Flavor Trends, Strategies and Solutions for Menu Development

 

 

 

By Flavor & The Menu
June 8, 2021

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Scott Slater

Scott Slater

“We do bacon better than anybody, and this sandwich is no exception,” says Scott Slater, Founder of burger chain Slater’s 50/50 and creator of the Pork Belly Grilled Cheese. A premium take on a comfort-food staple, this grilled cheese is a big hit with patrons, many of whom come to Slater’s for its inventive and adventurous bacon play.

The sandwich build starts with buttery, toasted sourdough slices slathered with housemade Southern pimento cheese and a signature jalapeño-bacon jam, the smoky sweetness balancing the creamy cheese. The bread sandwiches a hearty slice of seared, crispy, thick-cut pork belly topped with pickled red onions. The craveable and indulgent handheld is served with french fries and a proprietary bacon ketchup.

In a year when cross-utilization has never been a smarter strategy, Slater’s uses both the pimento cheese and the jalapeño-bacon jam across its menu, but combines them only in the Pork Belly Grilled Cheese. Taking the pimento beyond traditional Southern applications while leveraging its comfort identity is yet another way Slater’s is keeping in step with today’s trends.

About The Author

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Mike Kostyo is the VP of Menu Matters, a private consultancy that works with foodservice professionals to analyze, understand and leverage food and beverage, industry and consumer trends. Kostyo has been a recurring guest on Fusion TV’s “The A.V. Club” show; has been featured on NBC News, CBS Radio and Gimlet Media’s “Why We Eat What We Eat” podcast; is regularly featured in newspapers and magazines; speaks at numerous conferences across the country; and was a judge on Food Network’s “Eating America.” For over a decade, he was the resident Trendologist and an Associate Director at Datassential, one of the food industry's leading insights companies. Kostyo has a master’s in Gastronomy from Boston University, plus certificates in the culinary arts, baking arts, wine and artisan cheese production. He is a regular contributor to Flavor & The Menu and can be reached at [email protected].