By Flavor & The Menu
May 6, 2021

Jon Schwartz

You know a menu item is special when it gets credit for putting a restaurant chain on the map. That’s how Jon Schwartz, Regional Chef of the breakfast-and-lunch concept Snooze, describes the Pineapple Upside-Down Pancakes. “It’s our signature dish and has been on the menu since day one. People go wild for it,” he says. “It brings an immediate smile to the faces of our guests.”

The iconic Pineapple Upside-Down Pancakes feature a buttermilk batter with pineapples and cinnamon. The pancakes are topped with lush vanilla crème anglaise and sweet cinnamon butter. “It’s a nostalgic flavor combined with a morning dish and is sweet without overdoing it,” says Schwartz. “What’s better than getting to eat dessert for breakfast?”

Faced with pivoting to a to-go service model last year, a top priority for the Snooze team was determining how to maintain the brand experience in takeout pancakes. “They aren’t the easiest to prepare for to-go, as they typically come with multiple sauces and components. So we made meal kits that included the ingredients in separate containers for guests to prepare at home,” says Schwartz. “Pancakes have a way of spreading happiness, so this dish certainly kept spirits high, even during the most difficult of times.”