethos that Moran has championed, and he's thrilled to see it taking hold as an established way of thinking. "People are becoming more aware of sustainability and eating local and with the seasons, and as a chef, that's heart-warming to see. It's something I've always believed in, and I'm truly passionate about, not only as a chef but as a fourth generation farmer as well. That's partly why I wanted to open Chiswick with a kitchen garden on site — I'm a big believer in eating with the seasons and eating local."

It's an idea that Moran invites the public to be part of at Chiswick, where four years on from their 2012 opening, you can still see the gardeners and chefs in action day-to-day. "Regarding what's driving this shift in how we eat amongst the general public, I think it's a combination of many factors; influential chefs, more paddock-to-plate style eating and restaurants, and absolutely media and the increase of cooking TV programs."