Flavor has always been an imperative on menus, but today the expectations are higher than ever. Chefs are outdoing themselves, raising the bar with creative flavor combinations. Access to the global pantry, along with a joyful experimentation in mash-ups, is raising expectations while making flavor possibilities endless. Here are some menu builds that showcase creative components that pack a significant flavor punch.
Chefs are rediscovering the beauty of white bread—how it offers structure but surrenders to textural elements, like fried chicken, tonkatsu and fried bologna. We bring you 5 modern takes on white bread sandwiches.
Bowl builds are a powerhouse on menus today, and play well in a number of dayparts. Here are three ways to bean up your bowls, using plant-based ingredients to carry big flavors, satisfy hunger and provide nutrient-rich foods.
Together, coffee and tea carry a lot of good menu juju. The cocktail world is plugging in, rewiring some of that buzz into boozy beverage development.
Meat remains center stage, but flavor innovation can really drive menu differentiation. We cover the what, where and why for innovating with meat.
The veg-centric movement built the road that led to a world of stunning innovation in vegetable cookery. Here are 12 ways into the trend, all serving up creativity and craveability with every delicious forkful.
Exploring the versatility of the avocado, this Sweet Avocado Surrender Sundae stars avocado-mango ice cream, Mexican hot chocolate sauce and chocolate-chipotle avocado doughnut holes.
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Recipes
Magazine
This issue includes Street Level Trends part 2 from Gerry Ludwig.
There’s also more about Gen Z, ramen, white bread, cheese trends, coffee cocktails, and plant-based menu ideas.
We have 10 non-alcoholic cocktail inspirations, and 10 ways to build flavor with meat. And from commodity boards we have deep flavor impacts. Also, read the second article in our new Flavor ROI section.
READ MORE | SUBSCRIBE
There’s also more about Gen Z, ramen, white bread, cheese trends, coffee cocktails, and plant-based menu ideas.
We have 10 non-alcoholic cocktail inspirations, and 10 ways to build flavor with meat. And from commodity boards we have deep flavor impacts. Also, read the second article in our new Flavor ROI section.
READ MORE | SUBSCRIBE
Videos
Vibrant color dinnerware options from Libbey® help your one-of-a-kind plating ideas take flight, creating new looks to complement your venue’s unique character. Serve up an experience that is funky, eclectic or adventurous – and always memorable.
For Spokane, Washington–based chef Adam Hegsted, beef means profits across his restaurant group, from the pure craveability of a Teres major steak, cooked sous vide then grilled, to Spaghetti-Stuffed Meatballs that turn a beloved classic literally inside out.
Ingredients
Timothy Griffin is the director of culinary innovation at Kona Grill, an upscale casual grill based in Scottsdale, Arizona. We asked him to share a flavor trifecta that demonstrates creative, unexpected flavor play.
Jonathan Rohland is the culinary director of Bartaco, a “beach-culture inspired” restaurant brand based in Norwalk, Conn., with 15 locations mostly on the East Coast. He shares five flavors that inspire his culinary creativity.
Beverages
With fall in full swing, dining consumers look to warmer flavor tones in their coffee drinks, smoothies, cocktails and more. Here are 15 flavor combinations that just might give pumpkin a run for its money
Nonalcoholic beverages offer limitless opportunities for innovation. The question is how to select the right mix that best fits the concept and patrons. Here are 10 areas around which to innovate.
Desserts
Look southward for the next big thing in dessert texture—buñuelos. Here are four opportunities to showcase buñuelos in trend-forward dessert applications.
When it comes to desserts, dining consumers want to be surprised and delighted. Enter modern texture. In this age of complex flavor experiences, we’ve moved well beyond sprinkles and tuiles. Here are five examples of pitch-perfect textural play in modern desserts.
Strategy
What does Gen Z represent for restaurant brands, and how are operators strategizing? We took a snapshot to help better understand these younger dining consumers, coloring in the profile of Gen Z while also outlining a few concepts’ savvy approach in making them loyal customers.
The breakfast daypart and the plant-forward trend are merging into one giant menu opportunity. With Bush Beans, we bring you three on-trend ways to menu beans at breakfast.
