Flavor Trends, Strategies and Solutions for Menu Development

By Katie Ayoub
January 16, 2025

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As menu developers in the U.S. continue to explore the Korean pantry, they’re adopting its flavors in wonderfully creative ways. Consumers are here for it, embracing everything from the now-familiar gochujang and Korean fried chicken to the emerging profiles of ssamjang and gilgeori toast. With successful exploration comes more exuberant discovery and increased curiosity around the flavors, ingredients and formats that make Korean cuisine so exciting. Perilla leaf is a standout here, ready for inventive uses that highlight its unique flavor, vegetal profile and menu versatility. Found throughout Asian cuisines, perilla is predominantly used in Korean fare: as a wrap, a pickled element of banchan and a flavorful garnish.

Read on for in-market examples of how to bring perilla onto menus in creative, on-trend ways.

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Flavors on the Edge is an ongoing series that explores emerging ingredients poised to become high-impact flavor builders.

About The Author

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Katie Ayoub serves as managing editor of Flavor & The Menu and content strategist for the Flavor Experience, an annual conference geared toward chain operators. She is president of Katie Ayoub & Associates, serving up menu trends expertise, content creation and food & beverage consultancy. Based in Chicago, Katie has been working in foodservice publishing for more than 20 years and part of the Flavor team since 2006. [email protected]