sea buckhorn

Trend Watch: Sea buckhorn, eccentric emulsions, gels

Tuesday, March 10th, 2026 - 9:10 am

By Lizzy Freier

It’s important for restaurants and chefs to stand out with menu innovation in such a competitive marketplace. Keeping up with the latest food trends – or creating your own – can help you stay a step ahead, get attention for your restaurant, and treat your guests to something tasty and unique. The latest edition of Trend Watch focuses on three menu trends that are being seen across Canada right now: sea buckhorn, eccentric emulsions, and gels.

Sea buckthorn

Sea buckthorn berries are popping up on menus across Canada. These bright berries have a bold, distinctive tart flavour that can balance other flavour profiles, such as savoury entrées and rich desserts. The bright orange colour also adds a striking visual appeal to any dish, creating a lasting and delicious memory for diners.

Menu examples:

  • Five Sails in Vancouver served up Gold Strike Honey Cake, featuring sea buckthorn berries and salted caramel ice cream.
  • ONE Restaurant in Toronto created Bread Pudding, including dark and milk chocolate, Ume miso, and sea buckthorn.

Eccentric emulsions

Operators are accentuating menu items with unconventional emulsions, which include mixtures of liquids that typically do not blend. These interesting mixtures offer sensory intrigue and textural enhancements.

Menu examples:

  • Fusion Grill in Winnipeg, Manitoba served Grilled Prairie Grass-Fed Beef with wild Saskatoon berry compound butter, demi glaze, triple fried potato, and horseradish emulsion.
  • The 5 Fishermen in Halifax, Nova Scotia offered Digby Scallops with gnocchi Parisienne, onion soubise, spinach emulsion, and cinnamon cap.

Gels

Gels are a creative addition to modern culinary dishes, offering chefs the opportunity to experiment with textures and deliver concentrated bursts of flavour. By incorporating unexpected and innovative flavours, gels are being used across various mealparts to elevate the dining experience.

Menu examples:

  • NUI in Vancouver offered a Dweji Rice Bowl with rice, pork slices, galbi sauce, egg yolk gel, and green onion.
  • Jellyfish in Montreal served Trout Tataki with citrus emulsion, teardrop peppers, and grapefruit gel.

Lizzy Freier is a Senior Director of Menu Research & Insights for Technomic, a Chicago-based foodservice research and consulting firm. Technomic provides clients with the facts, insights and consulting support they need to enhance their business strategies, decisions and results. The company’s services include publications and digital products as well as proprietary studies and ongoing research on all aspects of the food industry, including menu trends.

Trend Watch is based on menu trends noted by Technomic.

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