Food in 2012: Healthy Eating -- With Beef

LAS VEGAS (MainStreet) -- Last year was the year of comfort food, farm-to-table and tapas. TravelsinTaste spoke to several top chefs around the country to hear their insights regarding what's coming now, and many cited atmosphere, healthy eating and beef.

"In the past few years, we have seen an increasing passion for classic American staples. Think the burger trends of the mid-2000s, followed by a pizza renaissance and most recently meatballs. Ice cream sandwiches and cupcakes are also popping up all over the place on casual and gourmet menus alike," say Bruce and Eric Bromberg of Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar and Grill at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. "There is no doubt that 2012 will continue to bring some new and improved versions of some good old American dishes."

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Chef Anthony Meidenbauer of Holsteins, also at The Cosmopolitan, agrees. "I think it will be the year of comfort foods," he says. "I believe we will see a lot of eateries moving to a casual ambience and simple rustic foods that people recognize, but of course with some cheffy spins! I think fried chicken will be the hot food."

The trends of last year haven't gone away, though.

An Angus 300 Australian Tomahawk Chop is cooked at Jean Georges Steakhouse in Las Vegas. Beef may be big in 2012 -- although there are some votes for fried chicken as well.

Chef Joe Elevado, of Livello at L'Ermitage Beverly Hills, adds that while 2011 "brought us the comfort/bar food done well with superior products, as well as the return of the pig, I think that next year we'll see the return of offals to diners' plates from artisanal farmers, as well as the consumers' ability to frequent popular farmers markets. We've seen evidence of this throughout the year and it seems to be steadily climbing."

Artisinal farmers have certainly strengthened the farm-to-table concept. Gregory Pugin, executive chef of the Vegas location of the famous Le Cirque in the Bellagio, says he believes the movement is going to be trending even stronger into 2012, "with more chefs focusing on seasonality and flavor."