Food Horoscope 2017

Here’s what we love about you, Aquarius: You know how to turn any situation into a good time. You’re fun-loving and generous with an infectious joie de vivre, and your spirit dishes are born to be made in big batches for feeding a crowd at impromptu dinner parties, picnics and potlucks. Get yourself a nice big casserole dish and fill it with these saucy, cheesy stuffed shells. Everyone will thank you.

Trend forecast: “Restaurants will feel more like dinner parties,” says Aquarius Chris Kajioka of Senia in Honolulu. “More personal and interactive, with less of a divide between the kitchen and the dining room.”

Born in the coldest months of the year, you crave foods that warm you from the inside out. You’re intuitive and kind, funny and smart, but let’s be honest: You can be wishy-washy (your sign is two fish swimming in opposite directions, after all) and hard to cook for. So we suggest sticking to sure things, like this mild, satisfying whitefish chowder, a.k.a. comfort in a bowl.

Trend forecast: “One word: porridge ,” says Pisces chef Richard Blais of Juniper and Ivy in San Diego. “Porridge is going to be big in 2017. Oatmeal, congee, farrotto, polenta, cream of huitlacoche—all with mix-and-match toppings.”

You may see the world in black and white, but that means you know exactly what you want to eat—and it’s got to be big, bold and spicy. This pasta is guaranteed to hit the spot: Packed with intensely flavorful ingredients, it’s as fiery and fun as you are.

Trend forecast: “This year, we’re going to see the return of more classic dishes,” says French-born, L.A.–based chef (and Aries) Ludo Lefebvre of Petit Trois. “Things that never go out of style.”

A hopeless romantic, you’re drawn to beauty and luxury. But in the kitchen, that doesn’t have to mean caviar and standing roasts. The dishes that define you are over-the-top, complex, soul-satisfying and full of indulgent ingredients. Case in point: these decadent nachos. Layered with tangy giardiniera balancing all that molten cheese and sweet Italian sausage, they speak to your appreciation for twists on the norm. Serve them in typical Taurus fashion, by gilding the lily with a fried egg on top.

Trend forecast: “We’re going to see more live-fire cooking and more elemental cooking techniques this year,” says Taurus chef Cortney Burns, who just opened Motze in San Francisco. “And smaller restaurants where chefs can tell their stories in a more intimate way.”

You’re quick-witted, fickle and charming: Just when people think they have you figured out, you throw them a curve ball and show them another fascinating side of yourself. As a cook, this is a good thing: You embrace your dualities in brilliant ways. In fact, the pretzel bars below pretty much sum you up: They’re sweet and salty, sophisticated and humble all at once.

Trend forecast: “Like a good Gemini, I appreciate the high and the low,” says New York City chef Wylie Dufresne. “I’ve always been just as happy aerating foie gras as I am making a grilled cheese sandwich. In 2017, I’m excited to throw myself into a new doughnut venture, Du’s Donuts and Coffee. People keep asking me, ‘Will the doughnuts be classic or will they be modern?’ The answer is yes and yes.”

Don’t let anyone call you crabby. Sure, you can seem rigid and prickly at times, but peel back that hard shell and you’re a big softy inside. Big-hearted Cancers are true nurturers who love spending time in the kitchen, cooking for family. One-pot dishes that gather people around and invite digging in—like this paella, chockablock with seafood and chorizo—are your happy meals.

TREND FORECAST “I predict that even more chefs will start fast-casual restaurants using seasonal and sometimes local ingredients,” says Washington, DC–based chef (and Cancer) José Andrés of ThinkFoodGroup. “If, as chefs, we truly want to feed America better, we can’t just do this with high-end restaurants. Some of these concepts will become chains, with 10 or 20 restaurants, or even more. In DC, I’m particularly excited about Chaia, where two great women are making farm-fresh tacos, and Cava Grill, a small chain doing good-quality Mediterranean food.”

Leos are excellent hosts because they love to show off and make guests feel welcome. And you do everything in the kitchen on a kingly scale. One caveat: You’re not great with the particulars, so something spectacular and also forgiving, like a showstopping stuffed roast, is right up your alley. Simple recipes are where you excel; you will not find a Leo in the kitchen messing with molecular foam.

Trend forecast: “For this Leo, it’s all about a reignited respect for luxury dining and all that goes with it,” says Cathal Armstrong of Restaurant Eve in Alexandria, Virginia. “We’ll see a return to the finer aspects, like tableside preparation and an appreciation of haute cuisine.”

These perfectionists make the very best bakers. Often cautious and hyper detail-oriented, your thoughtful precision means you can turn out flawless pastry and breads—and you win at the kind of impressive desserts others wouldn’t dare attempt. It also means you have a great flair for flavors. Indulge in what you’re good at with these bright, lemony and impossibly flaky scones.

Trend forecast: “Next year we’ll see a rise in small-batch everything,” says L.A. chef and Virgo Ben Ford. “Cheese, cured meats, vinegars. People love ingredients with a backstory, and when integrity and craft are involved, that story is usually pretty darned good.”

It’s all about keeping up appearances with you Libras. You love beauty and balance in all things, and because good looks stem from a healthy lifestyle, the foods you lean toward tend to be good for you. Nothing makes you happier than a beautiful platter of crudités, a fresh-pressed juice or an artfully arranged grain bowl. Your ideal meal? This perfectly calibrated layered salad, with both raw and roasted vegetables, that’s as gorgeous as you are.

Trend forecast: “We’re going to see more and more chefs turn to fitness and nutrition-based eating,” says Jenn Louis, the Libra chef of Lincoln and Sunshine Tavern in Portland, Oregon. “I’m a big proponent of the mental and physical benefits of working out and eating this way.”

You’re the sexiest of all the cooks out there. You have an air of mystery about you, and you crave deep, rich umami flavors with lots of lusty spice. Strong cheeses, rich stocks, chocolate ganache—these are the flavor bombs in your culinary arsenal. You’re an extremist in the best possible way, so embrace that all-or-nothing nature with dishes like fiery piri piri chicken accompanied by the best-ever fries, cut thick and sprinkled with crunchy salt.

Trend forecast: “Hot chicken will continue to spread, and in 2017 we’re going to see crazy, bold spices move beyond chicken,” says Scorpio chef Linton Hopkins of Holeman and Finch in Atlanta. “At my restaurant, we’re doing it with fish. The intensity of spice in this country is really just getting going.”

You’re a fun one to cook with because you absolutely refuse to be pinned down to a routine. No meal plans or weekly menus to hem you in: You’re all about cooking to satisfy your cravings and being spontaneous. Sagittarius cooks love to bring their passion for travel into the kitchen with flavors that remind them of their adventures on the road. Since you’re always on the move, something quick and intense, like this spice-coated steak with a slew of vegetables, is your go-to dinner.

Trend forecast: “We’re going to see chefs cooking in a more personalized way,” says Sagittarius and Top Chef winner Kristen Kish. “Less of what’s considered ‘cool,’ more of someone’s own quest for what’s new and different.”

If anyone can elevate something simple to an art form, it’s a Capricorn. Earthy and famously frugal, you don’t care about fancy ingredients or showy spectacles. And you’re willing to put in some time for delicious payoffs, which means soups are your spirit dish. You thrive on the long, slow simmer, seasoning and tasting all along the way, and you won’t give up until the flavors hit just that perfect comfort-food note.

Trend forecast: “Vegetables are going to be the stars of the menu, and I’m excited to see them moving to the center of the plate,” says Nicole Pederson, of Found and The Barn in Evanston, Illinois, and a Capricorn through and through. “Not vegetarian cooking, per se, but grain- and vegetable-focused foods are going to be huge in 2017.”