Culinary Trends for 2009

We're always on the lookout for new food trends in the food service industry and here are a few that have surfaced early in 2009 that are of note that we wanted to bring to your attention:

• Ethnic street vendor favorites become menu entrées

• Slow cooking brings tender flavors alive

• Light and tasty sauces that dazzle taste buds make it big

• Minimization of embellishments allowing the natural taste to shine through• Cured, pickled, and smoked foods that grab your taste buds

• Creative menus that reflect your restaurants unique style and combination

As more consumers are cutting back on eating out, the restaurant and food service industry has gotten wonderfully creative to entice consumers back to their establishments. By taking foods that are well-recognized by many and then combining them with new sauces, slow cooking them for added flavor, or creating a new menu item with unique panache, industry professionals are working to dazzle consumers when they do arrive at their establishment.

As the food service industry works to keep the consumer interested and win their attention, as well as to keep an eye on the bottom line we expect to see new trends develop in regards to the cuts of meat being used for traditional mainstay menu items and new and creative entrée presentations with a focus on smaller portions and more vegetable garnishes.

Our firm Food Business Resource is always looking for consumer feedback to help to identify new trends as they happen. If you are interested in becoming one of our consumer panelists, we invite you to visit our website to sign up. Your valuable input will be used to help restaurants and food establishments identify if the trends they see are actually marketable and of interest to the consumer, you’ll even be paid for your time. So take a look and see if the trend you help to identify may make it on our top trend list next.

National Grilled Cheese Month

Just in case you have missed out on the fun thus far, April is National Grilled Cheese Month. Food historians typically agree that cooked bread and cheese combinations (in various forms, tastes and textures) were ancient foods that were prepared across the continents and in many cultures around the world. The earliest recipes that resemble grilled cheese are found in Ancient Roman cookbooks.

Nobody knows exactly who invented the American food trends version of the grilled cheese. There is culinary evidence that the modern American grilled cheese sandwich came to fruition sometime in the 1920’s.

Many restaurants and Food Retailers around the United States have had a ball celebrating the grilled cheese sandwich this month. Some restaurants have even featured different sandwiches each day for the entire month of April. There have been many contests running all month from coast to coast. Chefs have been finding new ways of creating grilled cheese masterpieces that have been a delight to eat. Some restaurants have even called in guest chefs to create special sandwiches for their customers. Kraft Foods launched a promotion on their website where people who submit a Kraft Singles testimonial will be entered into a contest to win free cheese coupons.
Creating a perfect grilled cheese sandwich is not limited to using sliced American cheese. Chefs have gone all out in their cheese choices. Fontina, Gruyère, Crotonese, Cacio, Grana and of course Swiss, Jack and Cheddar versions have graced the grills. Add in some specialty breads, tomatoes, avocados, bacon, black trumpet mushrooms, and even white truffle fondue (to name only a few) and you have some smashingly good flavor combinations.

Many chefs have traveled near and far to compete in the 7th annual Los Angeles Grilled Cheese Invitational just this past weekend. According to their website “The Grilled Cheese Invitational (GCI) is the largest, craziest, and most exciting Grilled Cheese cooking contest in the country and is the best thing to happen to sliced cheese since sliced bread! The GCI promotes an almost scary pursuit of perfection in a Grilled Cheese Sammich and allows for amateur and professional chefs to compete side-by-side in the hopes of becoming a true Grilled Cheese Champion.”

Did your restaurant come up with a new and delectable grilled cheese sandwich this year? Did you have fun promotions running for your customers? An experienced food service consultant can help you find the perfect sandwiches for your restaurant.

Bringing The Families In

Many families are feeling the pinch in their pocketbooks and are cutting back on dining out in today’s suffering economy. It is interesting to see what changes some family friendly restaurants are doing to bring customers in and keep them coming back for more.

Many restaurants and Food Retailers around the United States are offering specials that are enticing customers to come in and dine. You will find that many family friendly restaurants, steak houses and even some Quick Service Restaurants are offering families a way to save a quick buck.

The “kids eat free” meal deals have become a huge hit with consumers. This food trends, usually offered on a specific day of the week, kids can eat free when an adult meal is ordered. These free kids meals are usually offered to the 12 and under crowd only. For families with children, this can be a huge incentive to enjoy dining out, even if it is during the week. A friend of mine recently went with a group of 4 families to a local restaurant. To their great surprise, all 12 of the children ate free because it was a Sunday. That example is extreme and probably not very cost effective to the restaurant in question.

Bob Evans recently reported that they are changing their dining format to build the frequency of visits among light and moderate users.

Catering mostly to young adults and young families, Bob Evans is offering appetizers for the first time in their history. Each restaurant across the United States will be equipped with wireless connections as well. They are also trying a new prototype restaurant in Ohio this coming August. The “eat in kitchen” will feature WiFi connection, a flat screen television, and a common table to give the restaurant that “eating at home” type of feeling.

If you are looking for new ideas to bring families into your restaurant; contact an experienced food service consultant.

Pass The Bean Salad Please

As American’s strive to eat healthier meals by the nutrition panel, restaurateurs and Food Retailers must find interesting ways to create meals that are tasty and healthy for their customers. People don’t have to be a vegetarian to enjoy new vegetarian food options, a meal without meat. Legume and grain salads are proving to be easy to prepare and serve, and absolutely in demand. Eating chicken, beef and pork does provide customers with heart healthy protein; but they each come with cholesterol, which some customers are mindful to avoid.

According to Restaurants and Institutions Magazine, “In a 2007 food and health survey conducted by the Washington, D.C.-based International Food Information Council, 71% of Americans said they were trying to eat more whole grains. Food companies have been quick to react to the rising demand. In the same year, manufacturers launched 15 times as many new whole-grain products as they did in 2000, according to Chicago-based market-research firm Mintel.”

food research and development show many chefs are finding success when using beans and grains in new types of salads as a main dish or a side dish. With minimal effort in the kitchen, chefs are finding that they can create amazing healthy salads using whole grains, beans, fresh herbs, and vegetables combined with a variety of vinaigrettes or even dairy products.

There are many great choices of beans to use. Navy, black, pinto, kidney, various types of peas, fava and the most popular cranberry bean, are typical choices you will see in salads today. Whole grains are always better to use than refined grain products. Grains include cornmeal, bulgur wheat, barley, oats and all varieties of rice. Nuts and seeds can also be added to dishes to add delicious flavors that your customers will love. Almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts, sunflower, sesame and pumpkin seeds make great additions to these healthy dishes.

The mild taste of various beans and grains make an ideal canvas to showcase bold global flavors. An experienced food consultant will help you make your bean and grain dishes a hit.

Interesting Advertising Part II Of II

There are certainly advertising blunders as well. According to ABC News in the Washington, DC area, just last week, Mexico’s Ambassador to Spain said advertisements for the new Burger King “Texican whopper,” a cheeseburger with chili and spicy mayonnaise, inappropriately display the Mexican flag; which is draped over the diminutive wrestler like a poncho. Burger King has since apologized and said it would change the campaign for the new burger.

For some restaurants and Food Retailers, television advertising is not in the budget. You will find more and more restaurants advertising their services and promotions via the internet. Many have been able to obtain their customers email addresses so that they can offer them special teasers to bring them in to dine. I find it fun to open up my email and see who is offering what.

Twitter for restaurants? Absolutely! For those of you who are not familiar with this new social media trend…Twitter is a service for friends, family, and coworkers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent messages. Twitter is being used by many restaurateurs who are actively promoting their business by advertising their daily specials to customers. Many people use Twitter from their mobile phones or notebooks connected via WiFi. Information about your specials could entice somebody to visit your place.

Some restaurants have been successful at direct mail marketing. Mailing menu’s out to every potential customer in your delivery area is a must. Customers love being rewarded, so don’t forget to add a teaser to the menu. The mailed menus should be colorful and include coupons or discounts to entice people to come to your restaurant.

One crazy example of a restaurant advertisement that I have found is from Europe. In a desire to attract customers, they glued thousands of paper butterflies to a car and put their restaurant sign in the middle of the windshield. Did it draw attention? Absolutely! Are people still talking about it? Yes. Why was it done? Nobody knows. Doing stunt type advertising will grab attention, but a restaurant must shift the focus to reflect what their sales product actually is.

Good advertising will differentiate your restaurant from the rest. An experienced restaurant consultant will help you find ways to get noticed and make your business thrive.

Interesting Advertising Part I Of II

We’ve all heard the mantras of food service consultants…”Provide value added service!” “Exceed your customer’s expectations!” “Provide service with a smile! “The customer is always right!” These are all important factors in running a restaurant. Another important aspect in the success of a restaurant is the advertising. The main purpose of advertising your business is to make customers remember who you are and keep them coming back for more.

Just recently, McDonalds’s ran a brilliant commercial for their Filet O’ Fish sandwich. In the commercial, a previously filleted fish (which is mounted to the wall) is asking for his insides back by singing:

“Give me back that filet o fish
Give me that fish
Give me back that filet o fish
Give me that fish

What if it were you
Hanging up on this wall?
If it were you in that sandwich
You wouldn’t be laughing at all!”

Just tonight, while visiting a McDonald’s, the family sitting at the next table over was singing that jingle while munching on their Filet O Fish. Even though the promotion for the sandwich is currently over, the song and the product lives on in the minds of the public. Simply brilliant!

Not to be outdone, Burger King has their own little jingle that is sparking interest from the public. Their new commercial has the infamous “King” raps, the “I Like Square Butts” parody which was originally recorded as “Baby Got Back”. Hearing the song on the television will entice you to look and see what the song was about. In this rendition, the lyrics are reworked to mention SpongeBob Square Pants, who is the subject of the fast-food chain’s latest kids’ meal toy. Some groups are pushing to have the advertising pulled because they deem it inappropriate for children. Burger King and Nickelodeon have responded by saying that the ad was never intended for young eyes.

Please continue to Interesting Advertising Part 2 for the conclusion of this post.

The Balancing Act: Profit Versus Dining Experience Part II Of II

In continuation from PART ONE…

Drinking beer with a crab meal is not uncommon, so they were surprised when the beer arrived and it was warm. My friend quickly pointed this out and the server said “Just a moment.” Everyone thought that she would be returning with a new cold beer, but instead she returned with a cup of ice for the beer and refused to take the warm beer back to the bar.

The crab legs, steamed shrimp, grilled fish and crab cakes were prepared beautifully. Sadly, there were still problems that needed addressed. No deliciously melted butter was served, and the cocktail sauce and vinegar that normally graced the table was non-existent. Upon asking, they were brought out from the kitchen, but by then the food was getting cold. Another thing that was missing from the table was the stack of napkins in the corner display. Each person was given one with their fork and knife, but if you have ever eaten crab, you definitely need more. None were brought upon request and instead they were told that there was a sink available to use near the bathroom. Upon ordering crab legs, the restaurant used to supply a mallet, a crab cracker, and a sharp knife to pick the crab. Now, only a mallet was supplied by the restaurant.

The cost for this “fun” evening out for four adults and four children (eating kid’s meals) was $283.45. It should also be noted that only 3 beers were purchased with the meal. For my friend, the cost was not the most upsetting part of their dining experience. The constant reminder of bad economic times is not something that a patron wants to feel when they are dining out. People dine out so that they can have fun and be free of the stresses of life, if only for a short period of time. The sad part for my friend is knowing that despite their long term loyalty to this particular restaurant; the changes now put in place have soured them and they will not be returning to this establishment in the future.

Although my friends dining experience could just be chalked up to a really bad dining experience; that could never be said in the past. I realize that restaurants need to be very watchful of their bottom line, especially in this sluggish economy. It is imperative that costs remain low enough so that you can maintain stability and still make a profit. So I am asking my readers…How do you keep your costs low and still maintain your customer loyalty? What
has worked for you? Do you know how a food service consultant can help you?

The Balancing Act: Profit Versus Dining Experience Part I Of II

A friend of mine from another state called me a couple of days ago. As usual, our conversation moved onto the topic of restaurants and food. She told me of an experience that she had encountered while eating out at one of her favorite restaurants. I wanted to share this information with my readers to see what comments and ideas you have regarding the situation.

As my friend explained to me…

A normal Saturday night consisted of going out to dinner with her family and another family with three children. One of their favorite haunts is an upscale crab house that is located on the water in Maryland. She explained that she has frequented this particular restaurant for over 17 years and her husband and friends had gone for over 20 years. This restaurant was so well liked that my friend had their wedding dinner there years ago. The restaurant has always been crowded, even on a weeknight. She noticed that when they arrived, there was no wait to be seated…for the first time ever.

The friendly server came over quickly and established a good rapport. Drinks and food were ordered and everything seemed to go along as they usually did each time they came to the restaurant. Like chips and salsa being offered at a Mexican restaurant, crab houses are known to supply Hushpuppies to patrons to nibble on while they wait for their seafood to be prepared. Although it was not told at the time, the once complimentary Hushpuppies now cost $3.99 for
4 little balls. Hushpuppies were ordered. They were cold, but since they believed that they were “free”, no use in complaining.

Along with the dinners ordered came the salad bar. My friend was amazed that they were told that each person was only allowed one trip to the salad bar. She stated that she had never made more than one trip to the salad bar in all of the years past, but she was disappointed that the table was told three times throughout their dining experience that they could only go once or pay an additional $9.99 per extra visit.

Please continue to The Balancing Act: Profit Versus Dining Experience PART TWO for the conclusion.

Marketing Versus Branding. Is There A Difference? Part II Of II

In continuation from Marketing Versus Branding. Is there a Different PART ONE…

Restaurants and Institutions have showcased some food concept ideas and restaurants that have proven successful branding and marketability.

Recognizing that seafood restaurants come in three different varieties (quick service, big casual dining chains and independent fine dining), the owners of the Tackle Box of Washington, DC discovered an interesting concept for their new restaurant. Despite marketing the restaurant as one that is similar to restaurants you will find along the Maine coastline, they thought outside the proverbial box. Their non-region specific fish tacos have proven to be a top seller and are credited with helping establish the restaurants brand among the other seafood concepts.

Sometimes restaurants will try to change their brand’s identity just enough to entice new diners into their restaurant. Bruegger’s of Burlington, Vermont, a bagel chain, will introduce new sandwiches on fresh baked bread. Steering away from the popular artesian breads offered by other restaurants such as Panera; they are hoping that by slightly tweaking their menu that they will bring in more lunchtime customers who are seeking sandwiches made on traditional breads. Doing so will allow them to still keep their specific brand intact, but offer something new to the consumer.

Many quick service restaurants have developed their specific brand by marketing a lovable and memorable character to represent the restaurant. McDonald’s has “Ronald McDonald”, Burger King has the “King”, Jack in the Box has “Jack” and Little Caesars’ has the little Roman character that love’s pizza. This food trends according to Restaurants and Institutions, “By creating integrated marketing campaigns that take advantage of television, social-networking Web sites, microsites and video-sharing sites, these smiling faces can serve as valuable buzz-generating tools.”

A restaurant can find success in finding their niche by looking at how and what their competitors offer their customers. If you find an area that is lacking, boldly grab the idea and offer up new services to your customers. An experienced restaurant consultant will help you find your niche and develop a plan to establish your specific brand and make it marketable.

Marketing Versus Branding. Is There A Difference? Part I Of II

Does marketing your product differ from branding your product, or is it just semantics?

Branding your product is the strategic process where you differentiate your product based on your core values, product category or the marketplace as a whole. Branding is the purposeful act of deciding what type of restaurant you are and how you want to be perceived. Building your specific brand closes the gap between what you promise and what you deliver.

Marketing your product is the implementation of the strategy of your brand. Marketing serves as a promotion and outward facing activities that define your product so that you can bring in customer traffic. A good marketing plan will communicate how your restaurant is different than every other restaurant in the industry. Many restaurants are finding success by marketing their products within. Basically, self-promoting or minimal advertising, along with excellent service and menu options, will provide much of the marketing that a restaurant will need.

Even though the two elements of running a business go hand in hand, developing your specific brand and finding your niche should be implemented before the marketing ensues.

You don’t have to be a big spender when it comes to marketing, especially in today’s sluggish economy. One case in point is how Starbucks operates. They spend more money on training their employees than they do on advertising their products. Their internal merchandising and menu are specifically focused. Despite being a nationwide company, they mostly ignore the mass media marketing and yet they are still one of the fastest growing businesses around the United States. Starbucks keeps their focus on their core product line and the flawless execution by
their employees.

Continue to Part 2 of this Post for the conclusion.

Wine And Beer Dinners Boost The Bottom Line

In today’s economy, businesses both small and large are cutting costs wherever they can. Sadly, employees are being displaced or work hours reduced. The trickle down effect is that consumers have less money to spend. Along with buying big ticket items such as a cars or computers, consumers are choosing to not frequent restaurants and Food Retailers as much as they did only a few months ago.

Some restaurants are finding innovative ways that they can boost their business by offering special wine dinners or beer brew dinners to patrons.

These fantastically organized dinners allow restaurants and wine and beer makers a way to jointly showcase their high quality food and drinks. Meals are specifically prepared to provide the restaurant patrons with an exquisite dining experience. These dinners are often offered by restaurants on Sundays, Monday and Tuesday evenings which are typically slower in dining traffic. Sales will further be increased when a restaurant is associated with or part of a hotel or inn which has the ability to offer overnight packages for consumers.

The focus of a monthly wine dinner usually surveys the wines of a specific region, grape variety or winery. These events can bring a big boost to a restaurants bottom line depending on the cost of the event versus the cost per person attending. The evening usually begins with a reception, followed by a delicious meal and dessert. At each stage of the meal, a special wine is presented that not only showcases the wine, but the adjoining food selections.

According to Restaurants and Institutions, the benefits of hosting this trendy type dining experience are great for restaurants because:

“Attending a wine and beer dinner is like getting into an exclusive, private party.”

“Special dinners can cost diners less than regular meals at the restaurant.”

“Customers get to sample and sometimes purchase pours that might otherwise be hard to find.”

“The events bring together customers who have common interests and help restaurants target a growing demographic of wine and beer enthusiasts.”

“By partnering with beverage vendors, restaurants are able to provide value.”

“Wine and beer dinners offer guests an experience they can’t get everyday.”

An experienced food service consultant will help you see how your restaurant can cater to smaller crowd and still turn a hefty profit.

The Next Salad Craze: Beans and Grains

In a 2007 food and health survey conducted by the International Food Information Council, 71% of Americans said they were trying to eat more whole grains. Food companies and Food Retailers have been quick to react to the rising demand. That same year, manufacturers launched 15 times as many new whole-grain products as they did in 2000, according to Mintel, a leading market research company.

Aside from their healthful properties, bean and grain salads are lauded by chefs for being foodservice-friendly. They are quick, simple to prepare, and they hold up well through service. Salads can be made in advance to allow the flavors to become fully integrated.

And some of the heartier salads—particularly those made with spelt berries or wheat berries—keep well for three to four days. In addition, leftover salad can have additional applications, being used in a hearty soup or stuffing for chicken or chiles. Sourcing grains has become much easier in recent years too, giving chefs plenty of reasons to experiment. Here, are three buzz-worthy varieties:

Quinoa: This ancient Peruvian ingredient is something quite unique: a vegetarian complete protein (containing all eight essential amino acids).

Wheat berries: Essentially unpolished wheat kernels, these berries are packed with protein and folic acid. When polished, they become grano.

Spelt berries: A cousin of the wheat berry, spelt berries bring a chewy nuttiness to dishes.

James Barrett, the co-owner of six-unit Metropolitan Bakery in Philadelphia, says spelt berries are one of his favorite ingredients. “It's the kind of [grain] that lends itself to many ethnic applications,” he says. “It's nutty in flavor with a toasted-nut quality, so it melds well with Mediterranean, Peruvian, Indian or even Hispanic flavor profiles.”

Choosing the right food business consultant can help you make the most of these trends and help keep your business thriving in any economy.

Bistro Sandwiches Continue As Top Food Choice Part II Of II

Continuing from Monday…

There are three new economical cuts of meats that work fantastically on sandwiches. With careful preparation and skill, they are helping chef’s keep their costs low and sandwich successes high. The Petite Tender is a tender beef muscle that is cut from the beef shoulder near the top blade. The Boneless Country Style Beef Rib is perfect for a shredded steak sandwich. The Flat Iron Steak is the second most tender cut of meat next to the tenderloin. The well marbled meat can be prepared in the same way that a traditional rib eye or strip steak would. Traditional red
meats used in sandwiches include the Brisket, Chuck, Flank Steak, Rib, Round, Sirloin and Tenderloin. In their own way, each cut of meat holds amazing opportunities to create a fabulous sandwich.

As a result of more consumers educating themselves in food choices and healthy eating options; food research shows that fast food establishments are recognizing the importance of offering up higher scale sandwiches as an alternative to traditional burgers. Consumers are demanding healthier options and better quality fast food. In California, Carl’s Jr. has recently introduced a charbroiled steak sandwich which is billed as a “fancy” fast food option. Another example of Food Retailers following these food trends is Subway offering a hot meatball sandwich which is smothered in marinara sauce, cheese and vegetables.

Further proving that sandwich creations top the list as one of the most versatile items that adorn restaurant menus; some chef’s are turning their focus to other red meats. From California to New York City, venison, bison and lamb are giving traditional red meat cuts a run for their money. These meats are often combined with caramelized onions, various cheeses, vegetables and topped with seasoned dressings on fresh breads, creating a beautifully flavored sandwich.

Across the board, customers love sandwiches and demand high quality ingredients. An experienced food consultant will help you find the perfect delectable sandwich combinations that will score big on taste and keep your customers coming back for more.