Fusion cuisine surge
Fusion menus are trending hard—examples this week include Showa Yoshoku (Western‑Japanese), a Chinese‑Black fusion menu, rotating Afro‑fusion plates (peppersoup, Abacha, guineafowl, Egusi dessert) and Joelson dos Santos’ Nikkei‑Brazilian at La Cocina Mezcla. (x.com) Chefs are also testing AI‑driven recipe ideas like chipotle salmon nigiri and adobo mushroom sushi bowls—creative crossovers that give servers memorable upsell stories. (x.com)
Joelson dos Santos is listed as head chef at La Cocina Mezcla and discussed Nikkei‑Brazilian fusion in a feature published February 5, 2026. (hospitalitynewsmag.com) Michelin Guide inspectors included heritage‑driven and ethnicity‑forward menus among their seven big food trends for 2026. (guide.michelin.com) The National Restaurant Association’s 2026 menu trends report highlights global flavors, elevated bowls and regionally specific ingredients as top menu priorities for operators. (restaurant.org) Coverage of chef experimentation with generative AI notes that prominent chefs have used ChatGPT and similar models to prototype recipes and multi‑course menus in 2024–2025. (theoutpost.ai) An industry roundup of AI recipe tools claimed that by 2025 roughly 68% of professional chefs were using some form of AI app for recipe creation and that those tools reported cuts in menu‑development time. (blog.aichef.pro) Fast‑casual and takeout concepts are translating fusion into everyday formats, exemplified by Black Dragon’s 2024 launch of a Black American Chinese takeout in West Philadelphia. (philly.eater.com) Hospitality and hotel‑industry forecasts for 2025–2026 advise operators to pilot rotating crossover menus and short‑run specials to test fusion concepts and AI‑generated dishes before full rollouts. (4hoteliers.com)
