The Tastemakers: A Celebrity Rice Farmer, a Food Truck Lobbyist, and Other Innovators Putting Food Trends on Your Plate

by David Sax

Overview

Tastemaker, n. Anyone with the power to make you eat quinoa.

Kale. Spicy sriracha sauce. Honeycrisp apples. Cupcakes. These days, it seems we are constantly discovering a new food that will make us healthier, happier, or even somehow cooler. Chia seeds, after a brief life as a novelty houseplant and I Love the '80s punchline, are suddenly a superfood. Not long ago, that same distinction was held by pomegranate seeds, açai berries, and the fermented drink known as kombucha. So what happened? Did these foods suddenly cease to be healthy a few years ago? And by the way, what exactly is a "superfood" again?

In this eye-opening, witty work of reportage, David Sax uncovers the world of food trends: Where they come from, how they grow, and where they end up. Traveling from the South Carolina rice plot of America's premier grain guru to Chicago's gluttonous Baconfest, Sax reveals a world of influence, money, and activism that helps decide what goes on your plate. On his journey, he meets entrepreneurs, chefs, and even data analysts who have made food trends a mission and a business. The Tastemakers is full of entertaining stories and surprising truths about what we eat, how we eat it, and why.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781610395496
Publisher:	PublicAffairs
Publication date:	05/26/2015
Edition description:	First Trade Paper Edition
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	5.70(w) x 8.80(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

David Sax is a writer, reporter, and speaker who specializes in business and culture. His previous book, The Revenge of Analog, was a #1 Washington Post bestseller, was selected as one of Michiko Kakutani's Top Ten books of 2016 for the New York Times, and has been translated into six languages. He is the author of Save the Deli, which won a James Beard award, and The Tastemakers. He lives in Toronto.

Table of Contents

Introduction ix

Part I The Four Types of Trends

1 The Cultural Trend: Sex Appeal 3

2 Agriculture: The Slow Boat to China Black 29

3 Chefs: A Ceviche in Every Pot 51

4 Health: Take Two Chia Seeds and Call Me in the Morning 75

Part II How Trends Break Out

5 Sales: Awards Night 105

6 Data: The Trendwatchers 127

7 Marketing: Someday My Red Prince Will Come 149

Part III Why Food Trends Matter

8 Ethnic Foods: As American as Chicken Tikka Masala 177

9 Food Politics: The Taco Truck March on Washington 205

10 Money: Baconomics 101 233

11 Aftermath: Fondue Retires to Florida 255

Epilogue: A Cronut at the End of the Rainbow 277

Acknowledgments 291

Selected Bibliography 295

Index 303

Editorial Reviews

“Entertaining… Sax has seized on a big, juicy topic, and is at his best in on-the-scene reporting, where the brisk, funny, assured voice that earned him many fans…keeps us galloping through the aisles… Sax is great company, a writer of real and lasting charm… The Tastemakers will leave readers wondering about how susceptible we are to the charms of any new food—and how long we're likely to stay captivated.”—New York Times Book Review

“Sax…embarks on a lively culinary your of America, consulting chefs, producers, foodies, food buyers, and trend forecasters to find out why one day sriracha sauce is all the rage, and the next, people are adding kale to every meal.”—The Economist

“Sax has done his homework—and probably put on a few pounds. A solid overview of trendsetting foods brought to life with colorful examples.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Sax declares, food trends, though sometimes annoying, deepen and expand our cultural palate, spur economic growth, provide broad variety in our diets, and promote happiness.”—Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

…entertaining…Sax has seized on a big, juicy topic, and is at his best in on-the-scene reporting, where the brisk, funny, assured voice that earned him many fans for his previous book…keeps us galloping through the aisles of the gigantic annual Fancy Food Show…Or through the fields of South Carolina and restaurants of Charleston…No matter whom he's describing, Sax is great company, a writer of real and lasting charm.

The New York Times Book Review - Corby Kummer

2014-03-26
How does an obscure flavor featured one day in a trendy, high-end cocktail become a leading component of grocery-store barbecue sauce the next year?Food trends inevitably shape what we eat on a daily basis. James Beard Award winner Sax (Save the Deli: In Search of Perfect Pastrami, Crusty Rye, and the Heart of Jewish Delicatessen, 2009) explores how food trends start, why they matter, and how they grow and move through our culture. He breaks down four types of trends: cultural, agriculture-based, chef-driven and health-based, with anecdotes and examples of cupcakes, china black rice, chia seeds and Greek yogurt. "Trends are the process of a feedback loop," writes the author, "of competition between talents, and they are a balance between following the herd, pleasing customers, and letting creativity flow." Sax also describes how trends take off in our culture through food events and awards, trend forecasting and marketing efforts. "[T]he increased competitiveness of the grocery business coupled with the rapid spread of foodie culture has sent the big grocers deeper into the world of specialty foods," he writes, accelerating the trajectory of food trends. So why do food trends even matter? Sax argues they "can deepen and expand our culture beyond the plate." The rise of food trucks in Washington, D. C., illustrates how trends have the "ability to change laws and behaviors by the sheer nature of their popularity." By taking undervalued products, such as pork belly and bacon, and raising their value, food trends represent capitalism at its finest. Sax notes that, due to food media and an increasingly popular foodie culture, "food trends are springing up quicker and moving faster than they ever did before." He also examines the impact of such trendsetters as Momofuku, Whole Foods and Magnolia Bakery. Sax has done his homework—and probably put on a few pounds. A solid overview of trendsetting foods brought to life with colorful examples.

Kirkus Reviews