Is Regionality in "Food Trends" Still a Thing?

Growing up in the 80's, we were still living in the age of food experimentation and understanding the clear defining lines between cuisine types, cultures, and locations of origin within the world. I.e. Eating "Curry Chicken" was like going on some exotic journey of the senses!!

However, today is quite different. Take Houston, Texas for example. Most people will see the word "Houston" and instantly have an image of BBQ, horses, cattle, and oil. Right? Tell me I'm wrong.

However, with the integration of international trade, more accessible relocation and travel routes, a workforce that is growing less interdependent on physical transactions and more fluent in the digital space, and a more tolerant and educated populous of food consumers, the world is growing smaller by the day. "Melting Pot" is a word being used more and more these days and seems to be the wave of the future.

If you are in the food industry, take a look around you. How long would it take you to find a local restaurant serving food from Peru? Ethiopia? Spain? Louisiana? Or, how easy is it to find a "fusion restaurant" giving you the best of two worlds? Tex-Mex anyone?

These should be key factors that we are taking into consideration when thinking about starting a business. And not just foodservice . . . this means any business!

Afterall, don't people THINK with their STOMACHs?