The 2025/6 Season's Flavour Index
January 2025
By Hannerie Visser (Studio H)
The flavours that dominate our menus and supermarket shelves, like many food trends, originate in some of the world’s best restaurants, at the hands of a famous chef in their experimentation lab (like noma’s Noma Projects), at a food designer’s pop-up (like Herrlich dining in Berlin), or in a newly released book (like Dr Arielle Johnson’s Flavorama). Based on Studio H’s analysis of menus from The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and industry trends, we reveal the key ingredients, global flavour fusions, and innovative techniques driving the future of gastronomy:
Earth and umami profiles keep rising
Mushrooms and fungi feature prominently in dishes across multiple menus. For example, Frantzén in Stockholm incorporates maitake mushrooms in a dish with barbecued quail, while Atomix in New York highlights enoki mushrooms as part of a Korean-inspired tasting course. Mycelium is gaining popularity as a sustainable, flavour-rich protein alternative. Elkano in Spain features a dish simply named cep and trumpet, while Florilège in Tokyo serves mushroom flan.
Ocean flavours reinvented
Restaurants like Central in Lima and Elkano in Getaria push the boundaries of seafood by integrating marine plants such as sea lettuce and algae. Seacuterie is featured on the menus at Odette in Singapore and A Casa do Porco in São Paulo. The uniqueness of Uliassi’s cuisine is found in the chef’s study of marine flavours and how they meet and “contaminate” meat-based products, with ingredients like shrimp brain and seared cuttlefish on their menu in Italy. Lima’s Mayta, with their great attention to sustainability, serves paiche, an Amazonian fish that needs to be eaten to prevent the destruction of other species.
K-wave
If food is the ultimate window into culture, and Korean culture is increasingly prevalent and valued internationally, then Atomix in New York provides the ultimate gastronomic manifestation of the K-wave phenomenon. This is Korean dining at its very finest: sophisticated and flavoursome food, with dishes grounded in heritage, but distinct and innovative. Dishes range from lamb with deodeok (a Korean root vegetable) to cherry blossom trout with Korean mustard and rhubarb; sea cucumber might be served with shrimp and egg over rice, while just-grilled wagyu is contrasted with cold noodles. Atomix is providing a fresh and more international perspective on Korean cuisine, outside the boundaries of hansik (traditional Korean food) or ‘New Korean’ gastronomy. It has become one of the most influential restaurants in the world
Aromatic and floral ingredients
Florals such as rose and violet are appearing in cocktails and desserts, offering a subtle aromatic dimension. Trèsind Studio in Dubai uses rose in its take on a traditional dessert, while Disfrutar in Barcelona incorporates floral elements into their molecular gastronomy-inspired sweets.
Complex fruits in savoury and sweet dishes
Flavours like yuzu and tamarind are gaining popularity. Gaggan in Bangkok features tamarind in a spicy and tangy amuse-bouche, and Septime in Paris uses kumquats to add acidity to seafood dishes, balancing sweet and savoury elements, while El Chapo in Bogotá serves lobster with tamarind and ant.
The rise of seasonal vegetables
Fine dining menus are elevating seasonal vegetables to hero status. Celeriac, for instance, is featured as a main course at Belcanto in Lisbon, while beets are showcased in creative presentations at Piazza Duomo in Alba. These dishes reflect a focus on sustainability and plant-based excellence. At Alain Passard’s Arpège in Paris, the stars of the menu remain vegetables and plant-based ingredients on his mostly animal-free menu. At Reale in Abruzzo, a singular broccoli leaf is served simply with an anise sauce.
In summary
While Europe retains a dominant presence on this year’s list, the increasing influence of Asia and Latin America indicates a shift towards more global representation. Tokyo, Lima, and Mexico City feature multiple times on the list, showcasing their culinary innovation and status as essential destinations for fine dining.
Sustainability, storytelling, cross-cultural experimentation and disruption of the status quo are growing trends within the fine dining world.
Hannerie Visser is the founder and creative director of Studio H, a team of culinary-minded designers that specialise in food trend reporting, product innovation and experience design.
Through exploring emerging trends, SensoryFX is committed to understanding consumer motivations, allowing us to create flavours that delight and inspire.