Happy Plate | Vol 1

TABLE  OF CONTENTS

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FEATURES RECIPES

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ELEVATE

TABLE

PLANETARY

COMING

ELEVATE THE PLATE

Asthesayinggoes,“Youeatwithyour eyesfirst,”andwhatmaysound poeticisactuallyrootedinscience Studiesshowthatdiners’attitudes towardfoodareheavilyinfluencedby appearance.

Artfulplatingenticesdinersby appealingtotheirsensesand creatingapositivefirstimpression beforetheguesteventakesabite. Forthatreason,it’simportantto keepinmindthefactorsthat contributetoplatingand presentation Hereareafewtipsand techniquestokeepinmind.

StateofthePlate

Platingbeginswiththevessel(plate, bowl,cup)itself.Consideryour brand’sstyleguide,includingdecor, colors,andoverallvibe,tochoose dinnerwareandflatwarethat’s

complementary.Lookfordinnerware thatcanadequatelyholdyourmenu itemswithouthavingtoomuchextra room,whichcancreatethe impressionthatthemealissmaller thanitis.

Considerbothformandfunctionto finddinnerwarethatisbeautifulbut alsodurableandusefulforavariety ofapplications.Wideshallowbowls, forexample,workwellforpastaand ricedishes,somesoupsandstews, andawidevarietyofplatedmain courses Smalleritemslikeside dishesmaybeservedinsmaller containersthattapertowardthe bottomtocreatetheappearanceof abundance.

PortionControl

Thewayweeatinrestaurants continuestoevolve,andoverthe

pastfewyears,we’veseenarisein smallplatesonmenus.There’san increasinglyfinelinebetweensmall plates,sidedishes,andmains,but here’sonebroadwaytothinkabout it:Smallplatesaremeanttobe enjoyedbymultipleguests,withan emphasisonasharedexperience.If guestsrequesttosplitamaindish, considerplatingeach‘half’ separatelytocreateabetterguest experience

AFeastfortheSenses

Asyouapproachcreatinga composedplate,theruleofthirds canbeoneusefultechniqueinspired bytheartworld:Splittheplateinto threeequalsections.Themain proteingoesinthebottomthird, towardtheright;thestarchinthetop leftthird,andthevegetableinthetop

Stephanie

Creating height on the plate draws the guests’ eyes upward and creates the impression that the dish is substantial, filling, and artistic.

right.Thisprovidessomewherefor theeyetogoandcreatesa substantial-lookingplate.

Similarly,it’simportanttothink abouthowacutofmeatorvegetable willappearontheplate.Anangled cutofmeatsuchassteakorlambis alsoknownasatranchecut Thistype ofcutisusefulbecauseitincreases thesurfaceareaoftheprotein, creatingtheillusionthattheportion islargerthanifitwerecutvertically. Italsoshowsinstantlythatthefood hasbeencookedtotheproper temperature.

Colorisoneofthemostimportant aspectsofplating Vibrantcolorstell theguestthattheirmealisgoingto befreshandflavorful.Contrasting colorsaddexcitementtotheplate,so considerwaystobringincontrast. Youmayevenwanttohangacolor wheelsomewhereinthekitchento serveasaguidewhenchefsare creatingdishes

Thecolorofyourdinnerwareisjustas importantaswhatyouputonthe plate.Accordingtoonestudy,using platesandglassesthatcontrasted withthefoodincreasedfood consumptionby25%andbeverage consumptionby84%!Whiteisa traditionalchoiceandcanbeuseful forcreatingaclean,sleek appearance Butyoumayalsowant toconsidervibrantcolors,handmade pottery,anddarkercolorstohelp createvisualintrigue.

HigherGround

Creatingheightontheplatedraws theguests’eyesupwardandcreates theimpressionthatthedishis substantial,filling,andartistic Layer elementsofthedishontopofone anothertocreateheight,using lightweightgarnisheslikecrackers, tuiles,orsproutstobuildvertically. Butkeepinmindthattheprimary functionofagarnishshouldbeto complementtheflavorsontheplate Allgarnishesshouldbe100%edible Considerbringingincontrasting colorsandtextureswithfreshherbs, microgreens,thinlyslicedvegetables, andedibleflowerstocreateawow moment.

Youcanalsousetexturetobuild heightanddevelopamorebalanced dish Notonlyistextureimportantin termsoftaste,buildinglayersof texturecanhelpmakeaplateappear moredynamic,givingtheguestmore reasonstokeeptakingbiteafterbite.

TheGuestExperience

Aplateoffoodshouldbebeautiful, butalsoapproachabletotheguest Ensurewhateverartisticmeasures youtakedon’tnegativelyimpactthe eatingexperience.Forexample,ifyou areservingadishthat’smeanttobe eatenwithaspoon,ensureallofthe piecescanbescoopedwiththat spoonwithoutrequiringcuttingor furthermanipulation.Getaheadof potentialerrorsandtreatyourstaffto regulartastingsofplateddishesto helpidentifyanyissuesthatmay arisefromplating.

BOWLED OVER

Stephanie Ganz

Overthepastfewyears,anewformat hasstartedpoppingupallover restaurantmenus,startinginthefast casualspaceandmakingitswayto upscaleandfinediningrestaurants: It’sbowls-as-meals.Grainbowls, noodlebowls,pokebowls abowlby anynamehasjustasmany advantages,andthat’swhywe’re takingalookatwhattheconcept entailsandhowtonailitatyour restaurant.

Whatarebowls-as-meals?

Thatmightsoundlikeasimple question,butwhenitcomestothis trendthereareafewimportant factorstoconsider. Bowlsareall aboutbalance.Typicallyabase,a proteinand4-6garnishes,plusa sauceordressingareallyouneedto makeacomplete,satisfyingmenu item. Fromthere,chefsareonly limitedbytheirowncreativity

Whydopeoplelovebowls somuch?

Thebowlconceptfeels lightandfreshbutalso filling.There’san impressionof healthfulnessandthe abilitytocustomizeeasily basedontheguest’s preferencesanddietaryneeds PlaceslikeChipotlefamiliarized dinerswiththeconceptofcreating thesetypesofdishesonanational scale,andnowsmallerchainsand independentlyownedrestaurantsare seeingwhy goodprofitmarginand highcustomersatisfactionisa win-win!

Howdoyoumakebowlsastandoutonyourmenu?

Lookatyourmenuasawholeand identifyingredientsthatpeople alreadylove maybeit’sa housemadesauceorsomekindof chutneyorpicklethatfolksjust adore Brainstormcomplimentary flavorsthatwouldmakethat ingredientshineandbegintobuilda bowlaroundit,lookingforthekey elements base,protein,garnishes, andsauce.Considervariationsthat allowthegueststomakeeachbowl theirown Fromthere,it’sallabout presentation

Oneofthereasonsbowlshave surgedinpopularitylatelyisthat they’reahitonInstagram.People lovetonotonlyeatthisway,butthey alsolovetoshareitwhentheydo; that’samarketingwinfor restaurants,andthusanattractive presentationiskey Thinkofways thatyoucanbestpresentyourbowlsas-meals maybewithexcitingdishes orto-gocontainersthatrepresent yourbrandinacleverand memorableway.

TABLE TURNS

Everyoperatorwantstogettheoptimalnumberoftable turnsduringanygivenshift Obviouslythemorecustomers youserve,thebetterforyourbottomline Andthelesstime customershavetowaitforatable,thebetterthechance they’llrateyourrestaurantasdeliveringagreatguest experience.Technologycanalsohelp(likePOSsystemsand tablesidepayment),ascanstafftraining.Butthefirststepis payingattention!Soifyourgrasponyourtable-turn numbersisalittlewobbly,beginwiththeexercisebelow

Choosetimeperiod(5p-10p,5hours)

#ofpartiesserved

#oftablesoccupiedduringthatperiod

Turnoverrate

Duringthedinnerperiod,tablesusuallyflip3times(every1.5 hours)forafamilyrestaurant;figure2hoursforfinediningand 1hour+15minutesforacasualvenue

Sriracha Chili

Garlic Oil Noodles

INGREDIENTS

6 oz. Roland® Organic Udon Noodles

1 tbsp soy sauce, dark

2 tbsp soy sauce, reduced sodium

2 tsp sesame seeds, plus additional for garnish

2 tsp red pepper, flakes, crushed Roland® Sriracha Chili Sauce

2 garlic, clove(s), finely minced

1 tbsp cilantro, fresh, finely chopped

2 onion(s), green, chopped (plus additional for garnish)

1/4 cup oil, neutral

DIRECTIONS

Boil the noodles per package instructions. Rinse under cold water for a few seconds, drain and set aside.

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan until sizzling hot.

2. Add the noodles into a large bowl. Add the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame seeds, crushed red pepper flakes, green onions, garlic, cilantro and sriracha on top of the noodles.

4.

3. Pour the hot oil over the noodles and toppings and mix until the noodles are evenly coated. Garnished with additional green onions and sesame seeds.

WHAT’S IN WITH TAKEOUT

Stephanie Ganz

Off-sitedining,whetherintheformof takeout,delivery,grab&go,or catering,isamajorrevenuecategory forrestaurants,andaccordingto trendwatchers,itshowsnosignof slowingdown.Understandingthe rolethatpackagingplaysincustomer satisfactionisanimportantstepin offeringacomplete,thoughtfuloffsitediningprogram.So,let’sdiveinto thematerialsandbestpracticesthat canmakeyouroff-siteprograma success

Leak-proof

Afewbumpsintheroad,andyour deliverydriverorguestwillbedealing witha

plasticfoamclamshellisn’tgoingto cutitinthiscase,butthereare options Youcanwrapclamshellsin plasticwrap,whichmayaddan unnecessarysteptoyourfulfillment process;or,youcaninvestinleakproofpackaging,whichkeepsspills atbayandinspiresconsumer confidence.

Safetyseal

Withtheriseofthird-partymeal deliveryservices,theconceptof safety-sealpackaginghasgrownin importance.Safetysealscanbeon theindividualmenuitemsoronthe

bagitself.Whenacustomerseesthis, itcreatespeaceofmindthatthisfood hasnotbeentamperedwithandis, thus,safetoeat

Eco-friendly

Withtheproliferationoftakeoutand deliveryhascomeasurgeinsingleusepackaging,andmanywould arguethatthishasanegativeimpact ontheenvironment.Brandsseeking toreducetheircarbonfootprint shouldinvestinrecyclableor biodegradablepackaging,andthere aremoreandbetteroptionsinthese categoriesthaneverbefore. Molded fiberpackaging,forexample,is as

suppliersseeeco-friendlydesignas integraltofoodpackaging.Makesure toeducateconsumersaboutyour packagingchoicestoletthemknowif you’vemadeaninvestmentinecofriendlypackaging,asthiscanset yourbusinessapartfromthe competition.

Knowyourmaterials.Before investinginfoodpackagingoptions, familiarizeyourselfwithcommon packagingmaterialsanddetermine whichrepresentsthebestfitforyour business:

Pre-consumerrecycled:Preconsumermaterialsare generatedbymanufacturersand processorsandmayconsistof scrap,trimmings,andotherbyproductsthatwereneverusedin theconsumermarket

Post-consumerrecycled:Postconsumermaterialissomething

thatcompleteditslifecycleasa consumeritemandwould otherwisehavebeendisposedof asasolidwasteifnotrecycledby consumersorbusinesses

PolyethyleneTerephthalate (PET,PETE):Theresinmost oftenusedtomakewaterbottles butisalsousedtomakedrink cupsanddelianddessert containers.

Polypropylene(PP):Adurable plasticusedtomakedrinkcups andfoodcontainers

Polystyrene:PolystyreneorPSis aformofplasticthatcanbe foamedorrigid.Infoamedform, itoffersgoodinsulation.Itisnot widelyrecyclableandisnot biodegradable.

Bioplastics:Theseplasticsare madefromsugarcane,corn,and otherplant-basedfeedstocks It’s importanttonotethatnotall

feedstock-basedplasticsare biodegradable,despitecommon misconceptions Somenonbiodegradablebioplastics, however,arestillrecyclable

PLA:Polylacticacid,abioplastic madefromcornstarch.Itis compostablebutonlyin

commercialcompostingfacilities. Whilesomewhatheattolerant,itis notmicrowavable.Usedprimarily forcolddrinkcupsandfood containers

Bagasse:Madefromsugarcane pulp,itiscompostableand biodegradable.Itisheattolerant, microwavable,andsuitableforhot drinkcupsandsoupcontainers.

BPA:BisphenolA,achemicalused inmanufacturingplasticsthatis believedtobeabletoseepinto foods Supplierswillknowiftheir containersaremadewithBPA,so ask.(Source:StarfleetResearch)

Onceyoudeterminethebest materialsforyourpackagingneeds, considerotherelementsthatmaybe importanttotheconsumer,suchas visibilityoftheitem Containerswith clearlidsorwindowspresentthe foodinamoredesirablewaythan opaquepackaging.Another importantaspectisthebreathability ofthecontainer.Ifanitemis supposedtoarrivetotheconsumer withacrispyexterior,suchasfried foods,considerpackagingoptions withventilationforsteam

Whenitcomestotheservicesideof things,thereisanopportunityto provideanexcellentexperiencefor thein-housedinerwhohasleftover foodtotakehome.Trainstafftobox leftoversfortheguest,instructing themonusingtheappropriatesize andshapecontainerforeachfood item.Whetherstaffarepackaging leftoversorfreshfoodtobe:

delivered,herearesomebest practicestokeepinmind

Separatefooditemsofdifferent temperatures Don’tboxhot chickenwithacoldsalad,orboth itemswillbelukewarmwhen theyarrive.Makesuretochoose packagingthatisappropriatefor maintainingtemperatures, especiallywhenitcomesto delivery.Portablecoolersand heat-maintainingbagscanmake ahugedifferenceinconsumer satisfaction

Packagesauceontheside wheneverpossible.Itcanreduce themessandgivestheguest controlovertheirexperience. Askaboutnapkinsandutensils ratherthanincludingthem automatically Thiscantranslate toabigsavingsfortherestaurant overtime,andmostpeopledon’t needplasticwarebecausethey willbeeatingthefoodathome.

Includemenusandspecialoffers. Thisisanothermarketing opportunity,soequipguestswith areasontoreturnandanything theymightneedtomakethe returnexperienceeasierormore pleasurable.

Considerthetotalunboxing experience.Whatopportunities arethereforyoutocommunicate yourbrandviapackaging?Can youstamp,embossorsticker packagingwithyourbrandingto bringsomeofthefeelingofyour businessintothehome?Ifso,it maybeausefuldifferentiator thatstandsoutintheconsumer’s overallexperience.

Nomatterwhatchoicesyoumakefor yourpackagingneeds,you’remaking astatementtotheconsumerabout yourvalues Makesureit’sonethat you’recomfortablewithandthat representsyourbusinesswell.

EverLight

COOKING SPRAY

ZERO GRAMS OF TRANS FAT PER SERVING PRESSURE RELEASE TABS FOR SAFETY INCREDIBLY CONVENIENT & VERSATILE MULTIPLE USES IN ANY KITCHEN SETTING

Water Based | EB742

Oil Based | EB744

Ultra Preform | EB746

Bay Winds® Shrimp Tostada

INGREDIENTS

1 ea. onion(s), red, 6 oz. Bay Winds® Shrimp, 30/40 count, rpdt/off

1 tbsp Peak Fresh Produce® Cilantro, minced

1/2 ea. Peak Fresh Produce® Lime(s)

1/4 tsp West Creek® sea salt kosher

1/8 tsp Magellan® Black Pepper, ground

2 tbsp Roma® Oil, Olive

2 oz. Peak Fresh Produce® Onion(s), Yellow Jumbo, small dice

2 oz. Peak Fresh Produce® 5x6 tomato, small dice

1/2 ea. Peak Fresh Produce® Lime(s), juice and zest only

2 oz. West Creek® Mango Chunks, IQF, small dice

1 oz. Contigo® Sliced Jalapenos, brunoise diced

1/4 tsp West Creek® sea salt kosher

1/8 tsp Magellan® Black Pepper, ground

2 ea. Contigo® Tortilla(s), Flour 6inch, white Brilliance® oil, for deep frying

4 oz. Contigo® Guacamole, chunky style

3 to 5 leaves ea. Peak Fresh Produce® Cilantro, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1.

Warm oil in deep fryer to 350°F. Drop 2 tortillas in oil and cook both sides until golden brown. Drain and reserve on a paper towel.

2.

In a bowl add chopped jalapeno, onion, tomatoes, and mango. Add 1 tbsp. chopped cilantro, 1/4 tsp. sea salt and 1/8 tsp. black pepper. Add juice of 1/2 ea. lime and mix all ingredients well. Reserve and hold in a refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes.

3.

In a separate bowl add shrimp, 2 tbsp. Roma olive oil, 1/2 ea. lime juiced, 1 tbsp. cilantro, 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp, Roma ground black pepper and mix well.

4.

Place Shrimp on medium heat grill and cook 1-2 minutes per side. Pull off grill and reserve.

6.

5. Garnish with a few leaves of whole cilantro on each tostada.

Cover both tortillas with guacamole. Add 1/2 the mango salsa on top of the guacamole covering most of the surface area for both tortillas. Add 1/2 the cooked shrimp on top of the salsa covering both tostadas.

HOLY GUACAMOLE!

Stephanie Ganz

It’salmosttimeforCincodeMayo, thedaythatcommemoratesthe MexicanArmy’sunlikelyvictory againsttheFrenchEmpirein1862. ItisnotMexicanIndependenceDay (September16),andit’snot particularlycelebratedoutsideofthe stateofPueblainMexico Butinthe US,accordingtooneNielsenstudy, Americansspentover$1.5trillion celebratingtheholidayinrecent years.

Capturingtheexcitementaround CincodeMayomakesgoodsensefor restaurantowners,butit’simportant tounderstandandacknowledgethe cultureratherthanusingtheholiday asanexcusetoservemore margaritas.Takethetimetothink abouttheimpactMexicanand HispanicAmericanshavehadinthis country.Infact,it’shelpfulto considerhowyourmarketingplan appealstoHispanicconsumersyearround,soifyouhaven’talready,now isagreattimetostart

HostaCelebration

Becausethisisafestiveholiday,it onlymakessensetothrowaparty! Thatmeansdecor(green,white,and redarethecolorsoftheMexicanflag), livemusic,andlotsoffun Putthe dateonyoureventcalendarand eventcalendarsinyourarea,shareon socialmedia,andsendanotetolocal presstoletthemknowwhatyouhave planned.

FoodSpecials

Itwouldn’tbeCincodeMayowithout excellentMexicanfood Ifyou’renot ofMexicanheritage,youcanstillriff

onclassicdishesliketacosandtamales, withyourowntwist Itcanalsobesmart totryfusiondisheslikethisMexican LasagnaorJamaicanJerkTunaTacos If youdon’ttypicallycarrytheingredients youneedforMexican-inspireddishes, don’tworry,Contigo®andCorazo®have everythingyouneed,fromavocadosto tortillastoMexicancheeseblends.

LiveMusic

Nopartyiscompletewithoutmusic,so considerhiringperformersforthe festivities.Whetheryouchoosealive mariachibandoragreatDJ, thisisanimportant partofsettinga greatvibeforthe night.

KeepitRespectful

Aswithanyculturalevent,it’s importanttoavoidstereotypingand appropriating.Takethetimeto educateyourselfabouttheholiday andmakesurethereisa consistentthemeofrespectguiding yourpartyplanningandexecution Andbecausethisisaholidaywhere drinkingiscommon,consideroffering apromocodeforLyftorUberrides forguestsfortheevening,while encouraginggueststomake responsiblechoicesforthemselvesin akindway.

BIRRA TACOS HAD A GROWTH OF 53%ONMENUS THIS YEAR!

Creamy Avocado Salsa

Ingredients:

4 tomatillos, roughly chopped

1 Peak Fresh Produce® avocado, seeded, peeled, and roughly chopped

1 Peak Fresh Produce® lime, juiced

1/3 cup Peak Fresh Produce® cilantro, roughly chopped

1/4 cup Peak Fresh Produce® green bell pepper, roughly chopped

1/4 cup Peak Fresh Produce® white onion, roughly chopped

1/4 cup water

kosher salt, to taste

Contigo® Green Habanero Hot Sauce, to taste

Directions:

Add all of the ingredients to a blender and mix until well blended. Season to taste.

Refrigerate for 3-5 days.

PLANETARY PLANS

PlanetBeforePlastics

With Earth Day right around the corner now's the perfect time to highlight sustainable items on your menu and introduce even more environmentally friendly initiatives that will hopefully become mainstays long after Mother Earth's big day.

Helpyouroperationmoveinthedirectionof sustainabilitywithFirstMark®productscreatedwiththe environmentinmind.Itemsarefreeoftoxicmaterials, madefromrecycledcontent,andaremanufactured usingsourcereduction Helpourplanetbyadding compostable,biodegradable,andrecyclableserving materialstoyourtables.

SpringforSeasonalProduce

Notonlyiseatingseasonallymorenutritious,butit's moreenvironmentallyfriendlytoo.Eatingwiththe seasonsreduceslong-distancetransporttimesand lengthyrefrigerationandfreezetimes,helpingyour carbonfootprintheadintherightdirection Choosefrommorethan300PeakFreshProduce® varietiesfortop-notchqualityandsustainability.Doing yourparthasneverbeensohealthyanddelicious!

TightentheFocusonFish

Empire'sTreasure®musselsaretheperfectsustainable swapforentréesorapps andstillhighinomega-3fatty acidsguestslookfor.

Forseafoodtobeconsideredsustainable,itmustcome fromfisheriesthatusepracticestoensurethelong-term healthstockofaspeciesandthewellbeingoftheocean. ConsiderBayWinds®Swordfishsteakfora showstoppingandhealthyentrée.Allseafoodselected forBayWindsmustmeetstrictstandards,ensuringthe fishstocksarehealthy. Sogoaheadandplatewith confidence!

Movingtowardsmoresustainablemenuitemsand operationsisapracticethatwillonlycontinuetoget moreimportanttoyourcurrentandpotentialguests. Highlightingexactlyhowyouarecontributing bothon yourmenusandadvertising willdrawmoreloyal guests,notonlyonEarthDay,buteveryday

Briana Rupel - A proud service industry lifer, Briana writes about food, beverages, and foodservice creativity

POWER OF PLANTS

Jessica O’Neal - With more than a decade of experience as a personal chef, Charleston, S C -based Jessica is a specialist at crafting exceptional dining experiences

Moreflavor,lowercosts,andhappier eaters that’sthepowerofplants Plant-forwardeatinganddrinkingis oneofthebigfoodtrendsof‘24. Plant-based,vegetarian,ormeatless, nomatterhowyousayit,youcan capitalizeonproduce-drivendishes withoutoverhaulingthemenu.

Meatlessmenuoptionsdon’thaveto appealjusttovegetariansthough, theycanbeflavorfulandvaried enoughtoattractanyonewhowalks throughthedoor.Addingmore producetothemenucancreate excitementandimprovethebottom line.Gobeyondtheveggieburger withcreativewaystomakeproduce thefocusoftheplate

NaturalMeatSubstitutes

Themarketforultra-processed,meat substitutesliketofuandtempehmay beshrinking,buttheappetitefor plant-basedappsandentréesisstill growing.Thismeansnatural alternativeslikemushroomsand cauliflowerarecrucialtofillingthe gapforthosedinerscravingmeatless options.

Withfauxmeatspossiblyfallingoutof favor,meatymushroomsare regainingtheirfavoredstatusasthe choiceforvegetariansandwichesand entrées.PortobellosfromPeak® Produceareaclassicchoiceasa vegetarianoption,perfectgrilled wholeforasandwich,stuffedwith

beansasanentrée,orslicedand sautéedforfajitas.Butdon’tsleepon othervarietiesfromPeak umamipackedshitakes,mildbutton mushrooms,andsavoryoyster mushroomsaddcomplexityandvariety toaplant-baseddish.

Featuringafirm,yettendertextureand neutralflavor,cauliflowerisalsoablank canvasforvegetariandishes,equallyat homeinpizzacrustsasitisinsoups. Thiscruciferouschameleonisstillonan upwardtrajectoryin‘24,makingita

Simple Solutions -- Consider simply varying a classic menu

item to include produce based on what’s in season.

anaturalalternativetomeat.

Searedcauliflowersteaksmakefor animpressivemaindish,crispyfried cauliflowerfloretsaredeliciousasa bonelessBuffalochickenwing doppelganger,andfinelychopped caulifloweractsasalow-carbrice substitutefordiet-consciousdiners. Makingproducethestarofthedish, meansmeatcanberelegatedtothe supportingplayer,appealingtomeat loverswhilekeepingcostsdown Chooseflavorfulmeatswherealittle goesalongway,likebaconor sausage,andusethemtoenhance plant-baseddishes,addingbigflavor withlittleaddedexpense.

Plant-BasedEntrées

Considersimplyvaryingaclassic menuitemtoincludeproducebased onwhat’sinseason Meat-based pastadishes,tacos,flatbreads,and pizzacanallbeeasilycustomizedasa plant-basedoption.Your standardizedrecipesandconcepts essentiallystaythesame,sothereis consistencyinthekitchenbutafew newsurprisesinthediningroom

Onewaytodoatrialrunwiththis ideaisbyfeaturingalimited-time special,testinganewversionofthe mostpopularpastaonMeatless Mondayoraddinginvegetariantacos forTacoTuesday.Andhowmany timeshaveyouheardsomeonesay theychoseanentréebasedonthe sidedish?Makethesidesthestar withaveggieplateorabuild-yourownoptionplatter.

RethinktheSaladMenu

Whenitcomestoproduce,thesalad menutakesupalotofrealestate Optimizeeachelement,fromthebaseto thedressingstomultitaskingredients, cutcosts,andsavetimeinthekitchen. Startwiththegreensandanchoryour saladmenuwithPeakNordicor Arcadianlettuceblends,offering50% moreplatecoveragethanspringmixper ounce,soyoucanservelarge, impressivesaladsatahighervalue

Next,putthesaladdressinglisttowork withtherestofthemenu--as marinades,infusingfoodintenseflavor beforecookingbegins.Asarecipe ingredient; aflavorfulsubstitutefor mayo,perfectforbindingpastasalads, vegetableslaws,andpotatosalads withouttheneedformultiple ingredients Thenoncethefoodisoutof thekitchen,dressingsonceagainpull theirweightasdips,withRanchand BlueCheesecozyingupbeside everythingfromwingstofried mushrooms.

IcedMocha

Ingredients:

¼ cup Nature’s Best whole milk

1 to 2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup cold coffee of your choice

Directions:

Mix all ingredients except the whole milk

Cool overnight

Add the cold milk at the event and stir

Nature’s Best Dairy® offers the best in high quality milk and ice cream—all sourced from dairy farms across America.

National Reach, Local Service.

Our customers are at the heart of everything we do. We understand what it means to be on the front lines of foodservice, and we’re here to help you find the best products to meet your individual needs. We don’t just help feed people, we feed dreams. For more information, visit PerformanceFoodservice.com today.

Menu innovations served fresh daily

COMING SOON

Performance Foodservice presents multi category brands that stack up against national, regional, and independent competitors. Thesebrandshelpcustomersdothebasicsbetter dayinanddayout.Premium,midtierandeconomylevelsprovidedependability andvaluethatmeetorexceedexpectations.Keepaneyeoutforthesenewproducts.

APRIL

MAY

Contigo®CornandFlourTortillasandBulkRawChips

Thenewitemsincludea6"yellowcorntabletortilla,which comesinafamilypacksize,a14"flourtortillathatisperfect forlargeburritos,andawhite,thin,ready-to-frytortillachip that is preferred by many restaurants over the yellow corn chip

PerfectTaste™BulkSweetenersandCondiments

Introducing Perfect Taste™, an exclusive brand by Performance Food Group that offers bulk sweeteners and condiments such as creamers, sugar, sweeteners, and salt and pepper. As products become available, they will be gradually replacing the West Creek® and Culinary Secrets® branded bulk non-dairy creamers and Delectables™ brandeddisposablesaltandpepper

FlavorSmith™SweetHeatHotHoney

A delicious blend of honey, natural chili extract, and white distilled vinegar, FlavorSmith™ Sweet Heat Hot Honey is bothsweetandspicy,withaslightbiteandmildspiciness. SweetHeatHotHoneycomespackedin6/24oz.bottlesand isidealforuseinthebackofthehouse

TheRedSealExpress™10-inchNeapolitan-stylePizzas

Thesenew10-inchNeapolitan-stylepizzasaredevelopedby world-class R&D using a recipe from a World Champion Pizza Chef from Naples, Italy Made with imported Italian pizza sauce and 00 flour, fresh Bacio® Whole Milk Pizza Cheese,andotherfreshingredients,theyarefullyprepared andcanbecookeddirectlyfromfrozeninjust2½minutes forquickservice.

OVER 100 YEARS OFBAKINGEXCELLENCE

LATE BLOOMERS

RememberwhenTacoBellbrilliantly coinedtheterm"FourthMeal," referringtothatwell-after-dinner mealyousneakinbeforebed?This dayparttookabighitin2020,but nowmanychainsarereporting nighttimenumbersevenhigherthan thosepre-pandemic.Recentdata showsanoverallincreaseof7.5%in Q2salesjustinthelastyear. Late-nightdiningisseeinga resurgence andnotjustforthebar crowd Eventsareback,whichmeans everyone'slookingtofilltheirbellies afterward.Plus,UberEatsfoundina recentreportthatdeliveriesto collegecampusesringinmainly between12and4a.m.

So,thinkaboutkeepingthosedoors openalittlelongerandsnagthe witchinghoursalesyou'vebeen missing Hint,hint youmaynot evenneedaFOHstaffontheclockto crushit.

CatertoClientele

Late-nightfooddoesn'thavetobe unsophisticated Yourdemographic mightbegroupslookingforguilty pleasurestoindulgeinafterafew tipples,butitcouldalsobesecondshifterscominginwantingafullblownsteakdinneroroystersonthe halfshell.Askyourself,"Whoexactly amIserving,andwhatwillthey spendmoneyon?"Narrowyourlatenightofferingsaccordingly

ExcelatEfficiency

Youcansaveoningredients,time, andmoneywhileextendinghours. After-bargroupswillappreciatea share-friendlymenuwithbasketsof appsorgiantpizzastosplit.Thiswill ensurethespeedyservicethey and thecooks arelookingfor Ifyou're arestaurantthatoffersfulldinner serviceat ahem normalhours, looktoyourleftovers.Slicetherestof

Briana Rupel

thatslow-cookedbrisketandaddit toaflatbreadwithsomeveggiesthat areonthebackend Whatcanyou createoutofwhatyoualreadyhave onhand?

PlaywithFood

42%ofmillennialsinarecentsurvey saidthatgamesatarestaurant influencetheirdecisiontogo Think ofwhatkindofexperienceyoucan addtodrawcustomersinbeyond food.Hostalate-nightcomedysetor letkaraokesingintotheweehours. Holdold-schoolboardgamenightsor themedtrivia.Servingupafun, engaginglate-nighteventoncea weekwillmakeyourplacethespotto beandallowyoutocapitalizeonthe growingtrendwithoutcommittingto sevendaysaweek.

Second Shift -- Ask yourself, "Who exactly am I serving, and what will they spend money on?" Narrow your late-night offerings accordingly.

VentureintoVirtual

75%ofDenny'slocationsnationwide arenowbackto24-hourservice They creditalotoftheirsuccesswiththisby nowofferingvirtualbrands separate entitiesyoucreatethatoperate exclusivelyonlineviathird-party deliveryservices.We’renotsuggesting yougoallnightlong,butdabblingin thisapproachcouldhelpyoureach thousandsofadditionallocal customers especiallyGenZ withouttheoverheadcostsofFOH staff,diningspace,orrent You'reessentiallymaximizingyour existingoperationswhileaddingsales withone(ormore!)additionalbrands withtheirownadvertisingpower.

Thisroutealsoallowsformoretrialanderrorwithmenu planning.Getacouplevaryingbrandsoutthereandtest themarket Youcancatertodifferentdemographicsall withinthesamebrick-and-mortarlocation Withnoneed forFOHpersonnel,yourlaborandmaintenancecostswill beremarkablyreduced,andyoucanreachanentire groupofloyalcustomers youneverwouldhave justthrougha virtualbrandthat delivers.Asa partnerinthe PerformanceOne Sourceprogram, VirtualDining Conceptscanhelp provideeasysolutionsto maximize yourkitchenspaceand generateextrato-gosales.

TRUST MAMA

HispanicandLatinfoodscontinuetobethebiggestgrowing segmentsinthefoodworld.Salsameansmorethanjust chipsanddip.It’sacompletelydifferentrecipeinanygiven region.It’sthefirstthingpeopleseeandtaste.Itsetsthe toneforthedeliciousmealtocome.Itcansetyour restaurantapart Anditkeepscustomerscomingback becausetheyrememberitandcraveit Makesureyoursalsa tastesamazingwiththetomatoesoperatorstrustforfreshmade,reputation-makingsalsa MamaLinda®tomatoesby Heinz.

Chorizo Eggs Benedict

INGREDIENTS

12 oz. sausage, chorizo, fresh, raw 3/4 cup pepper(s), green bell, 1/4 in.

dice

1 ea. avocado, skin and seed removed, then mashed

4 ea. egg(s)

2 ea. English Muffin

3/4 cup hollandaise sauce, prepared or house recipe

1 tbsp Cholula Hot Sauce, original

2 tsp cilantro, fresh, chopped Cholula Hot Sauce, original, as needed

DIRECTIONS

1.

Heat a sauté pan to medium low. Add chorizo and pepper. Cook, crumbling chorizo into medium-large chunks until browned and pepper is tender. Hold hot.

For each order, poach an egg and toast half an English muffin.

2. Plate the half muffin and top with a portion of mashed avocado. Top muffin and avocado with 1/3 cup of hot chorizo mixture.

4.

3. Top chorizo with a poached egg and 3 tablespoons hollandaise. Decoratively drizzle remaining Cholula over the hollandaise and garnish with 1/2 teaspoon cilantro. Serve immediately.

Fruit Pizza Pancake

Ingredients:

For Pizza Crust:

1 Cup Pancake Mix

3/4 Cup Milk

1/2 Cup Flour

1 Tsp Baking Powder

1Egg

2 Tbsp Oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

For Toppings:

1 Package (8oz)Whipped

Cream Cheese

1 Jar (7 oz)Marshmallow Fluff

1/2 Quart Strawberries

1/2 Cup Blueberries

2 Kiwis

In a large bowl mix ingredients for pizza crust and pour onto greased and insulated baking sheet.

Using a spatula, gradually work batter out to a 12” circle. Bake 20 minutes

In small bowl, mix cream cheese and marshmallow fluff together

Spread over baked pancake pizza.

Lay strawberries, blueberries and kiwi slices on top to decorate.

Cut pizza into 8 slices.

Serve and enjoy!

Breakfast just got a whole lot better!

FLIGHT OF THE

COCKTAIL

AriBendersky- Ari is a Lifestyle journalist covering food, wine, spirits, travel and people

Addingcurated,miniatureportionsof drinkstoyourmenuaddsacreative waytoboostyourbottomline. Foryears,beerandwineflightshave proventobegreatwaystointroduce yourpatronstomoreofyour beverageofferings.Peoplegettotrya varietyofproductsandwilllikely ordermorefull-sizeglasseswhen theyfindonetheylike Thisnow translatestococktails,especiallywith theriseofcocktailsontapandmore barspre-batchingcocktailsinorder tokeepupwiththecrushofbusy servicetimes.

Havingaflight afewsmallerpours, usuallyaroundtwoounces,ofvarious drinks canhelpintroduceclientele tonewspirits,differentflavorsand funexperiences.Youcanuseitasa tooltohelpeducateguests,like AmandaSwanson,thebarmanager ofFine&RareinNewYork.

“Ioftentimesfindpatronswhoclaim ginastheirspiritofchoice,butdon’t fullyappreciateorunderstandhow drasticallydifferentginscanbe,” Swansonsays.“Thisisespecially incontrastwithotherspirits duetotheunlimited possibilitiesthebotanicals represent.”

Swansonoffersthe$25Gin&Tonic3 Ways:Botanistservedwithdehydrated chamomileflowers,lemonpeelandfresh lavender;Hendrick’swithcucumberand rosepetals;andOldRajbyCadenhead,a Scottishdrylemon,orang safflower.

“Ifthedrinks story,”Swan amaroflight conceptlack AtKefi,aGre Knoxville,Te barprogram

BackinNewYork,Honeybee’soffers threeclassics Boulevardier,Vieux CarreandOldPal ontapthatcanbe orderedina$22three-pourflight Generalmanagerandbardirector

What we really do IS DELIVER.

Everything we do is to serve the people on the front lines of foodservice Yes, we deliver your order on time, help you find the best products and source our own exclusive brands. But we aren’t just in the delivery business; we’re in the success business. We do everything we can to help each of our customers become a crazy, line-out-the-door hit. We don’t just help feed people, we feed dreams.

For more information, visit PerformanceFoodservice.com today.