Top Dining Trends for 2025: Future-Proof Your Business
/As we step into an era where sustainability is a requirement, rather than an option, the hospitality and dining industries find themselves at a crossroads. The rise of climate-conscious consumers and forward-thinking businesses has set the stage for two major shifts in dining: plant-based innovation and a return to simplicity through local, seasonal foods. While it may sound like these are two opposing ideas, the reality is that diverse approaches are needed in order to ensure dining experiences are not only exciting and memorable but also future-proof.
If you are a chef or hospitality leader, creating your F&B plans for 2025 presents a chance for you to rethink what you serve, how you serve it, and why it matters. Let’s explore what this transformation looks like and why investing in sustainable food practices is a key to longevity of your business concept in a changing world.
Future-Proofing: A Key Concept for 2025 and Beyond
The term "future-proofing" has emerged as a guiding principle for businesses across industries, and for good reason. In dining, future-proofing means creating menus, supply chains, and customer experiences that are resilient, adaptable, and sustainable. Hopefully you are already preparing for a future where food is produced and consumed more responsibly, but if you haven’t yet focused on this as a priority, then 2025 is your year to align your F&B initiatives with both environmental needs and evolving consumer expectations.
For restaurants and hotels, future-proofing is an actionable strategy that requires:
A willingness to innovate with plant-based options that reduce environmental impact.
A commitment to sourcing local, seasonal, and forgotten ingredients to foster biodiversity.
A transparent approach to food sourcing and allergen management.
The adoption of zero-waste practices that honor the full potential of every ingredient.
These elements not only help your business adapt to new consumer priorities but also build trust, loyalty, and a reputation for excellence.
Two Approaches to a Sustainable Future
The future of sustainable dining is multifaceted. While plant-based innovation is capturing the imagination of adventurous diners, a parallel movement focuses on returning to the roots of food—embracing simplicity, seasonality, and locality. Let’s break down these two complementary approaches.
1. Plant-Based Innovation: Meeting the Curious and Forward-Thinking Customer
Plant-based dining has transcended its niche status to become a driving force in the food industry. This movement isn’t about merely replacing meat with alternatives; it’s about reimagining what food can be. For chefs and restaurateurs, it’s an opportunity to showcase creativity, celebrate diversity, and cater to an increasingly health-conscious and eco-aware audience.
Some of the most exciting developments we have seen in the forecast for 2025 in plant-based innovation include:
Melon Seed Milk and Cheese: A lesser-known dairy alternative that highlights how even overlooked ingredients can become sustainable staples. (The Spanish Barcelona based company VÄCKA has combined food waste reduction thinking with plant-based innovation to make cheese from melon seeds and olive oil!)
Plant-Based Aquatic Ingredients: Think seaweed, algae, and other marine plants, which are not only nutrient-dense but also environmentally regenerative.
The Rise of Plant-Based Seafood: Fish has long been praised for its nutritional value and omegas, but those nutrients come from the food fish eat. By removing the "middle-fish," we can go straight to the source. Seaweed and algae are being used in more dishes and vitamins for their unique taste and rich nutritional value. For example:
CatchFree is developing sustainable, nutrient-rich plant-based seafood, starting with a microalgae-based shrimp alternative.
French seafood brand Petit Navire (owned by Thai Union) has partnered with microalgae startup ALGAMA Foods to create the Cap Végétal range. This includes canned marinated plant-based fish in flavors like Olives & Oregano, Lemon & Thyme, and Tomatoes & Herbs. The products are made from wheat and soy combined with algae oil and sea lettuce, offering a rich source of protein and omega-3.
Cured Vegetables: Techniques like curing, fermenting, and aging are being applied to vegetables, transforming them into dishes that are both sustainable and deeply flavorful. (French brand AVE Racine )
These innovations represent a new mindset that prioritizes creativity, nutrition, and planet-friendly practices.
2. Back to Basics: Simplicity, Seasonality, and Locality
While innovation drives excitement, there is equal power in simplicity. A growing number of chefs are championing a return to local and seasonal produce, aligning menus with the rhythms of nature and honoring the integrity of ingredients. This approach is about reconnecting with food in its purest form and reducing the carbon footprint of our meals.
Key elements of the “back to basics” movement include:
Menus That Evolve With the Seasons: By celebrating what’s fresh and local at any given time, restaurants can deliver food that tastes better, requires fewer resources to produce, and supports local farmers.
Rediscovering Forgotten Ingredients: From ancient grains to heritage vegetables, these underused foods offer variety, nutrition, and biodiversity to modern menus.
Growing In-House Herbs and Vegetables: Vertical gardens, rooftop farms, and on-site herb gardens are allowing chefs to source ultra-fresh ingredients while offering diners a transparent farm-to-table experience.
Zero-Waste and Full-Use Cuisine: The “zero-waste” philosophy is gaining traction, encouraging chefs to use every part of an ingredient—whether it’s turning carrot tops into pesto or using citrus peels for flavor infusions.
This movement is grounded in a powerful reality: our global food supply is far too limited. Just 12 plant species and 5 types of animals make up 75% of the world’s food. However, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, there are 30,000 edible plant species available. By rediscovering and integrating these forgotten foods, we can build a more sustainable and diverse food system.
You may think — what kind of chef am I? An innovative chef? Or a “back to basics” proponent? We encourage you to not label yourself, or feel like you have to choose just one of these paths forward. The best approach will be one that feels values aligned for you, while also honoring what your customers are asking for, in addition to working within the opportunities and limitations of your company guidelines, your kitchen space, and your team’s capacity. There is not one path forward. What we do need is everyone trying their best, and we also need to share our success stories to learn from each other.
What Do Modern Diners Really Want?
The expectations of today’s diners have shifted dramatically—in some markets, and in others, they are still more traditional. So we need to ask not only “what do our customers want” but also “what do our customers deserve?” Beyond taste and presentation, customers are seeking deeper connections with their food, and even if this is not something they know to appreciate yet, we believe that they deserve to be exposed to these concepts:
Transparency: Where did this food come from? Who grew it? Is it sustainable?
Connection: A dining experience that tells a story—whether it’s the journey of an ingredient or the cultural significance of a dish.
Excellence in Plant-Based Cuisine: Diners expect plant-based dishes to be just as satisfying, flavorful, and sophisticated as traditional fare.
A tip to enhance transparency: QR-coded menus are here to stay, but their role will evolve. Informative QR codes that provide details on allergens, ingredient sourcing, and sustainability practices will soon become the norm, offering diners full transparency at their fingertips. In some restaurants, we already see separate vegan and gluten menus being offered via QR code for customers that would prefer to filter out the items they won’t eat.
The Numbers Speak for Themselves
The case for investing in sustainable, plant-based food is backed by compelling data:
The Global Plant-Based Market: According to Bloomberg Intelligence, the plant-based food market is projected to reach $162 billion by 2030, with an annual growth rate of 18.6%.
Hotels and Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Hotels that offer plant-based options can reduce food-related greenhouse gas emissions by up to 50% per guest. (Pro tip! This is hard to do without removing or reducing beef, lamb and veal from your menus)
Willingness to Pay More: A survey by the Good Food Institute revealed that 55% of consumers are willing to pay a premium for plant-based options, driven by concerns about health, sustainability, and ethics.
Rising Demand: According to Technomic, 58% of foodservice operators have reported increased demand for plant-based options—especially in restaurants, hotels, and event catering.
These numbers make one thing clear: sustainable, plant-based dining is an opportunity for growth, differentiation, and long-term success.
The Future Is Plant-Based and Sustainable
As we face environmental challenges, changing consumer values, and a rapidly growing market for plant-based options, businesses that adapt will lead the way.
The future of dining lies in bold innovation and a reverence for simplicity—in nourishing people while preserving the planet. Whether you’re a restaurateur, hotelier, or chef, the time to act is now, and we would love to be part of your success. Whether it’s supporting you in elevating your menus, training your staff, or sharing your success story with our network, we invite you to connect with us around how we might collaborate.
This article was written by: Sophie Downie, Certified Vegan Hospitality Consultant @la_provegan based in Bordeaux, France
Want to learn more? Watch Sophie’s full presentation on this topic at our recent online conference!