Amid 2025's food trends, chefs in India dive into what to expect in 2026

Over-explaining dishes
Guests don’t always want long stories at the table, says Founder and Chef Manuel Olveira, La Loca Maria and La Panthera. “Chefs are moving towards reading the room better — if someone is curious, tell them more; if they’re in the middle of a conversation, just let them enjoy their meal,” he adds.

Long tasting menus
The 18-course marathon is losing steam globally. “Diners prefer shorter, tighter tasting menus that are still special but don’t feel like homework,” says Olveira.

Carbon-copy cafés
“Same décor, same croissants, same matcha, same menus — especially crammed into Bandra. This kind of homogenisation is quietly eroding local food identity,” says Malik.

Shortcut luxury ingredients
Gold leaf, excessive truffle oil, or caviar for the sake of it do not define good food, says Dhiraj Dargan, brand chef, Comorin. True luxury is about technique and sourcing. A well-cooked dal or parotta can feel far more indulgent than imported ingredients used without purpose.

Overcomplicated spectacle
Chef Rahul Akerkar, creative and culinary director at Aditya Birla New Age Hospitality has cooked long enough to smell nonsense a mile away. “Over-styled plates, unnecessary drama, and ‘viral’ dishes often forget the basics: balance, flavour, and technique. If a dish needs a ring light to survive, it probably doesn’t deserve a menu spot,” he adds.

Hussain Shahzad, executive chef, Hunger Inc. Hospitality, adds, “Places chasing viral dishes often forget how people actually eat. Excessive cheese pulls, unnecessary gold leaf, and dishes designed only to be photographed are losing relevance. People want food they can return to, not just post once.”

Service that feels stiff
Shahzad feels that overly formal service can create distance. Guests want warmth, ease, and real conversations. Hospitality should feel natural, not rigid or intimidating.

Dining like a checklist
Restaurants trying to do everything at once: global menus, endless sections, too many concepts and cuisines in one space often lose their soul. “When food becomes a checklist of trends instead of a clear point of view, the experience feels confusing,” says Shahzad.

Fusion without thought
“Too often I see random ingredients thrown together and called innovation,” says Akerkar. Adding gochujang to butter chicken or truffle oil to dal doesn’t make food modern. India already has one of the world’s most layered culinary traditions. Innovation should come from understanding ingredients, regions, and technique, not from shortcut mash-ups designed for novelty.” Dargan is also against this. “Fusion without context doesn’t work. Mixing ingredients from different cuisines needs cultural understanding. Otherwise, it feels gimmicky. Today’s diners are far more aware and can tell when flavours do not belong together,” he adds.

On the other hand, on the global cuisine front, exposure will move beyond broad national labels to something far more granular, says AD Singh. “Instead of generic ‘Italian’ or ‘Japanese’ food, we’ll see restaurants focusing on specific states, districts, and neighbourhoods — reflecting how people actually eat in those places. Concepts like Hood, which showcase neighbourhood food cultures and their rituals, traditions, and everyday practices, point in this direction. As diners travel more and learn more, they’ll seek authenticity rooted in lived experience rather than surface-level representation,” he adds.

Aam Ki Kadhi, Khoba Roti, Bakharwadi at Comorin

Imported health fads 
Akerkar feels we’ve somehow convinced ourselves that wellness comes in plastic tubs from overseas, while ignoring the intelligence of our own traditions. “We seem to chase expensive, over-processed plant-based substitutes and imported superfoods while ignoring our own deeply evolved vegetarian cuisines. A well-cooked dal, seasonal sabzi, or fermented batter is far more intelligent and sustainable than anything that arrives frozen, flavoured, and factory-made. I’d trade a dozen processed ‘plant-based’ products for one well-cooked Indian meal,” he adds.

Overloaded desserts
Chef Prateek Bakhtiani feels desserts that try to do it all — multiple textures, sauces, garnishes and techniques piled onto one plate — often lose clarity and restraint. “More elements don’t necessarily mean more pleasure. Today’s diners value precision, balance and intention over visual excess,” he adds.

2026, bring these on!

Rahul Akerkar, Yajush Malik and Manuel Olveira 

Cooking that starts with the ingredient, not the idea
For Akerkar, the most exciting food today begins with asking, ‘What’s in season? Where did this come from? Who grew it?’ Whether it’s native seafood or a forgotten grain, clarity of ingredient brings clarity to the plate. Chefs who understand provenance and seasonality will define credibility, especially in cities like Mumbai, where diners are informed, curious and far more informed than we give them credit for.

Chindian comeback
We love our Indian Chinese and often crave it at some point. “I’m hoping more chefs take note of this and add some good old chicken Manchurian on menus,” says Malik.

Better convenience meals
The demand for ready-to-eat/ convenience meals has been on the rise as urban populations grow. Malik hopes someone enters the space with a high-quality solution, as the current offering is extremely basic and preservative-laden. 

Global technique to elevate Indian food, not dilute it
As a corollary to the forgettable fusion trend point Akerkar made earlier, he feels Indian food needs precision, restraint, and confidence to elevate it without diluting its identity. “When a global technique is applied thoughtfully, it can sharpen Indian flavours rather than mask them. That balance is where I see real growth,” he adds.

Clear, confident menus
Restaurants with a strong point of view are winning, feels Olveira. “Whether it’s Spanish, modern European, or veg-forward, diners respond to clarity and identity, not menus that try to do everything.” 

Grilled fish of the day at ODE

Sustainability as an everyday discipline
In Akerkar’s kitchens, sustainability isn’t a marketing line; it’s just how they survive. “Mumbaikars understand scarcity of space, time, and resources, so sustainability must be practical. Smaller menus, less waste, smarter sourcing, and respecting ingredients because they’re precious. This shouldn’t be attention-grabbing lip service, but rather a common-sense practice driving better decisions, made quietly and consistently,” he affirms.

Amrud Ki Sabzi, Palak Masala Thalipeeth at Comorin

Mindful indulgence
The future is not about restriction but balance. Lighter cooking, fermented foods, better fats, and ingredient-led dishes that make you feel good after eating. Indian kitchens have practised this for generations, and we are seeing it resonate worldwide now,” says Dargan.

AD Singh, Prateek Bakhtiani, Dhiraj Dargan and Hussain Shahzad

Casual excellence
People want great food without the formality, says Olveira. “The global direction is high-quality cooking served in warm, relaxed spaces — fine dining technique without the stiffness,” he adds.

PEKOE Single Origin Ghana Milk-Dark Darjeeling Black Tea, Berry by Prateek Bakhtiani

Culinary cross-pollination
Bakhtiani shares how pastry kitchens are borrowing intelligently from savoury playbooks — browning, fermenting, curing and smoking — to build deeper, more layered desserts.

Goan Grilled Prawns at Gallops

Indian ingredients going global
“Just how the simple kafir lime became an ingredient found on menus almost world over, I’m hoping some of our ingredients like the Gondhoraj lebu, kokum, Ou Tenga, red rice, etc, make it onto more global menus,” hopes Malik.

Pie lamb nihari at Papa’s

Comfort, refined 
Bakhtiani feels familiar formats like  brownies, tarts, layered cakes and ice creams are being revisited with better ingredients, sharper technique and cleaner sweetness. Desserts with fewer components, a strong sense of purpose and a clear flavour hierarchy are leading the way.

Open kitchen at Papa’s Bandra

Kitchens are becoming more transparent
People want to know where their food comes from but also how it is made. “Open kitchens, visible prep, and honest conversations about sourcing build trust and connection should be the norm,” says Shahzad. Hospitality that extends beyond the restaurant, as dining does not end at the table anymore. “Thoughtful takeaways, collaborations, community meals, and storytelling outside the space help restaurants become part of people’s lives, not just a night out,” says Shahzad.

La Dolce Vita at Call Me Sofia

People will be drinking less
The defining shift of 2026, says AD Singh, will be drinking less  — by choice, not constraint. Low- and no-alcohol beverages, zero-proof cocktails, and alcohol-free bars are poised for rapid growth, driven by a cultural reset as much as health. “People want clarity, better conversations and social lives that don’t revolve around excess,” he says. Socialising, he believes, will move towards intention over indulgence, with aperitivos and spritzes replacing hard liquor. As wellness and wider interests take precedence, Singh is confident that late-night partying will give way to earlier evenings, longer days and a more mindful approach to how — and why — we go out.

Paddus with a twist at Monkey Bar, Bandra

Hyper-local and climate-smart cooking
While it has been a gradual approach,  Dargan thinks cooking with what grows around you will define the future. “Seasonal produce, local grains, and regional flavours are the new markers of quality,” he says. Olveira also adds, “Chefs everywhere are celebrating hyper-local ingredients and older cooking practices — heirloom grains, forgotten cuts, small-producer cheeses, and ingredients that carry real stories,” he adds. AD Singh expects to see more restaurants spotlighting lesser-known regional, sub-regional, and even community-specific dishes from across India. 

Andhra Gongura Chicken, Crispy Murukku at Comorin

Elevated comfort food
Globally, diners are moving toward familiar flavours done really well. Food that is nostalgic but refined, whether it is a humble paruppu sadam or a slow-cooked curry paired with fresh parotta, is what people connect with emotionally,” says Dargan.

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