TOP 100SOCIAL CHEFS

2016 REPORT

© 2016 Foodable Network, LLC. All rights reserved. 2016 Top 100 Social Chefs 2

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

Social Chefs Are Changing the Game

The Top 100 Social Chefs has gone through a series of growth elements here at Foodable over the past three years. Part of that growth is the sheer number of chefs that Foodable Labs is currently indexing, now at over 200,000 chefs on a global scale and nearing 80,000 in the United States.

What this means is, through this large-scale, comprehensive view of our chefs across 23 different social platforms, we are able to see how these chefs interact with restaurant consumers and understand these trends. Foodable Labs now analyzes more than 160 Million social restaurant consumers in the U.S., and the engagement from these consumers with chefs is what determines our Top 100 Social Chefs annual ranking.

This year, we have added in three separate scoring metrics that make up the 300-point scoring system from Foodable Labs: a chef’s score is measured by Food Sentiment, Service, and Engagement, all based on analyzing more than 650 unique key terms used from consumer-to-chef and chef-to-chef. This is largest foodservice- and chef-focused data center in the world!

This year’s list may feature the Top 100 Chefs, but we are also launching another something special: We are proud to announce the Chef’s Alliance, which is our newest platform of the top 1,000 chefs in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. The Chef’s Alliance is the

© 2016 Foodable Network, LLC. All rights reserved. 2016 Top 100 Social Chefs 3

first platform to provide a social chef scoring system, an overview of these chefs’ best-performing food, and a sort of digital CV for chefs around the world. Video integration, of course, is the key to the growth of the Chef’s Alliance. This platform will be a place where we harvest some of the best chef content in the world.

We are glad you are along for the ride to the most comprehensive chef analysis in the business!

Remember what you are here for,

Paul BarronCEO, editor-in-chief, executive producer

Foodable Network

Get a chance to experience how this process works. Connect with us at futurelabs@foodabletv.com.

© 2016 Foodable Network, LLC. All rights reserved. 2016 Top 100 Social Chefs 4

Top 100 Social Chefs Ranking 5

Top 100 Social Chefs 7

Top 10 Social Chefs Breakdown 9

Leading Culinary Trends to Up Your Game in the Kitchen 20

About This Report 29

About Foodable Labs 30

About Foodable Network 30

TABLE OF CONTENTS

© 2016 Foodable Network, LLC. All rights reserved. 2016 Top 100 Social Chefs 5

TOP 100 SOCIAL CHEFS RANKINGFrom the East Coast to the West Coast, from the North to the South, whether their specialties lie in European cuisine to Asian cuisine, chefs may come with different titles and different backgrounds, but one thing is for sure: They all have the same heart and passion for their craft and art.

These are the Top 100 Social Chefs for 2016, based on a culmination of a year’s worth of social consumer data centered around the leading chefs. That’s right — this ranking is not handpicked by an editorial team, but determined by Foodable Labs through the Restaurant Social Media Index (RSMI), which analyzes more than 220MM global restaurant consumers and more than 500K foodservice locations.

© 2016 Foodable Network, LLC. All rights reserved. 2016 Top 100 Social Chefs 6

These chefs are scored out of a 300-point system, measuring their food sentiment, service sentiment, and overall engagement. The system is also weighted to account for major network celebrity chefs, giving all artisans an equal playing field across the board.

So, without further ado, here’s how your favorite chefs performed on the digital landscape! (Continue to next page.)

© 2016 Foodable Network, LLC. All rights reserved. 2016 Top 100 Social Chefs 7

TOP 100 U.S. SOCIAL CHEFS

(1-50) 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425

Rick BaylessDavid ChangMarcus SamuelssonMichael VoltaggioDominique CrennGrant AchatzChris CosentinoDaniel BouludMarc ForgioneRoy ChoiMichael TuskCurtis DuffyLudo LefebvreMichael SchwartzVinny DotoloDanny MeyerStephanie IzardRenee EricksonJosé AndrésPaul QuiDavid BurkeAna SortunSpike MendelsohnJustin DevillierBryan Voltaggio

288.98288.12286.64285.91285.67285.46284.68284.51284.50283.61283.11282.22281.60281.57281.57281.55281.45281.37281.23280.69280.37280.34280.34280.13280.12

Overall Score 2016Chef NameRank

26272829303132333435363738394041424344454647484950

Daniela Soto-InnesEnrique OlveraAndrew CarmelliniThomas KellerPaul BerglundTodd Erickson Michael MinaJose MendinGraham ElliotJose GarcesTandy WilsonDan BarberJamie DeRosaTraci Des JardinsRick MoonenKen OringerTyler FlorenceApril BloomfieldJustin BeckettJoanne ChangEmeril LagasseSuzanne GoinTyson ColeSarah PlinerDominique Ansel

279.95279.91279.82279.81279.32278.96278.90278.62278.12277.85277.15276.82276.51275.88275.61274.56273.64271.59271.59271.56271.45271.45270.12269.97269.97

Overall Score 2016Chef NameRank

© 2016 Foodable Network, LLC. All rights reserved. 2016 Top 100 Social Chefs 8

51525354555657585960616263646566676869707172737475

Edward SuraDoug AdamsJessica LargeyZakary PelaccioJohn TesarJamie BissonnetteMindy SegalDahlia NarvaezJustin YuLidia BastianichDante de MagistrisMichael AnthonyJeremy FoxJoe NgJustin WarnerMark GarciaThomas McNaughtonHedy GoldsmithMatt AccarrinoMaria HinesSeamus MullenGreg VernickAkira BackJoshua SkenesDale Talde

269.92269.89269.81269.64268.91268.91268.73268.71267.91267.89267.89267.88267.23266.91266.88266.73266.57266.51266.50266.49266.29266.08265.81265.77265.37

Overall Score 2016Chef NameRank

767778798081828384858687888990919293949596979899100

Todd EnglishElizabeth FalknerGiorgio Rapicavoli Mario BataliChristina TosiDan KlugerJon ShookAaron SilvermanRichard RosendaleAndy HusbandsBrooke WilliamsonJenn LouisDavid BouleyMary Sue MillikenAlex StupakJonathon SawyerMicah FrankVivian HowardPatrick RyanGerard CraftSam KassKevin SbragaStephan PylesBlaine WetzelDavid Bull

264.89264.77264.58264.55264.45264.45264.45264.31264.27264.18263.98263.76263.49263.48262.75262.71262.59262.30262.11262.03261.89261.88261.72261.59261.57

Overall Score 2016Chef NameRank

TOP 100 U.S. SOCIAL CHEFS

(51-100)

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TOP 10 SOCIAL CHEFS BREAKDOWNFood and social media are one of those made-in-heaven combinations, like peaches and cream or peanut butter and jelly. Thanks to the power of popular platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, chefs are no longer hiding away in the kitchen. Instead, they’re putting a face to some of the restaurants and dishes we love so dearly. They’re connecting with the public and building loyal fan bases as they capture life in and out of the kitchen. What’s more, when done right, social media can be a powerful tool for chefs to share new menu items, create buzz about upcoming projects, and raise awareness for causes they hold near and dear to their hearts. Here are just some of the chefs that are getting it right on social media.

By Adria Valdes Greenhauff, Editor-at-Large

© 2016 Foodable Network, LLC. All rights reserved. 2016 Top 100 Social Chefs 10

Many people might know Rick Bayless from winning the title of Bravo’s “Top Chef Masters,” but that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this culinary pro’s influence on the industry. Throughout his longstanding career, Bayless, who holds a doctorate in Anthropological Linguistics from the University of Michigan, has changed the way Americans see and eat Mexican food through his cookbooks, popular PBS series, “Mexico: One Plate at a Time,” and his famed Chicago restaurants Frontera Grill and Topolobampo (which earned a Michelin star in 2015).

When he’s not in the kitchen, Bayless gives The Most Interesting Man in the World some stiff competition, doing everything from acting in theater to practicing yoga to tending to the $30,000 worth of fresh produce he’s cultivated in his at-home garden. With a healthy 59,700 Instagram fans and 931,000 Twitter followers, Bayless’ social media

feeds are fresh food heaven, with photo after photo of herbs, leafy greens, and root vegetables being transformed into plated masterpieces. And if you’re lucky, you may also get the occasional photo of this 62-year-old showing off dance moves or his best Astavakrasana pose. Talk about life goals.

Rick BaylessOverall Score

288.9801

@rick_bayless on Instagram

@rick_bayless on Instagram

© 2016 Foodable Network, LLC. All rights reserved. 2016 Top 100 Social Chefs 11

Famed chef and founder of Momofuku restaurant group (locations in NYC, Sydney, Toronto and Washington D.C.), David Chang has been dubbed the Korean-American rebel, getting attention for his deliciously creative food and his brash, edgy attitude. First inspired by a busy ramen shop he visited while living and teaching English in Japan, Chang decided to go to cooking school, and by the time he graduated, landed a job as a line cook at the Mercer Kitchen, owned by French restaurateur Jean-Georges. These days, Chang manages his own restaurant empire, where he puts his own spin on Japanese classics like miso paste, replacing the soy with American ingredients like chickpeas, sunflower seeds, and lentils.

“With Asian food becoming more accessible, we can do that with these sauces,” Chang said in an interview with Forbes. “Make it here in America —

make the best version of it, and hopefully create that trend.”

On social media, you can join Chang’s 589,000 Instagram followers to get a sneak peek on all the culinary magic that happens behind the scenes at Momofuku restaurants, as well as find out what restaurant and dishes around the world make Chang’s foodie heart sing.

David ChangOverall Score

288.1202

@davidchang on Instagram

@davidchang on Instagram

© 2016 Foodable Network, LLC. All rights reserved. 2016 Top 100 Social Chefs 12

Award-winning chef, restaurateur, cookbook author, and food activist, Marcus Samuelsson is as celebrity as chefs come. From regular TV appearances on shows like “Chopped,” “Iron Chef America,” and “Today,” to being honored as guest chef at the White House under the Obama administration, this Ethiopian-born chef, who was raised in Sweden, has been racking up impressive accolades since he became executive chef of Aquavit at just 24 years old, and soon after became the youngest chef to receive a three-star restaurant review from The New York Times.

Now, the 45-year-old keeps busy running multiple restaurants, including the famed Red Rooster Harlem, which opened in 2010. Samuelsson is involved with UNICEF, working toward ending malnutrition for children across the world. Samuelsson often uses social media to share his efforts of changing the world through food with his 215,000 Instagram fans and 376,000 Twitter followers.

Marcus SamuelssonOverall Score

286.6403

@marcuscooks on Instagram

@marcuscooks on Instagram

© 2016 Foodable Network, LLC. All rights reserved. 2016 Top 100 Social Chefs 13

Most of the world was first introduced to Michael Voltaggio when he competed on the sixth season of Bravo’s “Top Chef,” and beating out his brother, Bryan Voltaggio. Since then, the now 38-year-old lives in Los Angeles, where he’s running two restaurants: ink., which features a menu of modern New American dishes, and ink. sack, a creative sandwich shop serving up items like a “Tortilla Española” with caramelized onions, piquillo peppers chips, egg, manchego, and mayo.

Voltaggio was also named “Best New Chef” by Food & Wine in 2013. On Instagram, Voltaggio keeps his 83,000 fans (at time of publication) happy with plenty of mouth-watering food shots — both from his own restaurants, as well as ones he visits — along with a strong collection of selfies (nothing wrong with that)! He also runs a Facebook page with his brother where fans can stay up-to-date on all the collaborations these two siblings are working on.

Michael VoltaggioOverall Score

285.9104

@mvoltaggio on Instagram

@mvoltaggio on Instagram

© 2016 Foodable Network, LLC. All rights reserved. 2016 Top 100 Social Chefs 14

The first lady on our list of Top 100 Social Chefs, Dominique Crenn is the culinary talent behind the two Michelin-starred Atelier Crenn and Petit Crenn. (Fun fact: Her restaurant, Atelier Crenn, was No. 1 on our latest Top 100 Social Restaurants Report.)

She’s also been named the “World’s Best Female Chef” by San Pellegrino’s World’s 50 Best Restaurants list and “Best Chef of the Year” by Eater in 2015. Born in France, Crenn first fell in love with the art of cooking from watching her parents, particularly her father, from whom she,“learned to appreciate the subtle nuances and unique flavors of great cuisine,” Crenn told Food Network. On social media, she shares her passion of using organic, sustainable

local produce and ingredients in her food with vibrant and colorful photos of ingredients used in her dishes. She also uses her platform to advocate for women’s empowerment, most recently participating in Georg Jensen’s #IAmNeverTooMuch campaign.

Dominique CrennOverall Score

285.6705

@dominiquecrenn on Instagram

@dominiquecrenn on Instagram

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Highly-regarded as a thought leader and revolutionary chef, Grant Achatz has certainly made a name for himself in the world of molecular gastronomy. Trained at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, this 42-year-old culinary pro has gone from working his way through three-Michelin-star restaurants of Europe to scoring a sous-chef position at Thomas Keller’s French Laundry to eventually starting his own restaurant, Alinea, (regarded as one of the world’s greatest restaurants), which he recently moved from Chicago to Madrid. He’s known for his incredibly inventive dishes (like helium-filled edible balloons), which he often shares on his Instagram feed. On Twitter, meanwhile, you can catch Achatz polling the public on topics like whether or not people with crying babies should be banned from restaurants. Yikes.

Grant AchatzOverall Score

285.4606

@grant_achatz on Instagram

@grant_achatz on Instagram

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Like other chefs on our list, Chris Cosentino gained celebrity status from winning “Top Chef Masters,” as well as his stint as a competitor on “The Next Iron Chef” and appearances on “Iron Chef America.” A graduate from the culinary program at Johnson & Wales, Cosentino built his resume at Red Sage in Washington, D.C., and Redwood Park in the San Francisco Bay Area, among other restaurants, before becoming the executive chef at Incanto, where his modern interpretations of rustic Italian fare earned the restaurant its first 3-star review from the San Francisco Chronicle. Cosentino is also a co-creator of Boccalone, an acclaimed artisanal salumeria in San Francisco. Outside of the kitchen, Cosentino has been public about his struggle with

depression and anxiety. He isn’t shy about sharing his personal life on social media, either. If you follow Cosentino, it’s not rare for him to share glimpses of the family, friends, and things that inspire him.

Chris CosentinoOverall Score

284.6807

@offalchris on Instagram

@offalchris on Instagram

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French chef and restaurateur Daniel Boulud has quite the impressive portfolio with restaurants in New York, Palm Beach, Miami, Montreal, Toronto, London, Singapore, and Boston. And these aren’t just any restaurants. In fact, Boulud’s NYC flagship DANIEL, which he opened back in 1993, is a Michelin-starred Relais & Châteaux member, paving the way for five additional restaurants throughout Manhattan and a seat among New York City’s most regarded culinary pros. Boulud’s social media accounts are equally as impressive. He’s got over 200,000 followers on Instagram and his feed is star-studded with other big names in the culinary world, like Anthony Bourdain and Mario Batali.

Daniel BouludOverall Score

284.5108

@offalchris on Instagram

@grant_achatz on Instagram

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After competing on and winning season three of “The Next Iron Chef” in 2010, Marc Forgione became a household name and solidified his place among the culinary industry’s top talent. Today, the 37-year-old owns and operates several restaurants, including Restaurant Michael Forgione in NYC, Lobster Press, Khe-Yo (partner) and American Cut, which recently opened its second location in Englewood Cliffs, NJ. On social media, Forgione lets his 24,000+ Instagram followers in on all the culinary goodness that goes on behind-the-scenes of his professional life, with no shortage of mouthwatering photography that will leave you wishing smartphones had a scratch-and-sniff capability.

Marc ForgioneOverall Score

284.5009

@marcforgione on Instagram

@marcforgione on Instagram

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If you’ve ever had the pleasure of indulging at Kogi, Los Angeles’ iconic Korean BBQ food truck, then you’re familiar with Roy Choi, the man who not only made gourmet food trucks a thing, but who has also been credited for starting the Korean Mexican taco movement. The 46-year-old Korean native, who grew up in Orange County, has long been challenging traditions both in and out of the kitchen. After making a name for himself at Le Bernadin, Choi and his team set off on the streets of L.A. in 2008 with the first Korean BBQ truck, using Twitter to build a steady following and name for themselves in a then virtually nonexistent food truck scene.

The result: a street food revolution that spawned restaurants (Chego, A-Frame), a cookbook slash memoir, “L.A. Son;” a hotel, The Line, that Choi designed and filled with his restaurants; a new CNN.com series called “Street Food,” not to mention a healthy social media following. Choi’s Instagram account has an impressive 77,000+ followers (at time of publication), and his food truck, Kogi, has 148,000 followers on Twitter.

Roy ChoiOverall Score

283.6110

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LEADING CULINARY TRENDS TO UP YOUR GAME IN THE KITCHENNathan Myrhvold, former Microsoft chief technology officer and chef who co-authored the award-winning “Modernist Cuisine,” once put it best: “Cooking is an art, but all art requires knowing something about the techniques and materials.”

A chef’s craft can only be as refined as his or her passion and knowledge base. So, chefs, how are you keeping up with your art? Take a leaf out of Myrhvold’s (cook)book and keep your finger on the pulse of the leading culinary techniques and materials we’re seeing today. What new methods are emerging in foodservice?

By Mae Velasco, Custom Content Editor

© 2016 Foodable Network, LLC. All rights reserved. 2016 Top 100 Social Chefs 21

What ingredients are trending across menus? Do consumers prefer chains or independent restaurants? And does the vegan movement have any meat to it?

Foodable Labs, which analyzes more than 167K restaurant and hospitality brands daily, along with over 220MM global restaurant consumers and professionals engaged on social media, uncovered some of these shifts transpiring in culinary culture.

For example, did you know that the top 1000 chefs have mentioned using more tart and bitter flavors in their dishes in about 1.3 million conversations? And did you know that among the top 1000 chefs, they’ve discussed trends such as heritage-breed and grass-fed proteins 20 percent more this year than they did the year before? Or how about the fact that consumers are preferring independent restaurants over chains, with Foodable Labs revealing that almost 53 percent of social restaurant visits in September this year occurred at an independent restaurant?

Ready for some food for thought? Let’s explore the dominating menu changes, types of cuisine, and flavors and spices that took a bite out of 2016.

53+47+L47% Chain SRV

53% Independent SRV

Chain vs. Independent

Social Restaurant

Visits

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Making Moves on the Menu

Foodservice Is Coming Clean

As we’ve seen these last few decades with the rise of fast casual amid the falling popularity of fast food chains, consumers are becoming increasingly invested in their food, looking for education on the sourcing of ingredients, as well as the brand’s backstory, to make more health-beneficial choices.

Long story short, without losing convenience or consistency in taste, consumers are demanding healthier options. Customers are willing to pay higher prices for premium experiences, especially if they are better-for-you alternatives. (In fact, according to a poll by Forbes, of more than 30,000 individuals surveyed, 88 percent agreed that they would pay more for healthier foods.)

As a result, it’s no surprise that clean menus have become the most-talked about concern for the top 1000 chefs on social, totalling almost 12,500 conversations this year. And how are these chefs coming clean? By focusing on organic, all-natural sourcing, and avoiding chemicals and additives for a more holistic initiative, especially when it comes to waste, water conservation, humane animal treatment, and other ecological and social issues. Brands like Chipotle have advertised GMO-free menus, and even Panera announced in August that it would eliminate use of artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, and sweeteners by the end of the year. This demand is far from a fad — it’s a societal shift.

© 2016 Foodable Network, LLC. All rights reserved. 2016 Top 100 Social Chefs 23

“Everyone will scramble to sanitize their menu,” Michael Whiteman, president of global restaurant and hotel consultant agency Baum + Whiteman, told Forbes.

Are We Past the Days of Pasta?

In late September 2015, the Washington Post published an article titled “This Is What Happens When Everyone is Terrified of Carbs.” What emerged? Paleo diets. Gluten-free diets. The Whole30 program. The fear of carbs was killing pasta, and since 2009, sales of dried pasta have fallen by 6 percent in North America. (Ironically, Google data shows that this year, there was a 26 percent increase of online searches for pasta, but pasta consumption is still dropping — meaning, consumers are longingly looking for the food they “can’t have” or are trying to find ways to avoid it.)

This is reflected in Foodable Labs data, as well, revealing that almost 42 percent of consumers had fewer dialogues and mentions of pasta in their restaurant visits in the first six months of 2016 versus that in the previous year.

And as consumers are talking less about pasta, chefs are talking about it more — at least, talking about ways to reinvent it. Thirty-two percent of chefs are seeking pasta alternatives as they’re developing their menus. What changes will we see next year for this classic meal? Only

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time will tell, but chefs, have no fear. Diet restrictions don’t have to restrict your menu. Here’s how you can adjust your kitchen for health-conscious guests.

What’s the Meat of the Vegan Trend?

This year, we’ve seen more and more brands and consumers embracing the plant-based eating phenomenon. From more better-for-you concepts shaking up the Fast Casual Top 100 to innovations like the “bloody” plant-based Impossible Burger that smells, tastes, and sizzles like meat, this plant diet is without a doubt taking root and growing.

However, perhaps because veganism is still considered a niche that the general consumer has yet to buy into, only 12.7 percent of the top 1000 chefs have includes new vegan options at their restaurants this year. Meat proteins are still ranking high on the consumer radar when it comes to preference and priority.

This could change in the next year, as customer interest is undeniably sprouting, with Foodable Labs showing that there has been a near 30 percent increase in social consumer mentions surrounding the vegan trend.

© 2016 Foodable Network, LLC. All rights reserved. 2016 Top 100 Social Chefs 25

Food and Cuisine on the Rise

Time to Count Your Chickens

The saying “winner, winner, chicken dinner” has now been taken to a whole new level. Foodable Labs states that with almost 12 million social mentions in the first six months of 2016 alone, higher than

any other protein-based menu items, fried chicken is the food of the year!

In fact, it seems like with this much consumer popularity, the top 1000 chefs are counting their chickens before they hatch, especially when this group has mentioned the use of fried chicken in their menus 328 percent more than they did the year before.

The chicken sector is certainly hatching up, especially in the fast casual segment, which is typically dominated by better-burger and craft pizza. Consumers eat two times as much chicken as they do any other protein, and are known to being the healthier meat alternative after fish.

Brands such as Cowboy Chicken are taking advantage of this by going artisan and cooking their chicken naturally over a hickory wood-burning fire. Speaking of natural, The Organic Coup takes that to new heights as the first USDA certified organic fast food restaurant, using chicken sourced locally and air-chilled, opposed to using a water-chlorine bath for preservation. Spring Chicken is just another example of a chicken-based fast casual that has found success this year, and we’re sure more will join these brands

© 2016 Foodable Network, LLC. All rights reserved. 2016 Top 100 Social Chefs 26

in the coming months.

Aloha to Hawaiian Cuisine

A new trend is poking its head into menus. Poke, a Hawaiian staple that consists of chopped, seasoned, raw fish and often topped with seaweed and other ingredients of a customer’s choosing — almost like sushi in a bowl — has made its way to the mainland. This Chipotle-style, island dish is attractive for its freshness, sustainable qualities, and for its perceived healthiness, as it can be served as a lighter alternative to a heavier meal.

Once a craze that took the Los Angeles fast casual scene by storm has now made its way further into the East Coast, delighting New Yorkers. And according to Foodable Labs, Hawaiian cuisine had the largest increase in popularity among social restaurant consumers at over 1.3 million mentions in the first two quarters of 2016. This was a 210 percent increase over the same time last year.

Time to bust out those poke bowls and tropical drinks and get comfy by the beach. Hawaiian cuisine is here to stay and we’re saying aloha to this delicious up-and-coming trend.

Jewish Dishes Garnering New Attention

Jewish cuisine is on the rise, and what makes this cuisine so special is that it has evolved over centuries and centuries, and has been influenced by the culinary traditions of different countries. It is a diverse collection of the unique stories of people around the world. While styles of Jewish cuisine can fall under various groups, such as Ashkenazi, Sephardi, Mizrahi, Latin-American, and others, there

© 2016 Foodable Network, LLC. All rights reserved. 2016 Top 100 Social Chefs 27

were two particular dishes that received notable attention based on Foodable Labs data.

Matzo ball soup, an Ashkenazi Jewish dish made with dumplings that are a mix of matzah meal, eggs, water, and a fat, is typically served in a chicken soup and traditionally enjoyed during Passover. But consumers aren’t passing over this dish. In the first half of 2016, matzo ball soup rose about 22 percent in mentions versus the same time period in 2015.

And chicken isn’t the only bird coming home to roost the menu. Smoked duck, another Jewish cuisine staple, dominated social growth at about a 43 percent increase in the same amount of time.

How Some Chefs Are Spicing Things Up

Spices are the finesse of a meal and often add the final touch of flavor. Whether it’s oregano, tamarind, or paprika, to parsley, wasabi, or thyme, chefs have an arsenal of spices at their disposal to fire up any dish.

What were the most popular ones we’ve seen this year, as stated by the top 1000 chefs? Based off Foodable Labs data in the first two quarters of 2016 compared to those of 2015, here were their favorites:

Piri piri, also known as African bird’s eye chili and the Swahili word for “pepper pepper,” is a key component for very hot red sauces. While its recipe changes from region to region, piri piri sauces often have chili, lemon, red bell peppers, and oil as common

© 2016 Foodable Network, LLC. All rights reserved. 2016 Top 100 Social Chefs 28

ingredients. This spice grew in mentions by 214 percent.

Gochujang, a savory and spicy condiment made from red chili, fermented soybeans, salt, and glutinous rice, hails from Korea. Its spike in interest by consumers in North America has even made it deemed the “next Sriracha,” following the now-coveted Thai sauce. As a result, gochujang has gone up 182 percent in mentions from the top 1000 chefs this year.

Shichimi togarashi, or commonly known as shichimi and which roughly translates to “seven spice,” is a Japanese spice that eponymously uses seven ingredients or flavors for one mixture. It increased 112 percent in mentions in 2016.

Turmeric is already popular in mainstream media for its perceived health benefits, such as fighting diabetes and lowering cholesterol, as well as being known as a miracle spice that could improve depression, asthma, eczema, and even cancer. Earthy, peppery, a little bitter, and a whole lot popular, turmeric increased in mentions by 78 percent.

And there you have it, the leading culinary trends for 2016. Are you incorporating them into your menu? If not, you better get started — 2017 is just around the corner, and then it’ll be time to play catch up once again!

© 2016 Foodable Network, LLC. All rights reserved. 2016 Top 100 Social Chefs 29

ABOUT THIS REPORT

The data for this report is provided in partnership with DigitalCoCo, LLC and the industry-leading social data analysis platform, the Restaurant Social Media Index. Foodable Labs is the culmination of this partnership and currently pulls from more than 167K restaurant and hospitality brands daily, over 220MM global restaurant consumers engaged in social, more than 500K foodservice locations, and contains the world’s largest accumulated social data available on the foodservice and hospitality industry, with over 12 billion data points on food and beverage expected to be analyzed in 2016.

Foodable Labs is built on an unstructured data model, which is the key to real analysis for any business. Clarity on the pure opinion of consumers, brands, chefs, and operators are unfiltered and unguided, leading to the true results and actions of the industry. Using this data model enables Foodable Labs to present unique insights never presented before and can drive results for your business goals as a result.

View our other published reports here, or check back for more industry analysis from our upcoming, industry-leading guides and reports:

Make sure your restaurant is included in our analysis for the restaurant and hospitality industry by submitting it at http://rsmindex.com/services/submit-your-brand.

• Annual Top 100 Restaurants • Annual Fast Casual Top 100 Social

Brands• Annual Top 50 Emerging Pizza

Concepts• Annual Top 100 Social Chefs• Annual Spirits Interactive Guide• Interactive Franchising Guide• Annual Beer & Wine Interactive Guide• Annual Foodservice Technology

Guide

• Annual Foodservice Equipment Guide• Annual Chefs & Artisans Guide• Annual Menu Trends & Insights• Annual Restaurant Social Consumer

Trends• Annual Restaurant Customer Service

Guide• Annual Top 100 Most Loved Brands• Bi-Annual Most Loved Fast Casual

Brands• Annual Chef & Brand Sourcing Guide

© 2016 Foodable Network, LLC. All rights reserved. 2016 Top 100 Social Chefs 30

ABOUT FOODABLE LABS

Foodable Labs — powered by the Restaurant Social Media Index (RSMI), which has indexed 21K+ brands and 240K+ foodservice terms for almost a decade — provides global industry insights and one-of-a-kind overviews on chef, operator, and consumer-behavior trends. Our multiple reports and insight centers are focused on key-industry terms and trends driven from the most expansive social data.

ABOUT FOODABLE NETWORK

Launched in September 2013, Foodable Network is a media organization founded by restaurant industry publisher and producer, Paul Barron. With the largest social media audience and reach in restaurant trade, Foodable reaches chefs, operators and brands nationwide and internationally in Canada and the U.K. through broadcast-quality production, strong editorial content, the Foodable Top 25 rankings, reports and insights, the Foodable Annual Tech Guide and events such as Foodable.io. Visit us at FoodableTV.com.