Is 2019 going to be the year of the carrot?

When we list up-and-coming food trends, most of the time the honors go to ‘exotic’ fruits, vegetables, or cuisines that are gaining recognition outside of the native areas. Pantry and refrigerator staples are rarely trendsetters, which is why one phenomenon has piqued the interest of Australian Gourmet Traveller. The magazine reports on the surprising carrot trend that has popped up in 2019. 

Carrots are not relegated to a side dish that you kids will wrinkle their noses over, instead it is playing a starring role on restaurant menus. Ranging from hasselback carrots to carrots tartare to Dutch-carrot soufflé with scampi roe, the humble carrot is being elevated in fine dining establishments. Chef Adam Wolfers thinks that carrots and other vegetables are extremely versatile: “When you get a nice piece of steak, there’s only really one way to cook it,” he says. “With a carrot, you can cook it a thousand different ways.” 

As chefs continue to look to vegetables to meet consumer demands for more plant-forward menu offerings, carrots are a natural fit. Dishes like Carrot tartare can showcase the attributes of the sweet, earthy vegetable and please vegetarians and omnivores alike. How long carrots will ride their current wave of popularity is anyone’s guess, but for the moment they continue to shine. 

Roast carrot soup with carrot-top pesto from Australian Gourmet Traveller Magazine