Food trends 2017 - Adria Wu, (UK) Resident chef at Mint Velvet, guest chef on Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch, entrepreneurship mentor for underprivileged women and founder of Maple&Fitz.

Le Cordon Bleu, the leading Global Network of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management Institutes, is happy to share a vision of 2017 foodtrends in the world, through the eyes of its alumni.

Adria Wu, (UK) Resident chef at Mint Velvet, guest chef on Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch, entrepreneurship mentor for underprivileged women and founder of Maple&Fitz.

What have you accomplished since graduating from Le Cordon Bleu?

Following one of the best years of my life at Le Cordon Bleu where I graduated with a Cuisine Diploma, I studied nutrition and opened Maple & Co, a healthy eatery and juice bar in 2015 with three locations in central London by spring 2017.

What do your customers crave when they come to see/taste your work?

Our customers are foodies who want to live a well-balanced life! They are always excited to see our fresh seasonal menu which includes our Julius Caesar salad, a guilt free Caesar salad and Mexican Standoff, a warm grain bowl made with a homemade coriander pesto, haas avocado, bell peppers, red onions, bulgur and black beans.

What food trends do you foresee for 2017 and onwards?

I am obsessed with cauliflower e.g. cauliflower rice which I presented on Channel 4's Sunday Brunch, cauliflower steak, cauliflower pasta and it goes on and on!  I am also really excited about coloured lattes.  We have have a Yellow Hot Haldi (Haldi is turmeric in Hindi), Pink Beetroot Latte and a Green Matcha Latte.  Finally dark leafy greens aside from kale that are equally packed with nutrition and taste will hopefully be making a strong mark in the food scene e.g. collard greens, kai lan (Chinese broccoli), water cress, napa cabbage

Looking back to 2016, what is the main evolution you have seen in the food industry in the UK?

People are re-connecting with food and want to understand how their food is made and where it's coming from. As a result, people want to learn more about nourishing their own bodies and the impact of consuming processed and refined foods.

Any aspirations for the future?

It's pretty simple, I would love to continue helping people feel happier, excited and more confident and satisfied about their food choices!