'Upscale' peasant food, smoked cheese and bottled signature sauces...

If what's in the hippest restaurants today is on retail shelves tomorrow, we may be seeing more 'peasant'-style comfort food, smoked cheese, gnocchi and Brussels sprouts in 2013...

In one of the most popular presentations of the conference, speakers from menu trend expert Datassential described how trends originating in fine dining and top-end restaurants move from the 'inception' phase to the 'adoption' phase; where they start hitting casual and fast casual outlets; to the 'proliferation' phase, where they expand to chain restaurants and QSR (quick service restaurants); and finally to the 'ubiquity' phase, where -as the name suggests - you'll find them everywhere you eat out...

But while trends used to take their time moving from inception to ubiquity, today this process moves far more rapidly, said business development director Mark DiDomenico. And by the time trends reach the adoption phase, you'll also start seeing them being picked up by innovative retail chains.

So what's hot right now? 

Many of the trends gaining momentum over the past three-to-four years such as oatmeal, mini desserts, quinoa, light-roasted coffee, hummus and craft ice creams with herbs and other savory ingredients, are still gathering pace, he said.

However, we can also expect to see more activity around maple-syrup-based sauces and glazes, smoked cheese, gnocchi, pate, upscale fried chicken, pickled foods, charcuterie, alcohol in entrees, chocolate hazelnuts, Brussels sprouts, protein-spreads, and poutine (cheesy french fries and gravy), he predicted.

Meanwhile, look out for more 'upscale' comforting 'peasant' foods with a modern twist, from French bistro classics to southern specialties such as grits and gumbo, plus innovative twists on traditional diner fare, from crumpets with chorizo maple syrup to goat chilli with sour cream, cheddar and pizza puffs.

Finally, expect to see more restaurant chains working with local food manufacturers, farmers and breweries to develop house-branded sauces, spirits, jams, pickles, rubs and other products for sale, said director of research Maeve Webster.