By Rob Corliss
January 9, 2020

Fruit is garnering increased attention across the menu, perhaps driven in part by the influx of plant-based innovation. Chefs with a keen eye see the benefit of translating the success of other trends in fruit-forward applications. In many cases, sparking consumer interest is easier with a craveable fruit application than with a vegetable.

There aren’t many trial barriers to fruit.

Anytime you can extrapolate deeper flavor from a food product, you are creating dimension and culinary intrigue. Operators can apply the same flavor techniques used on vegetables or meat/seafood to fruit—introducing guests to beloved flavors in a new and unexpected form. Here’s a list of easy fruit-forward menu-development ideas grounded in a familiar base:


• Wood-fired roasted fruit, chopped and blended into a tomato salsa or pesto
• Caramelized seasonal fruit blended into a smoothie or as layers in a smoothie
• Pickled fruit as a taco or bowl topper
• Smoked fruit in a barbecue sauce
• Macerated fruit as a pancake, waffle or French toast topper
• Salted/spiced/vinegary fruit in a glaze/purée (think chamoy)
• Infused fruit in cocktails as a flavoring or edible garnish
• Residual cooked fruit juice reductions turned into granita or sherbet (think of the remaining liquid from cinnamon and orange poached pears)
• Compressed melon as a salad component