Restauranter: FVP Gals

RESTAURANTER

Dear FVP Gals,

I’ve noticed the rise in the fermented foods trend and have recently been thinking of ways to integrate this new trend into my restaurant. Please tell me more about this and any suggestions you have on how to integrate them. I’m having diffculty with this as all I can think of is adding pickled things to my dishes but not everyone likes pickled vegetables!

signed, I m in a pickle

Dear, Pickle

FIRST, LET’S START OFF BY ANSWERING THIS ONE BIG QUESTION:

Why are people so crazy about fermented foods? Fermentation has been traditionally used to preserve foods across cultures, from Japanese miso paste to Eastern European kefr and it has also been used to make alcohol. Today, fermentation is recognized not only for its health benefts but it’s becoming a popular way of adding new favours and textures in foods and beverages at restaurants around the world. What’s really cool about the fermentation process is that if you manipulate any one of the growth conditions or microorganisms used, it will change the properties of the food. This means there is no limit to the amount of tastes, favours, textures and aromas you can make!

“What’s really cool about the fermentation process is that if you manipulate any one of the growth conditions or microorganisms used, it will change the properties of the food. This means there is no limit to the amount of tastes, favours, textures and aromas you can make!”

Furthermore, fermented foods and beverages have become more mainstream in Western cultures because of the increased interest in health foods and “foodies” always looking for the next new/unique food item to try! The COVID-19 pandemic also brought forward a surge of at-home cooks sharing their bread, beer and “do it yourself” dairy items on social media which brought along even more awareness to the process and understanding of fermentation.

The Food Venture Gals are the founders of Food Venture Program; a leading organization in North American food and beverage product development offering online programs to help food entrepreneurs turn their recipes into retail-ready products!

HOW CAN YOU USE FERMENTED FOODS AT YOUR RESTAURANT?

1. Consider introducing fermented foods that are traditionally used in cuisines similar to what is served at

your restaurant. For example, if you own a breakfast and lunch spot, consider creating your own sourdough bread through the fermentation of four. Or, if you offer yogurt parfaits, try adding kefr as an “upsell” to the regular parfait with regular yogurt.

2. Choose local ingredients as the “substrate”, or food item, and explore applying traditional methods of fermentation to

these items. Food that once tasted familiar in its raw form, may have a completely different taste once fermented. For example, both Eastern European Sauerkraut and Korean Kimchi use lacto-bacteria to ferment cabbage, but sauerkraut is usually made with red or green cabbage and Kimchi is made with napa cabbage and root vegetables like carrot, radish, and scallions. Eastern Indian dishes also use pickled mango, carrots, garlic, etc, to add a blast of taste to their dishes. Why not get creative and try adding a pickled vegetable to your salads? Kimchi can be a wonderful addition to a Korean inspired salad (think crispy duck, greens and Kimchi - YUM!)

3. People pass on dessert not only because they are incredibly full; but also because they don’t want the added

sugar in their diet for the day. Fermented foods can however be used to bridge gut healthy foods and dessert for the health conscious customer! For example, yogurt is one of the most accessible fermented foods in Western society. Why not try a yogurt-based cake or frozen greek yogurt parfait?

Sincerely,

The Food Venture Gals

Kiran & Sima

Contributor: Saffron Locas

If you’re looking for more resources on menu or product development, we can help! Find more information at www.FoodVentureProgram.com or email us at info@foodventureprogram.com

Sources

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6723656/ https://www.heartfoundation.org.nz/about-us/news/blogs/fermented-foods-the-latest-trend https://www.masterclass.com/articles/sauerkraut-vs-kimchi-explained#what-is-sauerkraut