Fondue: The Social Dining Experience That’s Back in Style
Picture this: you’re gathered around a bubbling pot of melted cheese with long forks, dipping bread and vegetables while laughing with friends. This wasn’t just dinner in the 1970s – it was an event. By the 1970s, most people across the United States knew and loved fondue. While it’s often said that the best fondue is made at home, many American restaurants began serving the dish during the 1970s. Back in the 1970s, no swanky dinner party was complete without a vast communal pot of molten cheese, tons of dippers, and long fondue forks to create the perfect meal. Fondue was a hugely popular food trend that paired the ultimate comfort foods – bread, and cheese – with the interactive fun of dipping and swirling your fork into the fondue. Now restaurants and home cooks are rediscovering what made this dish so special – it forces people to slow down, share, and actually connect over their meal.
The comeback isn’t just about nostalgia either. In 2025, flagship recipes include mashed sausage, roasted chicken, aligot, rice pudding, and the return of canned sardines. Generous dishes to share Around a big table become the stars of the year. Modern fondue setups are getting creative too, moving beyond traditional cheese to include chocolate dessert versions and even savory oil-based fondues for cooking meats.
Chicken Kiev: The Dramatic Butter-Filled Showstopper
Although chicken Kiev is considered a fun, retro throwback today, it was the height of sophistication in the 1970s. According to The Evening Standard, Chicken Kiev was once the pinnacle of fine dining until it was reinvented and downgraded by frozen food giants eager to bring it to dining room tables in five minutes or less. This dish had everything that made 1970s dining exciting: drama, technique, and that unforgettable moment when you cut into the crispy exterior and herb butter came gushing out. In 2024, a poll of foodies found that chicken Kyiv is one of the most nostalgic dishes for people in the UK. The dish has a long history around the world, of course, but in the UK, it was a dinner party favourite in the 1970s and 1980s.
What’s bringing it back isn’t just nostalgia – it’s the spectacle. In our Instagram age, people want food that tells a story and creates a moment. Although different restaurants had various spins on this iconic dish, the methodology remained virtually the same: Thin chicken breast was wrapped around a core of garlic-and-herb butter, then battered and fried until the exterior was golden brown and crispy and the stuffing was melted. Served with a swirl of potato puree and a light vegetable medley, chicken Kiev was everything in the 1970s. Modern chefs are elevating this classic with herb combinations like truffle butter or experimenting with different proteins while keeping that theatrical element intact.
Beef Wellington: The Ultimate Test of Culinary Skill
“Bring back the Beef Wellington!” says Bryan Gorton, Executive Chef at JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix, AZ. Made using filet steak, puff pastry, and pate, beef wellington is a centuries-old dish that was popularized by Julia Child decades ago. This isn’t just any dish – it’s the culinary equivalent of climbing Mount Everest. Tender filet mignon, delicately wrapped in silky prosciutto with buttery puff pastry embracing the entire delicious package? How this ever went out of fashion is beyond us.
According to Bon Appetit, in 1971, one of the most popular and elegant dishes around was Beef Wellington, an old-fashioned British favorite that begins with steak and winds up an elevated savory pie. It’s comfort food – meat and potatoes but turned up a bit. The revival of Beef Wellington speaks to our current food culture’s obsession with technique and craft. Social media has made cooking competitions mainstream, and nothing says “I can really cook” like nailing a perfect Wellington. Perfect for holidays, this beef Wellington recipe is also impressively easy. Find ready-made puff pastry sheets in the frozen food section.
Quiche: The French Import That Conquered America
At the dawn of the 1970s, a wide swath of Americans decided that eggs weren’t just for breakfast anymore and that a pie didn’t have to be the basis for only dessert. According to The Rambling Epicure, in 1970, the quiche became a fashionable, fancy European-inspired option at restaurants and in home kitchens. What started as a simple French tart became the symbol of sophisticated American dining in the 1970s. French elegance that conquered British kitchens in the 1970s! This savoury tart filled with bacon, cheese and cream became the sophisticated lunch option for aspiring hostesses.
The beauty of quiche was its versatility – you could make it with whatever you had on hand, dress it up or down, and serve it for any meal. In the 1970s, quiches and fondues became staples of dinner parties, showcasing the decade’s focus on casual entertaining and communal dining. Today’s comeback isn’t just about the original Lorraine version. Quiche recipes increasingly incorporate global flavors, like Mediterranean-inspired fillings or Asian spice blends. Modern versions feature everything from roasted vegetables to Korean-inspired kimchi fillings, proving this 1970s favorite can adapt to our global palate.
Tuna Noodle Casserole: Comfort Food Champion
Nothing says “home cooking” quite like a bubbling casserole straight from the oven. Tuna and noodles, baked into a casserole with little more than cheese and a can of condensed soup, dates back to the 1930s, but gained so much popularity in later decades that these days, we tend to associate it with the 1950s. Which means that many of us still have much nostalgia for it, if someone we loved made it for us decades ago. This humble dish represents everything that made 1970s cooking practical: it was economical, fed a family, and could be made ahead of time. “My most popular recipes in 2024 were for simple favorites, like a chocolate milkshake and a classic fudge.” The notion of comfort food has gained renewed significance. For instance, a classic tuna noodle casserole plays another role: Besides being a convenient weeknight dinner, it symbolizes resilience and familial connection.
The 2024 comeback isn’t just about convenience though. Rising food costs make these resourceful meals particularly appealing. Designed to maximize flavor while minimizing expense, dishes like casseroles and pasta bakes cater to families seeking cost-effective ways to eat well. Smart home cooks are updating the recipe by swapping canned soup for fresh ingredients and adding gourmet touches like artisanal cheeses or herbs. These days, we don’t have to be beholden to the can of soup; some fresh aromatics and veggies and a dab of Dijon mustard bring this casserole to the 21st century. As does a crunchy panko topping – although that classic topping of crushed potato chips will also never go out of style.
Jell-O Salads: The Colorful Comeback Nobody Expected
Yes, you read that right – those jiggly, colorful creations that seemed to define mid-century entertaining are making a surprising return. Jello salads were especially fashionable in the suburbs in the 1950s. They were seen as a marker of sophistication, elegance and status, indicating that a housewife had time to prepare jello molds and that her family could afford a refrigerator. But what killed them in the first place? Jello salad fell out of fashion in the 1960s and 70s. The rise of Julia Child and the popularization of French cooking in the United States made the jello salad appear less elegant, and dieting trends eventually turned agai
Now they’re back, but with a twist. Jello molds have evolved into elegant desserts, featuring natural sweeteners and artisanal components instead of relying on boxed mixes. In the 1950s, gelatin-based creations like jello molds became vibrant centerpieces for entertaining. Modern versions ditch the artificial colors and flavors for natural fruit juices, agar-agar instead of gelatin for vegan options, and sophisticated flavor combinations that would make your grandmother’s bridge club jealous. The visual appeal that made them Instagram-worthy before Instagram even existed is exactly what’s driving their comeback.
Deviled Eggs: The Party Appetizer That Never Left
Okay, so maybe deviled eggs never completely disappeared, but their 1970s heyday is definitely having a moment again. Party platters weren’t complete without these! Hard-boiled eggs filled with a tangy, spiced yolk mixture were the height of sophistication at 1970s gatherings. The devilish name comes from the hint of heat in the filling. What made them so perfect for the era was their make-ahead convenience – you could prep dozens for a party and they’d look elegant on any spread.
The modern comeback isn’t just about the classic version though. While basic versions use mustard and paprika, adventurous cooks might add bacon, pickles or even caviar for an upscale twist. Today’s deviled eggs are getting gourmet treatments with ingredients like truffle oil, sriracha, or even kimchi. Social media has also played a role – these photogenic little bites are perfect for food styling and sharing. The fact that they’re naturally gluten-free and keto-friendly doesn’t hurt their comeback chances either.
Duck à l’Orange: French Fine Dining’s Lost Classic
In the 1960s and 1970s, the dish reached the height of its popularity. At this time, it was routinely served in restaurants across the United States and by many home cooks, often under the guidance of Julia Child. This dish represented everything aspirational about 1970s dining – it was French, it was complex, and it looked impressive on a dinner table. There are several theories as to how and where duck à l’orange was invented. All agree that the base ideology of the dish – pairing roasted meat with cooked fruit – comes from the Middle East.
So what killed it? Due to difficulties in procuring bittersweet Seville oranges at this time, many restaurants made do with other orange varieties. The result was an overwhelmingly sweet sauce that dominated the dish. This super-sweet flavor profile gave duck à l’orange a bad reputation and ultimately contributed to its steady demise. The revival is being led by chefs who understand how to balance the sweetness properly, using better ingredients and technique to create the sophisticated dish it was always meant to be. Modern versions focus on the quality of the duck and the complexity of the sauce rather than just the novelty factor.
Baked Alaska: The Dessert That Defied Physics
Miraculous dessert that defies physics! Ice cream encased in meringue and briefly baked creates a theatrical finale that had dinner guests gasping in the 1960s. Named to celebrate America’s purchase of Alaska in 1867, this hot-and-cold showstopper relies on meringue’s insulating properties. This dessert was the ultimate dinner party flex in the 1970s – it required skill, timing, and a flair for the dramatic. Popularized in the late 1950s, Baked Alaska’s charm comes from its complexity. A layer of cake is topped with frozen ice cream, then mounted with a meringue topping which is then either baked or torched to crisp the outer layer.
The comeback is being driven by the same forces that made it popular originally – people want desserts that create a moment and tell a story. The ’80s were a decade of some of the best comfort food desserts, like our banana pudding pops, strawberry pretzel tart, or baked Alaska. Modern versions are getting creative with flavored ice creams, different cake bases, and even savory interpretations, but that core element of surprise and spectacle remains the same. Plus, in our age of kitchen torches and molecular gastronomy, the technique doesn’t seem as intimidating as it once did.
These ten classic dishes prove that good food never really goes out of style – it just waits for the right moment to make its comeback. Whether driven by nostalgia, economic practicality, or our endless search for Instagram-worthy moments, these 1970s favorites are finding new life in modern kitchens. The best part? Each one carries with it the stories and memories of the families who made them, creating a bridge between past and present that’s as satisfying as the dishes themselves.