MIX FOOD
F L AV O R S
IDEAS
WINTER 2008
The Trends Issue Find Out What’s Hot for 2008
2 MIX WINTER 2008
This Issue
Check Out What’s Inside | F ood Trends
Flavor, Full Speed Ahead pg. 4 STOUFFER’S® Chicken and Pesto Penne
Trendspotting It’s a new year, and with that comes new challenges—and new opportunities as well. In this special issue of MIX, we’ve dusted off the crystal ball and consulted some of the best trendwatchers in the country to come up with a list of 40 trends that we think will be impacting the foodservice industry in the months and years to come. In the following pages, we’ve gathered information on everything from the newest teas in town to the consumer quest that’s got operators thinking about their own ways of doing business, from time-saving new equipment to the secret ingredient that can lift any menu item out of the doldrums. And along the way, we include plenty of suggestions for interpreting these important trends in the food, beverage, consumer and operational arenas, and leveraging them to improve your business. It’s a fitting beginning for a year that will also see meaningful changes in the way we at Nestlé FoodServices conduct our business—and improve relationships with our own valued customers: The foodservice operators who work so hard to achieve excellence. As part of our ongoing commitment to a partnership role in your long-term success, we’ll be announcing an exciting new strategic direction that we believe will position us to understand your business even better, and to become an even greater resource. We’ll have more to tell you about this new initiative in subsequent issues of MIX. In the meantime, from our business to yours, we hope you have a very happy, healthy and successful New Year.
| B everage Trends
Leveraging Liquid Assets pg. 8
| C onsumer Trends
The Ultimate Reality Show pg. 10
| O perational Trends
Cutting Costs, Improving Service pg. 12
| P roduct Spotlights
Great Products from the Nestlé® Family of Brands pg. 14
| R ecipes
A Taste of What’s ‘In’ pg. 16
| T he Back Page
Tapping the Trends pg. 18
Karla Bendel Director, Corporate Marketing Nestlé FoodServices Division
On the cover: Tempura Beans with MINOR’S® Szechuan RTU Sauce (see recipe on pg. 17). All products featured in this magazine may not be available in all markets. Please contact your Nestlé FoodServices Sales Representative for further information.
Food Trends When it comes to the food trends for 2008, we think it will be all about adventure, flavor and variety, from bold and distinctive ingredients to high-growth menu categories—hot plates, comin’ through!
Tuscan Tomato & Basil Bruschetta with MINOR’S ® Roasted Garlic Signature™ Flavor
The Sandwich Grows Up
Regional Italian
Just when you think you’ve seen everything there is to know about sandwiches, something new comes up. Say hello to the category that just keeps on growing, with some great ideas popping up on menus:
Today’s menu will start to explore the specialties of Italy’s many regional cuisines. Tuscany is known for its grilled meats, osso buco (braised veal shanks) and bean dishes. The Sicilians love their Arabic flavors of raisins and pine nuts, saffron and cinnamon. Sardinia is known for its rustic cooking and strong cheeses, while the pastas of the EmiliaRomagna are unparalleled. Olive Garden has branched out into Chicken & Gnocchi Veronese, Seafood Portofino, Mussels di Napoli, Tuscan T-Bone, and Sicilian Scampi. Umbria Ristorante, in Boston, MA, celebrates the verdant cuisine of “the green heart of Italy,” with simple brick-oven roasted, braised and grilled meats, plus lots of fresh vegetables. And Nani, in Jackson Hole, WY, serves a different regional Italian menu every month, including local wines.
Ethnic sandwiches: Flavorful Indian-style naanwiches, with curried fillings in naan flatbread; tramezzini, the Italian panini’s lighter, crustless cousin, a favorite on wine-bar menus; Puerto Rican platanos, sandwiches using maduros and tostones (grilled ripe and green plantains) instead of bread
Ham and Roasted Vegetable Stack with Chef-mate® Golden Cheese
“Xtreme” ‘wiches: The Chip Butty, English “chips” (French fries) on buttered bread with tomato sauce; bacon- and egg-topped burgers; tamale “hot dogs,” served in a toasted hot dog bun Sophisticated fillings: Cured meats, smoked fish, grilled ahi tuna, steak, handcarved turkey and roast beef with upscale condiments and garnishes like arugula and housemade chipotle ketchup Upscale grilled cheese sandwiches: Short rib grilled cheese on raisin bread with Tallegio and apricot-ginger purée at The Foundry on Melrose in Los Angeles, CA
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Buñuelos with Stouffer’s® Bourbon Sauce with Peaches
Cheese: The Secret Ingredient From rustic artisan and farmstead domestic cheeses to one-of-a-kind specialties from all over the world, cheese is everywhere these days, cooked into menu signatures and served on its own as an appetizer or in lieu of dessert. IHOP has featured Brie on limited-time only menu items. Ryan Hardy, the chef at the Little Nell in Aspen, CO, makes his own goat cheese. S’Mac, in New York City, features no fewer than ten different kinds of macaroni and cheese on its menu, including Gruyère and Cajun (with Cheddar and pepper jack).
Some other developments to watch: Spanish and Mexican cheeses (Manchego, Chihuahua, Cabrales, cotija) Hot cheese specialties: Fondue, queso fundido (Mexican-style cheese dip), raclette (a Swiss specialty of melted cheese with boiled potatoes and cornichons) Italian cheeses (Fontina, Asiago, Gorgonzola) Cheese tasting plates, paired with specialty condiments like quince paste or housemade chutney Goat cheese everything–from entrées to desserts (Vanilla Montrachet Cheesecake with macerated cherries at Napa Valley Grille, Paramus, NJ)
New Citrus Fruits Lemon, we love you but we’re also growing fond of your whole family. Citrus fruits of all kinds are showing up on menus in both sweet and savory applications. Blood oranges, yuzu, pommelo, Key lime, Meyer lemon, bergamot— each brings its own interesting balance of fruity sweetness and acidity to foods. Check it out: Red Curry Steamed Mussels with kaffir lime, Thai basil and coconut milk (Ocean House, Dennis Port, MA)
Queso Fundido with Minor’s® Culinary Cream
STOUFFER’S® Ricotta Lasagna Featuring Bellavitano™ Cheese
Layers of Citrus: Tart lemon curd, Key lime/yuzu mousse, tangerine gelee, candied kumquats (Café Thirty-A, Santa Rosa Beach, FL)
Global Street Cuisine From Asian bao and dumplings to French crepes, Indian chaat, Mexican gorditas and all-American specialty hot dogs, street food is coming indoors. The curbside carts and marketplaces of the world represent a foodie’s paradise of distinctive, handheld foods that are ripe for the translation to mainstream. Star-chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten got
Corn and Crab Fritters with baby greens and grapefruit salad with citrus vinaigrette (Roller’s, Philadelphia, PA)
hooked gastro-touring in Southeast Asian, then opened Spice Market to bring upscale versions of satays, samosas and spring rolls to New York City. At Albertson College of Idaho, executive chef Matt Caldwell staged the annual barbecue event as a Brazilian street scene, with stations dispensing churrasco and cheese bread.
Corn Fritters with Minor’s® General Tso’s RTU Sauce
Food Trends
continued Spicy Thai Beef & Tuna Tartare Flatbread Crisps infused by MINOR’S® Ancho Sauce
Hot, Hotter, Hottest Some like it hot, from midlife baby boomers with dulling taste buds to Americans of all ages who have become increasingly adventurous in their approach to spice-driven foods. The proliferation of ingredients in all parts of the Scoville scale (the measure of piquancy in a pepper)—not to mention hotties like Chinese mustard and horseradish— makes for a wide variety of different flavor bursts. Smoky chipotle and ancho peppers, fiery Habaneros, newly discovered Szechuan buds (used for their tongue-numbing tingle
in Southeast Asian salads), sweet-spicy Thai sriracha, hot sauces with words like “inferno” in the name… it’s all fair game for menumaking. In fact, 54% of the chain and whitetablecloth restaurants tracked in the most recent MenuMine database mentioned the word “spicy” on their menus, up from 35% a decade ago.
LEAN CUISINE® Spicy Peanut Chicken
Mini-Mize Me Small is better. Little “slider” hamburgers, mini-desserts, small plates, tapas, shooters… all these less-is-more concepts that make it easier and more fun for customers to sample and share. Small size means smaller prices, representing less of a risk for the customer to try something new or order “a little something extra for the table.” Mini burgers are popular, topped with everything from pickle and tomato to blue cheese and caramelized
onions. The Seasons 52 chain watched dessert sales skyrocket when it introduced its Mini Indulgences, nine different varieties of classic desserts priced at $1.95 a pop. Small Plates, in Detroit, has a menu that consists entirely of—you guessed it—appetizer-size portions, plus pizzas and salads for sharing. There’s even a restaurant called Minnies (“It’s not super-size. It’s just the right size.”) in Chicago, IL, that serves mini versions of all of its sandwiches—pesto chicken, tuna melt, Reuben—in a mix-and-match threesome for $8.75, six for $16.50, or 12 for $32.
STOUFFER’S® Flight of Sides
Vermont Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese with Applewood Smoked Bacon
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Angry Creamy Corn
Sunday Supper Mashed Potatoes
Creamy Spinach with Wisconsin Blue Cheese
Opposites Attract When it comes to creating signature menu items, contrast is in—not just in flavor, but also in texture and even temperature. Call it the yin-yang principle of recipe development: Pairing sweet with savory, hot and cold, smooth against crispy, sweet with spicy keeps the customer’s palate engaged and makes for a more memorable meal. At Miami, Florida’s Azul, for instance, chef Clay Conley’s Yogurt Marinated Swordfish is rubbed with piquant Indian spices, and served with a Za’atarspiced toasted pita and tomato salad, cashews and two saucy elements—minted yogurt and brown butter lobster sauce—to create a culinary domino effect: Hot against cool, spicy against sweet, smooth against crunchy. And Claim Jumper’s Green Tea & Ginger Crème Brûlé pits mellow green tea against spicy ginger in a sweet that really pleases.
Pineapple with Vanilla Ice Cream with MINOR’S® Bourbon Sauce
Farmers Market Cuisine “Local” is the new menu buzzword, great shorthand for evidencing quality in produce, cheeses, meats and other products. It’s also the inspiration for chefs to create seasonal menus highlighting fresh, simply prepared ingredients from nearby family farms and small-batch producers. According to Packaged Facts, sales of locally grown foods hit $5 billion in 2006, up 25% over 2002, while the number of farmers markets grew
Niche Meats Wild game, grass-fed beef, heirloom pork, free-range chicken… it is all about premium quality specialty meats that are not only raised more naturally, but also taste better, according to the chefs and operators that use them. Sales of North American bison grew 21% during the first half of 2007, according to the USDA. Angus beef generates $2.3 billion in retail sales.
Chipotle Mexican Grill’s carnitas are made with Niman Ranch pork. Kobe-style beef from American Wagyu cattle is menued for $12 an ounce at Charlie Palmer Steak in Washington, DC. Even Au Bon Pain has retooled its menu to feature all-natural chicken sandwiches and tenders.
Kobe Beef Meatballs with MINOR’S® Chipotle Flavor Concentrate
Pan Roasted Halibut with Braised Local Greens and STOUFFER’S® Roasted Tomato Alfredo Sauce
to nearly 4,400, from less than 1,800 in the mid-1990s. Bon Appetit Management’s “farm to fork” program enables chefs at each of its individual locations to buy from local farmers and producers, and plan their menus accordingly. Michael Anthony, the chef at the upscale Gramercy Tavern in New York, uses produce from farmers at the Union Square Greenmarket. Elmer’s Restaurant, a 32-unit chain based in Portland, OR, recently introduced a Northwest Fresh menu that showcases ingredients like Oregon hazelnuts, Washington apples and Pacific Northwest marionberries.
Beverage
Trends
A proliferation of new options is livening up beverage menus with all sorts of flavorful liquid assets.
Special-Teas There’s a whole new world of teas to experiment with. Koots Green Tea, a Japanese tea shop with two U.S. locations, makes a number of blended drinks such as lattes and smoothies, as well as ice cream with matcha—a fine, rubbed green tea that’s used in Japanese tea ceremonies. Maté, a centuries-old infusion made from the leaves of a South American plant, is on the beverage menu at Aji, a Latin American restaurant in Boulder, CO. Flowering and bubble teas (made with pearl tapioca) are also gaining in popularity.
The “Nons” Have It Teetotalers are being courted as avidly as tipplers with nonalcoholic beverages every bit as premium as cocktails—in ingredients and execution as well as price. Rialto in Boston, MA, lists spritzers of housemade herb and spice infusions mixed with seltzer water: Orange-Tarragon, Sassafras, Ginger, Lemon. Red Robin offers a separate selection of Chillin’ Concoctions, including the $4.99 Strawberry Ecstasy Beaker, orange juice and pineapple topped with strawberries—the customer keeps the beaker.
Mocha Non-Alcohol Martini with NESCAFé® Mocha Specialty Coffee Beverage
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Sake, Sake, Sake! Japan’s fermented-rice beverage is being lifted on the tide of America’s fascination with all things Japanese, and there are plenty of sakes to choose from, including special designation using different kinds of rice, barrel-aged sakes, and trendy artisanal brews. Metro, in Roanoke, VA, boasts “Virginia’s largest list of premium sakes”—two dozen kinds, served hot or chilled. And P.F. Chang’s new Taneko Japanese concept serves such sake-based cocktails as the Ginza Cooler with fresh grapes, black currant and lemon-lime soda.
Blueberry Pomegranate Smoothie with NestlÉ Carnation ® Evaporated Milk
Exotic Fruit Drinks From pomegranate and desert pear to guanabana, fruit juices beyond orange, apple and cranberry are ripe for serving as-is or mixed into menu signatures. With juice a healthy source of vitamins as well as beneficial substances like antioxidants, there’s lots to choose from on the market. One company offers dozens of different juice beverages, in single-fruit and blended variations, including passionfruit, tangerine, banana, mango, and a blend of apple juice, orange juice, peach, and banana blended with acai berries, blueberry, Concord grape, and cherry.
New World Wines Today’s goal is to make wine more approachable. European-style wine bars like Inoteca in New York and Kazimierz World Wine Bar in Scottsdale, AZ, are casual gathering spots with globetrotting wine lists and panini sandwiches, antipasti and other snacky foods. Elements of that strategy that also work: Menuing more wines by the glass, offering small plates like olives and cheese plates, and stocking affordable wines from places like New Zealand, Chile, Portugal, Italy and Mexico.
South of the Border Refreshers
Beer is the New Wine
What O.J. and lemonade are to the U.S., beverages such as liquados, aguas frescas, and horchata are to Latin cultures. All over Mexico, people seek refreshment with a fruity milk-based liquado such as mango, or a simple agua fresca (“fresh water”) made with fruit such as watermelon or citrus. Horchata is a milky Latin drink made with sweetened ground almonds, rice or barley, usually flavored with cinnamon and vanilla.
Operators are treating beer more like wine. They’re building sophisticated beer lists that list brews in categories like lager, stout, and ale or by country of origin, on draft and in bottles up to 750ml. Many restaurants now include a suggested beer for each item on the menu; Rustico, in Alexandria, VA, offers Mosaics, a trio of small plates accompanied by a threesome of beers for sharing. Beer tasting dinners are being merchandised like wine dinners. And beer is even showing up as a mixer: Beacon restaurant, in New York City, serves a Top Kicker “Ace High” made with gin, brown ale and rosemary-infused simple syrup.
Horchata with La Lechera
Indulgent Chocolate Quaffs
Infusions and Syrups Ramp up cocktail menus with infused vodkas and flavoring syrups in such intriguing flavors such as raspberry, lavender, and basil. At Serenade, in Chatham, NJ, the signature Tango is made with house-infused mango vodka with a muddle of tarragon and citrus, while the Zeb, one of the specialty martinis at Z Square in Cambridge, MA, sports a housemade ginger syrup along with flavored vodka and rum, pineapple juice and blue Curaçao.
Trendy Sodas There are plenty of new specialty carbonated beverages around. Regional soft drinks like Moxie cream soda and Vernors ginger ale are becoming more widely available. Duckfat, a casual restaurant in Portland, ME, offers its own natural sodas, in such foodfriendly flavors as root beer, lemon verbena, ginger and strawberry and anise hyssop. And in lieu of bottled water, many restaurants bring a soda siphon to the table to dispense freshly made seltzer.
Bonbons in beverage form are a great way to get a premium chocolate fix. City Bakery in New York City has a Hot Chocolate Festival every February, serving a different flavor every day from chili pepper to banana. Old-fashioned malts and egg creams (chocolate syrup, seltzer and milk) are making a comeback. Café Iberico, a tapas bar in Chicago, IL, serves Cola Cao—chocolate milk, hot or cold.
Perugina® Logo prints PMS 874. Carton background prints PMS 4975. PMS 4975
PMS 874
PERUGINA®
Nestlé® Chocolatier Chocolate Truffles
Staying Connected
Affordable Indulgences
From MySpace and Facebook, to the i-phone and other wireless communications, customers—especially younger ones—are online all the time, using the internet as their social and lifestyle network.
Especially when the economy is shaky, customers want to treat themselves without spending a fortune on everything from Vera Wang clothes at Kohl’s to two-day getaways at a local hotel.
Promote your operation by meeting them where they like to “hang out”—with a blog or MySpace page Offer Wi-Fi or other internet access Provide convenient internet-based services such as online ordering and reservations Maintain a website with your hours of operation, address and directions, latest menu, etc. Keep in mind that it is popular for consumers to make recommendations online and in chat rooms about where to eat
STOUFFER’S Smoky Black Beans ®
The Search for Authenticity Fastcompany.com has pegged authenticity— the search for genuine experience and “real” brands—as a powerful, enduring trend that’s been growing for decades. Today’s consumers know the difference between ersatz and real, and they’re looking for authenticity and honesty, both as an antidote to the fastpaced modern world, and as a way to expose themselves to other cultures and ideas. Use more authentic food and ingredients, such as ethnic items Promote whole/unprocessed foods Train service staff to be sincere and genuine
Back to the Brands According to NPD, 92% of customers will pay more for brands, and they expect, know and trust familiar brands to provide a quality experience.
Menu small portions of elegant items (after-dinner chocolate truffles, oysters by the piece)
Social Responsibility Consumer demand for goods and services that demonstrate social and corporate responsibility—from alternative energy sources to environmentally friendly building design, fair trade imports to humanely raised meat—is at an all-time high. And far from being a fringe trend, Hartman Group data shows that 93% of consumers operate in everyday life with varying degrees of what they term “sustainability consciousness.” Consider sourcing foods and other products that are responsibly raised or produced and say so on your menu, website and/or via the staff
Incorporate branded ingredients in recipes
Use and promote “green”: Recycling, biodegradable disposables, eco-friendly cleaning products
Make sure that your own brand—trade dress, image, menu concept, etc.—is up to snuff
Offer a discount to customers who bring their own coffee cups, takeout bags, etc.
Add well-known brands to your menu
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Merchandise upscale ingredients, judiciously used (such as a foie gras-topped burger)
The Experience Economy With the real-estate market in disarray, consumers are staying put and practicing power-nesting. But when they do go out, they’re looking beyond fulfilling basic needs, for a value-added experience to learn, grow, enrich or be entertained. Add aspects of DIY, like cooking at the table or inviting customers to walk through your on-premise herb garden Invest in the role of your servers by teaching them how to educate customers about the foods you serve
Prevention is the Best Medicine Customers—both aging baby boomers and younger Americans who have grown up in the era of wellness—want proactive options for a healthy lifestyle, shifting the focus from reaction, to preservation and prevention. Food is an important part of that: According to the International Food Information Council, 75% of consumers believe food and nutrition play the largest role in maintaining or improving health. Incorporate functional and healthy foods on menus, such as grains, fruits and vegetables Offer variable portion sizes for all appetites Make sure nutrition- or diet-focused alternatives are low-key, rather than overtly “low-cal,” “low-salt,” etc.
Kitsch for Kicks Retro has a whole new meaning, like the hip twentysomething dressed in a ladylike ‘60s-era vintage suit and sporting multiple tattoos. Buffalo Exchange sold $43 million dollars of retro clothing last year; Goodwill Industries had a 67% increase in sales since 2001. It’s all about mid-century modern with a decidedly contemporary spin. Menu kitschy foods like pigs-in-a-blanket, egg in-a-hole (an egg fried in a hole cut in a piece of toast) and ambrosia salad Outfit servers in vintage bowling shirts—or let them pick their funky gear
Display a collection of chrome toasters, whimsical salt-andpepper shakers, ‘50s barware or furniture moderne
Man’s Best Dining Companion? Americans spend $40 billion annually on their pets, almost double the amount spent a decade ago—and many consider pets to be as important as family members. Cottage industries catering to pets and their people have been springing up: Specialty pet stores, organic dog-food delivery services, restaurants and hotels that welcome four-footed companions, even pet-friendly cab services. If your municipality permits it, consider allowing dogs on your patio, either regularly or for a special event (Sunday afternoon with Fido) Inaugurate fundraisers targeted at animalrelief organizations, The Seeing Eye, local dog parks, etc. Feature real “doggie bags,” or take-home treats for pets
The Hispanic Boom According to U.S. census data, Hispanics are the fastest growing ethnic group in the country and will account for 25% of the nation’s total population by 2050. The influence of this growing demographic group is huge, affecting everything from music and culture to food.
Experiment with some unique tastes or recipes from one region as a way to capture the interests of this important demographic
Print staff training and merchandising materials in English and Spanish Recognize that culturally, Hispanics are not a uniform bloc, but rather a diverse group made up of people from Europe, South and Central America, the Caribbean and other regions
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Operational
Trends
Alternative Labor Pools With the traditional foodservice labor pool so shallow, operators are coming up with some clever new sources for employees. Enrollment at culinary schools is at an all-time high, and many foodservice operators are actively recruiting graduates. Community colleges, vo-techs and programs like the NRA’s ProStart, which require students to intern, are another proven source of employees. At the opposite end of the spectrum are older workers—68% of not-yet-retired workers aged 50-70 plan to work in some capacity into their retirement years. Some seasonal operations bring cooks and servers from other countries, providing employment and housing. And temp agencies are springing up to fill serving positions.
Sous-Vide
Online Training
The French technique of sous-vide (“under vacuum”) in which food is cooked at very low temperatures in an airtight plastic bag, has gotten press lately thanks to high-profile chefs (Thomas Keller, Charlie Trotter) who use it as a means of creating flavor and texture through ultra-slow cooking.
Nothing beats online training for convenience, accuracy and self-paced timing. And a welldesigned internet or intranet initiative can also be used for archiving manuals and recipes, performing certification, teaching language skills, continuing ed, online research, and so on.
But sous-vide has been around since the 1970s as a way of extending the shelf life and consistency of food. Pico’s Mex-Mex Restaurant in Houston uses sous-vide for complicated recipes—such as moles and stews—that can be served without highly skilled workers on the line. Many chefs use the technique to portion whole fish and later poach it, or to create individual servings for quick retherming later.
Timesaving, Multitasking Equipment Time is money, now more than ever—and new automated and high-speed technologies that can multitask are not only faster, but also safer and more energy-efficient: Combi ovens use a programmable combination of heat (such as convection, microwave and directed heat) to cook faster and better; new small footprint models are for specialty or lower-volume needs Conveyor ovens can produce popular items like pizza and toasted sandwiches to order in a matter of minutes Small-batch steamers can quickly heat or cook anything from vegetables and breads to proteins and fully assembled sandwiches
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Many larger companies have put all of their training online. Compass Group is continually expanding its online management training to include modules on workplace ethics, hourly orientation training culinary and nutrition information, business processes, safe alcohol service, and managerial leadership. Smaller companies can utilize services such as the NRA Educational Foundation’s online programs, or partner with local colleges.
Tech-Based Business Tools Get online: Webinars, podcasts, chat rooms, blogs and other net-based tools are great ways for operators to get connected—and succeed in business. With the resources available today, it’s easy to get information without a big investment of time and energy. Nestlé FoodServices offers a number of services and resources on its website (www.NestleFoodServices.com) including recipes, product information and videos, on-trend features, and news. We also offer Foodservice Rewards (www.foodservicerewards.com), the most exciting ongoing loyalty program in foodservice today—go online, and find out how to get rewarded.
New Sources for Sourcing Menus are getting more varied, and inventories—not just of food, but also supplies and equipment—are getting more complex. Here are some of the ways that operators are sourcing goods these days:
eBay for equipment, furnishings, etc.
Warehouse clubs
Domestic and international websites Direct from artisanal producers Farmers markets and terminal markets The popularity of specialty products such as imported olive oils and cheeses, and locally produced or farm-raised items has revolutionized sourcing. Relationships are important, convincing an importer or distributor to carry new products. And local agricultural partnerships (many supported by state agricultural departments) have sprung up to connect chefs with small farmers, facilitating ordering and delivery.
High Tech = High Touch Service Service is often the hardest thing to get right. High-tech systems make customer orders more accurate, easier on the kitchen, and keeps servers at the table, rendering more “high-touch” service. At Chop Chop Shanghai Bistro in Los Angeles, CA, customers use a self-guided tableside PDA-based system to place their own orders, while “customer relations ambassadors” deliver orders to the tables. The Carl’s Jr. chain uses touch-screen self-service ordering kiosks in some franchises. Servers at Wagamama, with two locations in Boston, MA, use handheld point-of-sale systems, so they don’t even have to go to a terminal to input orders.
Multiple Menus Many restaurants are inaugurating multiple menus to take advantage of all the different dining opportunities that customers have come to expect. A bar/lounge, express lunch or after-hours menu increases sales, repurposes prep into other dayparts, and can attract new customers. Uno Chicago Grill has a “Snack Hours” menu, available in the bar from 4-7 p.m. and 10 p.m. to closing, offering hearty but basic fare such as sliders and pizza skins. Denny’s has introduced the egg-topped Slam Burger, as a draw for the 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. crowd. And restaurants now have separate bar menus to appeal to younger clientele or regulars who don’t want a full meal.
Portobello Pasta with STOUFFER’S® Mushroom Marinara Sauce
Quick-Prep With labor and food costs being what they are today, sauces, soups, desserts, sides and appetizers are all great places to use highquality alternatives to scratch foods. In many cases, partially or fully prepared items have such great quality that you can’t even tell they aren’t made from scratch. It’s not just a matter of consistency and labor savings. Add menu variety and ensure consistency Offer authentic flavors, without having to source specialty ingredients Reduce inventory and storage Create signature items from standards like grilled meats, sandwiches and pasta by adding a distinctive sauce or side dish
Buying by the Group For independents and small chains, there’s strength in numbers with group purchasing of everything from food and cleaning supplies to insurance. Distributors have long banded together to negotiate better prices from manufacturers and other suppliers, particularly with equipment. Operators can do the same thing through GPOs (group purchasing organizations) which increasingly are opening their books to independents and other small-volume purchasers of food and equipment, as well as: Uniform and linen rental and laundry Consulting services Extermination and pest management Payroll and back-office processing
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Product Spotlight
NEW! STOUFFER’S® Ricotta Lasagna featuring Bellavitano™ Cheese* Featuring smooth ricotta and a sweet, savory cheese inspired by the Italian farmstead, layered with rich tomato sauce, herbs and sausage, this lasagna is an entrée destined to allure.
NEW! STOUFFER’S® Chicken and Vegetable Rice Bake* Succulent white-meat chicken is baked with tender rice and crisp vegetables in a seasoned sauce, topped with the crisp contrast of panko breadcrumbs, to satisfy appetites and evoke warm memories.
NEW! STOUFFER’S® Chicken and Pesto Penne With its traditional flavors of basil, olive oil, garlic and Parmesan, this tantalizing light Mediterranean entrée is a classic in the making, with al dente penne pasta and lots of all white-meat chicken.
NEW! STOUFFER’S® Bourbon Sauce with Peaches* Part of an exciting new line of STOUFFER’S® sauces, sides and entrées featuring artisan-crafted ingredients, Bourbon Sauce with Peaches is made with small-batch Kentucky Bourbon for a sweet, savory flavor that complements smoked ham, ice cream, puddings, or cobblers.
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* Shown as serving suggestion
NEW! HOT POCKETS® brand Bacon, Egg & Cheese Croustade Want a better way to serve breakfast? The Bacon, Egg & Cheese Croustade from Nestlé FoodServices puts the elements and flavor of favorite breakfast foods into a fun, maple-flavored crust for a handheld all-in-one breakfast item. The opening in the top of the flaky dough lets customers see into the center of this tasty new item.
MINOR’S® Signature™ Flavors* A convenient squeeze-bottle format puts flavor and creativity right in the palm of your hand. Try Roasted Garlic, Soy Wasabi, Chipotle, Ancho, Cilantro, Olive & Herb or Miso Ginger to bring an immediate, intense application of authentic flavor to menus with these perfectly balanced sauces, handcrafted by chefs for chefs. Just squeeze, drizzle and dot your menu creations with bursts of flavor—the options are limitless.
ORTEGA® and CHEF-MATE ® Cheese Sauces* Add value to your menu with convenient cheese sauces from brands you know and trust. ORTEGA® Que Bueno Jalapeño Cheese Sauce carries the kick of real jalapeño peppers while ORTEGA® Nacho Cheese Sauce is a rich, thick combination of cheddar, pieces of jalapeño, green chiles and a touch of tomato—both are great for fries, nachos and dips. And CHEF-MATE® Golden Cheese Sauce has a smooth, creamy richness that’s perfect for mac ‘n’ cheese and other specialties where maximum cheese content really counts.
COFFEE-MATE ® Total Creamer Solution More than just a creamer, COFFEE-MATE® is a custom flavor system that makes every cup of coffee a favorite cup. Available in a variety of flavors and formats, including bulk and portion control, COFFEE-MATE® brand provides customers with the rich, smooth, sensory experience that’s an essential part of every coffee drinker’s day.
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Recipes Trend: Secret Ingredient: Cheese Oysters Rockefeller with Creamy Spinach and Wisconsin Blue Cheese Yield: 12 oysters Servings: 4 Ingredients
Weight
Malpeque oysters, fresh, washed and scrubbed
5 lb.
Measure
12 ea.
STOUFFER’S ® Creamy Spinach with Wisconsin Blue Cheese, thawed
24 oz.
3 cups
Red bell pepper, julienned
2 ½ oz.
½ ea.
Rock salt, for serving PROCEDURE
1. Shuck the oysters. Place 2 oz. STOUFFER’S ® Creamy Spinach on top of each shucked oyster and top with 1 strip julienned red bell pepper. Bake at 375° F for 5-7 minutes or until done. 2. Serve immediately on mounded rock salt. NOTE: The salt is for serving purposes only and should not be eaten.
Trend: Farmers Market
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Top with crisp bacon, hollandaise, crumbled Wisconsin blue cheese or glaçage.
Seared Halibut with Fire-Roasted Pomodoro Sauce Yield: 8 lb., 2 oz. Servings: 10 (13 oz.) Ingredients
Weight
Olive oil
Measure
2 Tbsp.
Garlic, minced
1 oz.
2 Tbsp.
Onion, red, julienned
8 oz.
2 ½ cups
Bell pepper, green, julienned
12 oz.
3 cups
Bell pepper, red, julienned
12 oz.
3 cups
Bell pepper, yellow, julienned
12 oz.
3 cups
Tomatoes, seeded, julienned
6 oz.
1 cup
Parsley, fresh, chopped
2 Tbsp.
Olive oil
2 oz.
¼ cup
Halibut, cut into 6 oz. fillets
3 ¾ lb.
2 cups
Salt
To taste
Pepper STOUFFER’S ® Fire-Roasted Pomodoro Sauce, heated
To taste 32 oz.
½ pouch
PROCEDURE
1. In a sauté pan, heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Add garlic and sauté until aromatic. Add onions, peppers and tomatoes, and sauté until al denté. Finish with chopped parsley. Remove and keep warm for service. 2. In a sauté pan, heat ¼ cup olive oil. Season halibut fillets on both sides with salt and pepper. Add fillets to pan; sear for 2 minutes. Turn fillets and continue searing until golden brown. 3. Place 4 oz. of sautéed peppers in center of each plate. Top with seared halibut fillet and 3 oz. of Stouffer’s ® Fire-Roasted Pomodoro Sauce.
Trend: Infusions and Syrups Lavender Infused Tea Yield: 1 gallon Servings: 16 Ingredients
Weight
Measure
Water
2 cups
Sugar
1½ cups
Lavender
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. 1 gallon
Nestea®, prepared Ice
8 lb.
Procedure 1. Place water, sugar and lavender in a small saucepot to make lavender syrup. On high, heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low and gently boil for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to steep for 30 minutes. Strain. Cool. 2. Combine lavender syrup and Nestea®. 3. To serve, fill a 16 oz. serving cup with ice. Add tea.
16 MIX WINTER 2008
Trend: Regional Italian Butter Browned Gnocchi with Angry Creamy Corn and Shrimp Yield: 5 ½ lb. Servings: 4 (16 oz. portions) Ingredients
Weight
Measure
Spinach and red pepper gnocchi, fresh
24 oz.
3 cups
Butter, browned
8 oz.
1 cup
Shrimp, 6-8 count, cleaned
2 lb.
12 ea.
Olive oil
As needed
Sea salt
As needed
Ground pepper, fresh STOUFFER’S ® Angry Creamy Corn, prepared
Trend: Niche Meat
As needed 24 oz.
3 cups
PROCEDURE
Bison Burger Yield: 4 lb. Servings: 8 (8 oz. portions) Ingredients
Weight
Bison meat, fresh, ground
4 lb.
Measure
MINOR’S ® Beef Base
3 tsp.
Cheese, sliced
8 slices
Kaiser rolls, fresh
8 ea.
Tomato, sliced
As needed
Onion, sliced
As needed
Lettuce leaves
As needed
Pickles, sliced
As needed
STOUFFER’S ® Spicy Mac & Jack, prepared
4 cups
1. Cook gnocchi according to package instructions and brown lightly in butter. Keep warm for service. 2. Season shrimp with olive oil, salt and pepper, and grill. 3. Each serving should include 3 shrimp, 6 oz. Stouffer’s ® Angry Creamy Corn and 6 oz. of butter-browned gnocchi. SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Brush the shrimp with an RTU sauce before serving or substitute the shrimp with your favorite grilled item such as chicken, fresh vegetables or scallops.
PROCEDURE
1. Season bison meat with MINOR’S ® Beef Base, portion into 8-oz. patties, and cook to desired doneness. Top with cheese of choice. 2. Place burger on Kaiser roll and garnish with tomato, onion, lettuce and pickles. 3. Serve with heated STOUFFER’S ® Spicy Mac & Jack. SERVING SUGGESTION: Top burger with crisp bacon, caramelized sweet onion, sautéed peppers and mushrooms, or crispy onion threads.
Trend: Street Cuisine Szechuan Tempura Beans Yield: 1½ lb. Servings: 8 Ingredients
Weight
Tempura batter, premix
1, 10 oz. box
Black sesame seeds Fresh green beans, cleaned
1 Tbsp. 1 ¾ lb.
Kosher salt
3 Tbsp.
Cracked black pepper MINOR’S ® Szechuan RTU Sauce Cilantro sprigs and fresh radish fans
Measure
4 Tbsp. 20 oz.
1 ½ cups 8 ea.
PROCEDURE
1. Make tempura batter according to instructions; fold in black sesame seeds and keep chilled. 2. Holding each bean individually, dip into the batter and gently let the excess fall off. Gently place the battered beans into a deep fryer and cook until crisp and fully cooked. Let drain on paper towel. 3. For each portion, toss 8-10 beans with 1/8 tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper in a bowl. 4. Garnish with 2 oz. of Minor’s ® Szechuan RTU Sauce, cilantro, and fanned radish.
All Nestlé FoodServices recipes were developed in Nestlé Culinary Services Kitchens, with a special thanks to Greg Ische, Manager/Culinary Innovation of Nestlé FoodServices North America and Wynne Nord, Senior FoodServices Specialist.
17
In the Next Issue of MIX
Tapping the
Trends Some surprising ideas for making our predictions work hard for your business
to Wake Up ! B reakfast
Wake up to Breakfast! Sales of breakfast foods are booming— and not just in the morning. Casual chains and colleges are serving breakfast 24/7. Brunch is getting a new lease on life, with surprising new takes on ethnic food and other trendy menu formats. Handheld items—including nutritious specialty beverages—are making it easier than ever for customers to eat breakfast on the run. And eggs are making a comeback, in all sorts of enticing guises. Plus, the latest on consumer behavior, operational advice, recipes, product information and more, in the Spring issue of MIX.
Contact Us At Nestlé FoodServices we recognize that the focus in our industry is on service and providing a quality experience to consumers. That is why Nestlé FoodServices offers you quality brands, products, services, systems and business-building solutions. Look to us for more ways to deliver “Good Food, Good Life” to both your operation and your customers. For more information, contact your Nestlé sales representative or call Visit us online at 18 1-800-288-8682. MIX WINTER 2008 www.NestleFoodServices.com or in Canada at www.NestleFoodServices.ca.
Foccacia Stacked Sandwich with MINOR’S® Kalamata Pesto
LODGING
Healthcare/ Employee foodservice
colleges & universities
Cheese: The Secret Ingredient
Indulgent Chocolate Quaffs
Global Street Cuisine
Use trim and ends from different specialty cheeses to create a cheese fondue for two
Make flavored hot cocoa available in lounges and waiting areas during cold weather months
Set up a “cart” with a different weekly ethnic specialty, such as empanadas or satays
Hot, Hotter, Hottest
Niche Meats
Trendy Sodas
Inaugurate a make-yourown “Bloody Mary” bar with a selection of hot sauces, pickled jalapeños, horseradish, etc.
Offer a premium burger option, with Black Angus beef and upscale accompaniments
Experiment with local favorites and specialty flavors for catering and concessions
Affordable Indulgences
New Sources for Sourcing
Multiple Menus
Offer a small box of chocolate truffles or fancy cookies that guests can take back to their room
Invite a local farmers market to set up shop in a parking area or other public spot—and get some produce for the cafeteria at the same time
Convert an underutilized area into a late-night servery during exam week with prepackaged foods
Kitsch for Kicks
Stay Connected
Quick Prep
Fun with bar snacks: Truffled popcorn, lamb chop lollipops, gourmet corn dogs and deviled eggs
Set up a system allowing employees to text in orders ahead of time, for pick-up at a designated time
Add a self-serve sauce and sides bar for rotisserie chicken, meat loaf, grilled salmon and other standard fare
Unless otherwise noted all trademarks are owned by Société des Produits Nestlé, S.A., Vevey Switzerland, or used with permission. Ortega ® is a registered trademark of O Brand Acquisition Corp. Used under license.
MIX FOOD
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IDEAS
Look into the future with Nestlé FoodServices
20 MIX WINTER 2008
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