Serving an exciting, on-trend menu is a key component of a worthwhile restaurant experience. So what taste treats belong on your menu this year? The National Restaurant Association surveyed more than 1,500 culinary professionals and narrowed their responses down to 10 trends for 2024. One key theme is global flavor – in soups and stews, including Birria, Chicken Tom Kha, Laksa, Salmorejo and Upscale Ramen; as well as in chicken wings and barbecue. Meat is still on the menu, but it’s higher-end options like Wagyu beef that are trending. Culinary professionals are also exploring new ways of preparing in-demand ingredients – such as grilling or cooking cheeses like Provoleta, Queso Fundido, Raclette, Halloumi and Juustoleipa; offering stuffed vegetables including Chiles en Nogada, stuffed peppers and stuffed cabbage rolls; and adding some sweetness to the breakfast menu with hot honey breakfast sandwiches. Regional flavors are still in demand and operators will continue to streamline their menus in an effort to operate as leanly as possible. To get the word out about their menus and promotions, expect to see more operators expanding their use of social media – and TikTok in particular – to boost engagement in creative ways. Could any of these ideas support your plans for the year? Cheese makes everything better, doesn’t it? As Datassential reported in its recent Cheese & Dairy Keynote report, 60 percent of foodservice operators say that the simple addition of cheese makes an item sell better. Think about offering cheese as a customizeable option on burgers, paninis, pastas or salads or even experimenting with different varieties to add smoke, sharpness or even sweet flavor to a dish.
Who doesn’t need a little comfort right now? It’s a good time to offer classic comfort foods with adaptations that make them yours. Mac and cheese may be the quintessential comfort food, and this dish, with the addition of chorizo, beans and bell peppers, makes for a complete meal with a little kick.
Vegan cheese is on the rise, according to a new report from Persistence Market Research. The report found that globally, 75 percent of the global population is lactose intolerant. That, paired with growing consumer interest in and acceptance of plant-based foods, has resulted in a predicted annual growth rate of nearly 9 percent for vegan cheese over the next decade. That means that vegan cheese is becoming less of an afterthought and more of a canvas for popular flavor on menus. New Food Magazine suggests looking for varieties such as cream cheese, parmesan, cheddar and ricotta.
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