It’s that time of year again, when we sit back and reflect on the most delicious moments of the last twelve months. Kimpton, as always, is grateful for the opportunity to reflect on everything we’ve dished out at our restaurants throughout the year, but it’s also time to look towards the future.
That’s right — we’re talking about our annual Culinary + Cocktail Trend Forecast featuring a new batch of standout ingredients, menu items, and techniques that we’re excited about for 2025.
It’s time to check out next year’s forecasted culinary trends.
We promise you’ll probably leave hungry.
This year, we’re forecasting the importance of underrated techniques, previously unheard-of chili crunch blends, a new way to cure a pantry staple, and the value of bringing the past back into the future.
It’s All About Technique
To start, we predict that technique will be front and center in 2025. Sous vide — the traditionally French practice of vacuum sealing ingredients in a bag and then cooking them in a temperature controlled water bath — is set to make an appearance at prep time as our talented bar team plays with the foundations that make up all of your favorite cocktails.
Sous vide is a technique that can be used for a variety of culinary and cocktail trends.
Get ready for highballs with an unexpected bubbly thrill from forced carbonation, or cocktails that benefit from a hint of clarified citrus that give a hit of acidity without the traditionally sharp bite that defines a classic cocktail.
Chili Crunch is Life
In case you haven’t heard — chili crunch goes with everything. Lucky for everyone, spicier and more interesting variations with new flavor profiles — such as the blending of Marcona almonds and fennel seeds — are now popping up on the market.
Here at Kimpton, we love the crispy, sizzled spice blend so much that we are experimenting with it everywhere. As Simon Dolinky, Director of Culinary Programming, shares, “Chili crunch adds a ton of deep flavor and heat, but the texture is what makes it really unique and easy to start using on almost everything. There are variations with duck, prawn, or different spices that can apply to many different types of flavors. I like to add it to cabbage or cucumber salads, but everyone loves pizza right?”
Experiment with fresh chili crunch flavor profiles.
And then add them to absolutely everything.
We love chili crunch for culinary purposes but can it truly make everything better? It is even “making its way into cocktails, and there is a lot of experimentation out in the wild,” explains Kat Wojcik, Director of Bar Programming & Partnerships. “It adds a lot of savory notes to the cocktail, as well as the spice that you would expect. If I ever see it on a menu, I definitely order it! There are so many interpretations. So far, I love it with tequila.”
The Newest Pantry Staple
While chili crunch is one of the standout culinary trends of 2025, salted egg yolk is about to have its own time in the spotlight. These aren’t just eggs with salt, by the way — they are yolks cured in salt and sugar until the texture is similar to a firm jello, but with way more flavor and complexity that is rooted in centuries of Chinese food traditions.
Turn a basic kitchen staple into a brand new ingredient.
Salted egg yolk is guaranteed to be a new favorite. As Dolinky states, “It takes some time and commitment to make salted egg yolks, but they are worth the effort and easy to use. Anything that would benefit from some salty, umami creaminess is a candidate. I can see it garnering mass appeal due to the wide range of dishes it can enhance, from Caesar salads and pasta dishes to vegetables like roasted mushrooms or crispy potatoes. They have a great shelf life and could be a pantry staple at some point — you just need a grater and it really can enhance a lot of common dishes.”
It’s Time to Shake Up Tradition
We’re also overjoyed at the prospect of playing with some old school favorites. We’re calling it “newstalgia,” and for us that means taking beloved comfort foods like a good ole’ corn dog and taking them to the next level with a little caviar, or by subbing the corndog base for a decadent lobster tail.
However, some things don’t need much improvement, and they’re classics for a reason. Will the classics ever go out of style? “I hope not!” Wocjik exclaims. “Many people start their journey learning the classics and discover something they love. Where it gets exciting is when individuals add their own interpretation, modernize the classic, or fuse with another cuisine or apply a new technique.”
Bring to life an old favorite in a uniquely unexpected fashion.
Newstalgia is a method that also applies to cocktails.
Because everyone loves a cocktail with a fresh twist.
That means new twists on everything from a dirty martini to a Midori sour — but with pickle brine instead of olive juice — or switching out the classic neon liquor for a Japanese melon version with a perfectly tart edge.
Also, have you tried a carajillo? It’s a frothy coffee cocktail that originated in Spain and is made up of two ingredients — Liquor 43 and coffee. The carajillo might just kick your espresso martini habit to the curb, it’s that good. Which is the point of learning from the past, after all, as Wocjik says. “Discovering a food or beverage’s roots and adding your own history to the item adds to its authenticity and personality.”
Cheers to 2025, friends.
Everyone knows that you instantly up any mood with music. To help get things rolling, we’ve created some fun playlists for you to play at your next dinner party. Feel like Embracing Newstalgia with some retro-soul funk? Or how about exploring those Chili Crunch Fusions? These bold, vibrant tunes can crank up the fun all year long.
