Restaurant Chain Chefs Share Menu Trends
R&I asked the chefs in charge of crafting relevant, craveable recipes for restaurant chains about the biggest trends driving their menus.
Allison Perlik, Senior Editor -- Restaurants & Institutions, June 29, 2009
R&I asked the chefs in charge of crafting relevant, craveable recipes for restaurant chains about the biggest trends driving their menus. Right now, the economy, interest in more-healthful choices and consumers seeking snacks and smaller portion sizes are inspiring chain kitchens, but what else do chefs see shaping menus in the months ahead?
Getting the most mileage from already-on-hand ingredients:
“We’re always trying to make sure we maximize our SKUs, and that’s one way we’ve been able to be so successful with a menu that’s as large as ours,” says Mark Mears, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Calabasas Hills, Calif.-based The Cheesecake Factory, which brought in fewer than a dozen new ingredients to create its recently introduced 16-item Small Plates & Snacks menu.
The blending of cultures on menus:
“We are becoming a bigger and bigger melting pot of cultures and people,” says Larry Rusinko, senior vice president of product development and marketing for Carlsbad, Calif.-based Rubio’s Fresh Mexican Grill. “I remember when I was growing up, I didn’t eat Thai or Chinese or Mexican food. I grew up in the East and the Midwest and it was meat and potatoes. And now it’s like everyone is growing up with this plethora of flavors and cultures and varieties of foods they can eat. That’s why we’re going to continue to see more fusion or hybrid products.”
Getting in on the gastropub game:
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Gastropubs remain on the rise on the independent-restaurant scene, no doubt because by their very definition, they respond directly to key interests of American diners: well-executed takes on simple food in casual environments that also emphasize distinctive, broad selections of high-quality beverages. “We are really watching the trend of gastropubs, that unique way of serving a little better item in a different form. We’re looking at that and saying, ‘What are they doing and how does that apply to casual dining?’” says Cammie Spillyards, director of culinary innovation at Dallas-based Chili’s Grill & Bar.
Contrasting-yet-complementary flavors:
“We’re on a sweet-and-spicy kick,” says Alan Skversky, director of research and development for Cypress, Calif.-based Chevys Fresh Mex. On the menu, this contrasting-but-complementary combination shows up in subtle touches such as the chipotle-apple vinaigrette tossed into Chevy’s Cilantro-Lime Chicken Salad and Grilled Fajitas Salad and an orange-jalapeño glaze brushed over salmon. Sweet and salty is another classic pairing that Skversky is playing with: He’s considering adding an ice cream-brownie sandwich dessert with warm coffee-liqueur sauce that’s finished with sea salt.
Looking for more insights on restaurant-chain menu trends? Look for all the news on R&I's 2009 Top 400 restaurant chains in our upcoming July issue (and check out last year's Top 400 rankings here).
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