Clockwise from top left: Flavor & The Menu’s Katie Ayoub and Cathy Nash Holley kick off the Flavor Experience with a look back at 20 years of impactful flavor trends, all with an eye on predicting what’s next; Nestlé Professional’s Custom Innovation Group serves hamachi coated in preserved lemon chermoula and topped with an edamame relish and sumac “crunchies;” Katie Ayoub, Flavor Experience’s Content Strategist and Managing Editor of Flavor & The Menu, on stage at the event; new sponsor Godshall’s featured butternut squash- and sage-filled baby portabellas wrapped in beef bacon; attendees enjoy trend-forward sips, including a refreshing Strawberry Hibiscus Hydrator served by Leahy-IFP’s De’Airius Salibi; Katy Velazquez, Qdoba’s Director of Culinary Innovation, chats about cocktail innovation from one of San Diego’s fixtures in the restaurant and bar scene, Christian Siglin, owner/operator of modern dive bar, Happy Medium.

Flavor Experience celebrated its 20th anniversary in August, showcasing three days of flavor trends and consumer insights, along with food and beverage inspiration—all aimed at giving high-volume menu developers a roadmap to menu success in 2025 and beyond. Presented by Flavor & The Menu magazine, this singular annual event explores the ever-evolving world of flavor, marking two decades of inspiring innovation in foodservice.