Flavor Trends, Strategies and Solutions for Menu Development
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Chef and owner John Bates of Austin’s InterStellar BBQ (#2 on Texas Monthly’s list of the best barbecue in the state) takes creamy white barbecue sauce in a new direction for his Coconut White BBQ Sauce. Born out of an initial idea to swap out the horseradish often found in white sauce for wasabi, Bates doubled down on Southeast Asian flavors like coconut for the final sauce, served it over pork ribs garnished with crushed peanuts, cilantro, pickled onions and lime.

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American barbecue has never showcased more flavor diversity than it does right now. Across the country, chefs are putting their own spins on the classics while also introducing consumers to the country’s wide array of on-trend regional variations. These sauces are true dynamos, showing up across the menu in everything from sandwiches to pizza and beverages to salads. Plus, a truly successful sauce can be bottled and sold at retail, extending the brand and providing an additional source of revenue. Here, we look at the broad range of flavor builds that are driving barbecue sauce innovation on menus today.

About The Author

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Mike Kostyo is the VP of Menu Matters. Mike 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 nearly 11 years, Mike was an associate director and trends expert at one of the industry's largest research firms. He has a master's in Gastronomy from Boston University, plus certificates in the culinary arts, baking arts, wine and artisan cheese production. [email protected]