McCormick® names 2023 Flavour of the Year

McCormick®'s 23rd Edition of the Flavor Forecast, the brand's annual report on culinary trends shaping the way consumers prepare and enjoy food worldwide, has named Vietnamese x Cajun Style Seasoning, its Flavour of the Year.

Nearly four dozen global chefs, culinary professionals, trend trackers, food technologists, and team members from around the world collaborated by tapping into their own expertise and passion for flavour, to uncover the most stand-out predictions and trends that are identified in McCormick's Flavor Forecast® 23rd Edition. This is the brand's annual report on culinary trends shaping the way consumers prepare and enjoy food worldwide.

In December, McCormick named its inaugural Vietnamese x Cajun Style Seasoning, as the Flavour of the Year.

McCormick will bring the trend report to life through its first-ever official Flavour of the Year, Vietnamese X Cajun Style Seasoning, which is a bright, complex reflection of the innovations in food and flavour taking place on a global level. With influences in French cuisine and a prominence of heat throughout both, the seasoning is a culture crush of key ingredients – cayenne and paprika in classic Cajun tradition and lemongrass, garlic, and black peppercorn, customary in Vietnamese recipes – that complements each Flavor Forecast trend identified for 2023.

(Photo © McCormick)

Aside from this, McCormick named three other flavour trends:

Full Flavoured Fats: No longer misunderstood, consumers and chefs alike are now using fat, from butters to oils, to impart mouthwatering flavour and creaminess into everyday dishes and drinks, which offer a simple, comforting richness to the kitchen and a more balanced approach to eating.

Everyday French: Grounded in the techniques and ingredients of French cooking, but democratised for today's kitchen, French cuisine has never been more approachable while using the best ingredients and culinary techniques to build a harmony of flavours and lay the foundations for food and beverage to come.

Beyond Heat: A multi-sensorial, layered taste experience that pushes beyond the singularly spicy realm where heat and ingredient pairings come together to shape how heat is perceived and how long it lingers and finishes.

"This year, McCormick is rolling out its most intriguing Flavor Forecast report yet, unveiling key trends that will shape the way that consumers prepare and enjoy foods for the next year," said Kevan Vetter, Executive Chef, Senior Director of Culinary for McCormick. "With the inaugural Flavor of the Year, Vietnamese x Cajun Style Seasoning, McCormick is demonstrating the culinary masterpiece that emerges when cuisines are combined. Through our activation in the Metaverse and tasting event, in partnership with Smashburger, we're excited to bring these flavourful concoctions to consumers.”

On December 7th, McCormick gave New York consumers a taste of Vietnamese X Cajun Style Seasoning through a limited-time partnership with national restaurant chain, Smashburger.

In conjunction with the Flavor Forecast, McCormick ventured into Decentraland, a blockchain-powered area of the Metaverse, to launch “House of Flavour by McCormick” on December 13. This immersive live virtual destination allowed users to explore McCormick's flavour of the year, discover Vietnamese Cajun dishes, earn one of three unique wearables (terms apply; while supplies last), and interact with content featuring some of the chefs who inspired this year’s Flavour of the Year.