According to Mintel research, turkey products report stronger growth than chicken, partly due to increasing interest in heritage breeds.

When it comes to poultry sales, chicken rules the roost, but according to new research from Mintel on the U.S. poultry market, sales of turkey, duck and other specialty birds grew a considerable 6.5% in just one year, reaching $7.1 billion (2011-12).

Growing from $6 billion in 2008, other poultry products, largely consisting of turkey, grew the most in this category. Moreover, more than eight in 10 (84%) Americans say they eat turkey; chicken is eaten by 94% and other poultry, such as duck, goose and hen, are consumed by 23% of the population.

Today, poultry in the United States is valued at $30 billion (2012), with chicken parts accounting for 58% of the total poultry market. Worth $17.3 billion in 2011, sales of chicken parts grew 4.5% year on year. Meanwhile, whole chickens weren’t chicken scratch, with sales of $5.5 billion in 2012, an increase of 0.6% over 2011.

Look for noodles of all stripes to show up in hearty layered bowls on menus. We’ll also see mainstreaming of South American-style grilled meats and Latin-Asian fusion seafood dishes. And, African peri-peri chicken should take flight.

 Technomic, the Chicago-based foodservice research and consulting firm, brings together the best judgments of its consultants and editors to peer ahead to food trends that might significantly impact the restaurant industry in 2013.

These expert insights are based on site visits evaluating the restaurant scene in cities across the country as well as interviews and surveys of operators, chefs and consumers, backed up by qualitative data from Technomic’s extensive Digital Resource Library and quantitative data from its vast MenuMonitor database. Some of these developments are mainstream trends among major players; others are edgy urban movements that might or might not spread to the wider American public; and some are in the process of evolving from leading-edge to mainstream.

Passion for fresh, seasonal, straightforward ingredients and cooking; diversity and flexibility of service; and leveraging meal occasions to build community among students and staff are hallmarks of the dining program at Vanderbilt University in Nashville.

Olson Communications, a food-marketing agency based in Chicago, is proud to announce that Vanderbilt Campus Dining, a nonprofit, university-managed auxiliary service for Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., is the recipient of a 2012 Chefs of Tomorrow™ Award. Sharon Olson, founder and president of Chicago-based Olson Communications, presented the award to Chef Camp Howard, CEC, director of Vanderbilt Campus Dining, on Nov. 6 at an annual dinner for foodservice media.

Inaugural seven-month program concludes with ceremony and celebratory meal at San Antonio campus.

Nine culinary professionals spent the 30 weeks at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), San Antonio, learning about the cuisines of Latin America and preparing menus with leading chefs from many of the regions studied. A graduation ceremony on October 27, 2012, marked the completion of the first class of the college’s Latin Cuisines Certificate Program. Graduates then celebrated with a special luncheon at Nao, the newest restaurant on the CIA’s San Antonio, Texas, campus.

The country’s oldest collegiate foodservice operation partners with a noted authority to meet student demand for cuisine authenticity.

Authentic Greek fare is being introduced to the menus and students at Harvard thanks to collaboration between chef and cookbook author Diane Kochilas and Harvard University Dining Services (HUDS). Beginning last summer and extending into the fall, Kochilas and HUDS have developed recipes, trainings and tastings, which will culminate in more than a dozen new items for HUDS’ residential-dining winter menus.

Greek cuisine, regarded for its nutritional benefits through the use of plant oils, lean proteins, vegetables and distinct seasonings, is an ideal fit for Harvard menus where students are increasingly interested in authenticity and health. Seafood and vegetarian options that appeal to non-vegetarians are among the most demanded items on student surveys.

Kochilas was a presenter at the Spring 2012 Worlds of Healthy Flavors conference, hosted by the Harvard School of Public Health and The Culinary Institute of America. HUDS’ managing director, David Davidson, and director for culinary operations Martin Breslin were in attendance and immediately saw the opportunity for bringing Kochilas’ expertise to campus.