Flavor Trends, Strategies and Solutions for Menu Development

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Playful Indulgence

Leveraging luxury in fun, accessible formats

Playful Indulgence

Leveraging luxury in fun, accessible formats

By Kathy Casey
January 12, 2025

By Kathy Casey
January 12, 2025

Adding a little luxury in a down economy makes us feel good. Little pops of extravagant ingredients give us a sense of indulgence. Combining a casual or nostalgic dish with a high-end ingredient you might not order due to cost brings accessibility to the guest in a fun way.

Restaurants finding it difficult in this economy to attract new diners can leverage this trend by not taking themselves too seriously with playful hi-lo menu items. Take for instance the popularity of truffle mac and cheese, the rise of tin fish and charcuterie, and TikTok’s chicken salad with tobiko.

Research old-school luxury dishes and give them a new modern casual: Create a “Wellington” burger with a topping of melted Brie, mushroom duxelles, arugula and pâté aïoli; serve green goddess deviled eggs with caviar; elevate a flat iron steak with “fancy butter” by incorporating roasted garlic, red wine and truffle paste into the butter.

About the Author

mmKATHY CASEY is a celebrated chef, mixologist and pioneer in the bar-chef movement. She is touted as the original Bar Chef and was named one of the top 10 most influential bar people of the past 25 years. Kathy is Owner, Chef and Mixologist with Kathy Casey Food Studios – Liquid Kitchen, a full-service global agency specializing in food, beverage and concept development, as well as brand launch opening assistance and training. Her clients include ACCOR Hotels & Resorts, Monin and the National Honey Board. She and her team have created multiple award-winning concepts, menus and programs for clients. As a brand owner, Kathy understands operations. Her hospitality brands include: Dish D’Lish a “Food T’Go Go” concept and the companion line of foodservice products, Rel’Lish Burger Lounge, Lucky Louie Fish Shack and Chicky, her new virtual concept. She has been featured in numerous national publications and has appeared on “Good Morning America,” Food Network’s “Unwrapped” and Travel Channel’s “Cooking Across America,” among others. Kathy is the host of PBS’s “Cooking in the Beautiful Northwest” and Small Screen Network’s “Kathy Casey’s Liquid Kitchen” cocktail show. The author of 10 cookbooks, Kathy lives in Seattle.

 

 

About The Author

Kathy Casey

KATHY CASEY is a celebrated chef, mixologist and pioneer in the bar-chef movement. She is touted as the original Bar Chef and was named one of the top 10 most influential bar people of the past 25 years. Kathy is Owner, Chef and Mixologist with Kathy Casey Food Studios – Liquid Kitchen, a full-service global agency specializing in food, beverage and concept development, as well as brand launch opening assistance and training. Her clients include ACCOR Hotels & Resorts, Monin and the National Honey Board. She and her team have created multiple award-winning concepts, menus and programs for clients. As a brand owner, Kathy understands operations. Her hospitality brands include: Dish D’Lish a “Food T’Go Go” concept and the companion line of foodservice products, Rel’Lish Burger Lounge, Lucky Louie Fish Shack and Chicky, her new virtual concept. She has been featured in numerous national publications and has appeared on “Good Morning America,” Food Network’s “Unwrapped” and Travel Channel’s “Cooking Across America,” among others. Kathy is the host of PBS’s “Cooking in the Beautiful Northwest” and Small Screen Network’s “Kathy Casey’s Liquid Kitchen” cocktail show. The author of 10 cookbooks, Kathy lives in Seattle.