5 Menu Insights From a Culinary Innovation Summit
By Alaina Lancaster on Mar. 07, 2018NEW ORLEANS -- In an age when food trends are carried through the internet from all different parts of the world, retailers can feel like they’re on dial-up while the other parts of the foodservice industry have a faster connection. Michael Mendez, owner of Miami’s Mendez Fuel, scouts emerging culinary trends on Instagram to brainstorm new menu items, such as the retailer’s algae-laden Brazilian fruit bowls and bee pollen-sprinkled rainbow toast.
But not all convenience-store and foodservice operators have the resources to scour social media for tastemakers to stay relevant. At FoodService Director’s recent Menu Directions conference in New Orleans, foodservice pros connected to immerse themselves in the newest trends and solutions—no social-media stalking necessary.
Here's a look at what the foodservice industry is atwitter about ...
1. Trendy bowls
Bowls are a serious trend that’s not going anywhere, said Ina Pinkney, former owner of Ina’s Kitchen in Chicago. Pinkney said her psychologist friend summed up why the dish has lasting power. "Holding bowls is very primal, and holding one is very comforting," she said.
Geisinger Health System’s foodservice team recently introduced breakfast bowls focusing on vegetables, adding just 2 ounces of protein. "Three, four years down the road, we're still going to be talking about bowls," said Matthew Cervay, system executive chef for Geisinger Health System, Danville, Pa. "It's a perfect vessel for a lot of stuff."
2. Authenticity
As retailers explore global cuisines, they have to worry about more than the foods’ authenticity. Pinkney said foodservice operators must determine if customers want authentic or reminiscent food, often having to bridge the gap between the two. She said operators should look at where customers live and understand what their favorite foodservice establishments offer in their neighborhoods.
One way to add authenticity to menus is by watching what staff employees are making themselves in the kitchen, Pinkney said. She once saw a Turkish egg at a restaurant in Virginia, she said, where there didn’t seem to be a large Turkish population. After asking about the inspiration of the dish, the chef told her that one of the kitchen staff from Turkey made the egg and taught the recipe to his staff.
3. Zero-waste menus
Cross-utilizing ingredients for dishes that are cost-effective and sustainable emerged as a popular theme of the conference, which was held March 4-6.
Poppy Tooker, a New Orleans food preservationist and culinary authority, recommended turning leftover rice into New Orleans-style rice fritters, called cala. Other presenters said unused grains could be turned into socarrat, the crispy layer at the bottom of a paella bowl, and roasted carrot roots could be combined into a hummus base. Even excess salad-bar ingredients can be repurposed, said one attendee, who turned extra garbanzo beans into hummus.
4. Food safety at all costs
Some ingredients are worth a splurge. Pasteurized eggs are the only way to go, according to Pinkney, who used them exclusively in her restaurant, despite higher costs. Pasteurized eggs are heated in their shells just enough to kill bacteria. “I slept just fine when I heard about a salmonella crisis,” she said.
5. Location, location, location
At Joan’s on Third in Los Angeles, the restaurant and marketplace had a grab-and-go section in the back of the store. Pinkney recommended moving that section to the front of the store. Owner Joan McNamara did just that, and grab-and-go sales quadrupled.