Sponsored by TABASCO^® Foodservice.

As America’s demographic profile continues to evolve, creative chefs are exploring global cuisines to spice up their menus and cater to the growing consumer demand for more exotic flavors.

The start of every New Year is an exciting time for those who are eager to predict new and exciting foodservice trends that will capture the imagination of diners. This year just about all prognosticators agree that chefs will embrace global flavors like never before. The National Restaurant Association's What's Hot 2017 Culinary Forecast puts an emphasis on authentic ethnic foods and global cuisine.

“Consumers’ sophisticated palates, driven by international travel and access to a wider variety of ethnic cuisines right at home, inspire chefs to immerse themselves in food from around the world,” the NRA reports. We scoured the country searching for some of the more interesting ethnic flavors peppering American menus. Here’s a look: