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  Sanny Visser    Jamie Goodman   Arjen Moes & Jody Geurts 

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Food Inspiration went to Asheville, North Carolina. Asheville is a progressive city; it has more breweries per resident than any other town in the US, and farm-to-table cooking was a thing here long before it hit the mainstream. Not a week goes by without a hot new opening within walking distance. Good thing too, because Asheville cares little for calories.

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Bombay Fries and Mango salad

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Tasty tacos straight from South Korea

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Cocktails and chicken skin

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Maple syrup bourbon bacon coffee

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Bombay Fries and Mango salad

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Dim sum from the Shanghai streets

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  Sanny Visser    Jamie Goodman   Arjen Moes & Jody Geurts 

Food Inspiration went to Asheville, North Carolina. Asheville is a progressive city; it has more breweries per resident than any other town in the US, and farm-to-table cooking was a thing here long before it hit the mainstream. Not a week goes by without a hot new opening within walking distance. Good thing too, because Asheville cares little for calories.

Bombay Fries and Mango salad

Indian streetfood mixed with southern soul. Only at Chai Pani.

We happen to run into an Indian family just as we settle down for lunch here. For them this menu might be nothing new, but for us it’s a colorful culinary journey. Highlight here are the Bombay Chilly Cheese Fries: masala fries, cilantro, Paneer (white cheese), and spicy lamb mince. Also try the streetfood classic Bhel Puri: puffed rice, chickpeas and green chutney. All you need is a cold Indian beer and you might feel like you’re at a Delhi market.

On Trend Because:
Street food is on the rise, and Asian food is only getting bigger. The New Nomadic Cuisine trend sees authentic ethnic cuisines finding a foothold in foreign countries around the world.

Chai Pani
22 Battery Park Ave, Asheville
chaipaniasheville.com

Tasty tacos straight from South Korea

‘Boogie til you can’t boogie no more’  - while disco blasts from the speakers, the line at South Korean / Mexican food truck El Kimchi grows and grows.

A South Korean Mexican food truck you say? Si, si. The South Korean owner noticed Mexican food was all the rage in Asheville and stumbled on a golden combination. South Korean beef or pork inside a Mexican taco shell, served with dumplings or bibimbap. Accompanying drinks are available at the neighboring gas station.

On Trend Because:
Crazy fusion experiments are amazing if they work. Convenient on the go food served from food trucks continues to draw an audience everywhere.

El Kimchi at The Brew Pump
760 Haywood Rd, Asheville
@ElKimchi (Facebook)

Cocktails and chicken skin

What to serve with a perfectly balanced cocktail, made from the best liqueurs, homemade syrups, and farm fresh ingredients?

At Sovereign Remedies you can find the finest bites to go with your cocktail until well after midnight. Crispy chicken skin or tender pig’s ears, for example. Combine these with a Disco Inferno made from vodka, orange liqueur, and red beets. Before you leave, consider the pre-hangover cocktail with milk thistle and turmeric.

On Trend Because:
Artisanal Cocktails are exploding right now, as is the demand for proper food pairings to go with these high-end drinks.

Sovereign Remedies
29 N Market st #105, Asheville
sovereignremedies.com

Maple syrup bourbon bacon coffee

The best coffee in town can be found at Trade and Lore. It might look a little cliché, but that’s okay; the coffee is nothing short of legendary.

Highlights includes Zack the manager’s special recipe: maple syrup bourbon bacon coffee. Exactly what it sounds like covered with a thick cream covered in bacon sprinkles. The staff is more than happy to tell the story of their coffee from bean to barista. Good coffee is much more than a cool looking place to drink it.

On Trend Because:
The story behind a product is more important than ever. Consumers want to know where their food came from and who made it. If you can’t tell them that, you should rethink your approach.

Trade and Lore
37 Wall St, Asheville
tradeandlore.com

Bombay Fries and Mango salad

At Biscuit head in the up and coming west of Asheville they serve a hearty biscuit based brunch.

Customers take their biscuit to the jelly bar to select one of many homemade jams and butters. This covers the top half of the biscuit, which is then dipped in one of Biscuit Head’s legendary gravies. Flavors include espresso, sweet potato, and coconut.

The biscuit’s bottom half is turned into a rich representation of the menu. Fried sriracha chicken and a poached egg for example. Add a bloody mary and you’re all set for the day.

On Trend Because:
Their dishes don’t just taste good; they look even better. If you’re looking to try something new, it would be folly to not take the Instagram appeal into consideration. It’s the marketing of the future, and visually exciting food isn’t going away anytime soon.

Biscuit Head
733 Haywood Rd, Asheville
biscuitheads.com

Dim sum from the Shanghai streets

Red Ginger is what happens when a lady from Shanghai flies in Hong Kong’s finest dim sum chefs.

The menu is filled with feather-light Asian dishes that make want to order a tableful. Traditional recipes given a modern twist and made from local ingredients. Anything less isn’t up the Red Ginger’s par.

On Trend Because:
Authentic Asian food made with local products is combining the best of the increasing popularity of ethnic cuisines with a desire for responsible farm-to-table practices.

Red Ginger
82 Patton Ave, Asheville
redgingerasheville.com

There’s a reason the people at Lonely Planet picked Asheville as the number one city in the United States in 2017. But the people at Asheville won’t let that change them. The food space here is trendy and a little quirky, as are the visitors. Hiking boots and t-shirt is acceptable attire in Asheville. The city is host to cuisines from all corners of the earth, but they all use local products. In this progressive town keeping it local isn’t optional.


Sanny Visser sometimes wishes to be as dignified as a French lady, carefully eating a single éclair. But alas, she likes to eat with her hands, and that usually isn’t pretty. This is mostly the fault of her insatiable hunger for new places, flavors, and stories, which she likes to write about, though only after licking her fingers clean. As a freelance writer and copywriter Sanny is employed by a number of journals, magazines, and creative agencies. Sanny’s current home is the southern United States.

Overview magazines

Food Inspiration Magazine is the online magazine for foodservice professionals in search of inspiration and innovation. With the magazine we collect, enrich and spread inspiration. The free subscription magazine is published eight times per year and is an abundant source of inspiration for food and hospitality professionals. Our readers can be found in the U.S., Northern Europe, Latin America and Asia.
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