MENU-INNOVATION ROUNDTABLE: Big Ideas on the Menu

When foodservice industry experts gather for a roundtable on menu innovation at Cornell University, molecular gastronomy and the environment steal the show.

-- Restaurants and Institutions, 11/3/2008 1:41:00 PM

From r.: Michael Lamb, director of human resources, Hillstone Restaurant Group; Alex Susskind; Tim Blaise, vice president of culinary and beverage operations, Olive Garden.

Molecular gastronomy was the day’s hot topic. Although there was plenty of skepticism in the room about the legitimacy of these captivating yet still-unconventional techniques, moderator Alex Susskind, associate professor of food and beverage management at Cornell University, says many minds, including his own, were opened.

Says Susskind, “The ‘aha moment’ was when [Professor Chris Loss of the Culinary Institute of America (below) pointed out that] when you really think about it, these cooking technologies are all things foodservice manufacturers have been doing all along.”

Further selling the issue, one panelist told the crowd that he was able to make perfect risotto in seven minutes every time using a pressure cooker. Notes Susskind, for a food and beverage executive at a national hotel chain, for example, the goal is to be consistent. “If you can use science and technology to control it—and guests love it—then that’s a great thing.”

A discussion about the prevalence and problems of adding sustainable, organic and local products to menus also sparked debate. While many were fully committed and clear that eco-friendly is the way foodservice needs to go, others believed operators have to pay more attention to how these products are manufactured and delivered (if it travels 3,000 miles in a truck to get to you, is it really better for the environment?) and evaluate each decision carefully.

In addition to these issues, we asked Susskind to sum up the three main points with regard to menu innovation and development to come out of the Cornell event. Here’s what he had to say:

1. Never lose sight of what creates value. Identify those pieces that bring the most value to your customer and protect them.
2. Remember, the menu is everything. In foodservice, it is the heart of the operation.
3. It is important to have the right people weighing in and making decisions—not just the chef, but everyone. You want people who know and are connected to the customer and what they want.