New Tastes are a Go!

It must be true. People are tired of the same old offerings.


I had an interesting tie in to an article I read regarding restaurant trends happen today. One of my repeat customers is having a retreat coming up soon and when the front desk clerk contacted her to find out how many people would be attending, she asked what my experiments were lately. What she was referring to; I tend when left to decide the menus for a function, to serve things I have been playing with and they usually follow some sort of theme. For instance when I came back from our trip to NOLA last winter I was hooked on Creole and Caribbean (that came from the cruise further south that was part oft that trip) dishes. Now how it works for me is I will come home and duplicate as closely as possible whatever it is that took my fancy then I start playing with it, adapting it to easily acquired ingredients, service styles etc. Usually the resulting dish is a blended thing that the original creators would not necessarily recognise but is my interpretation. Also things tend to evolve and developed for us out of boredom. We get board making the same things so we go in spurts making the unusual; right now Mark is on a bread making kick so if you end up at a banquet in the near future that has a bunch of different types of breads and buns offered , yes we made them while playing around. I'll post the recipe for the best one( it never did make it to the buffet table as it was grabbed up by staff and friends) or you can look for it come the Christmas banquet season.

This article I was reading was quoting trends with consumers. According the survey they quoted " Consumers are interested in expanding their palates when dining out and want to patronize restaurants that offer innovative flavours. A new study from foodservice industry consultant Technomic finds that 42 percent of consumers, particularly males aged 25 to 34, are more likely to visit restaurants that offer new or unique flavours" It reinforces what we do by being creative. Now if I could just get organisers to follow trend and live a little on the wild side maybe their guests could get that itch in " expanding their palates" scratched.

Other interesting results from that survey include:

• Two-thirds of consumers (66 percent) say that discovering a new flavor at a restaurant can persuade them to return to that venue for the same dish, and more than half (55 percent) say they may try other dishes there.

• A substantial portion of diners (36 percent) say they are more interested in trying new flavors than they were a year ago.

• Over a third of consumers (35 percent) are willing to spend more on a meal that incorporates new or innovative flavors.

• Among less broadly established ethnic cuisines, those of high interest include Spanish (72 percent), Hawaiian (71 percent), Tex-Mex (69 percent), Greek (66 percent), and Caribbean and Mediterranean (66 and 62 percent).

• Roughly one-third of consumers look for sauces and condiments that are low in fat or calories (34 percent) and sodium (29 percent), or prefer to use 'organic' or 'all-natural' condiments when available (26 percent).

• Garlic, pepper and smoky barbecue flavor profiles dominate entrée menus. Global influences are also prominent, specifically those with a Mexican, Asian and Italian flair.

'Flavor innovation presents a solid competitive advantage for both operators and manufacturers, especially when it comes to dips, sauces, condiments and marinades,' says Darren Tristano, EVP of Technomic. 'The punch of heat and spice, and the balance of creaminess or sweetness underscores the uniqueness in the preparation. An unusual flavor profile could be one that drives repeat visits by consumers.'

The 2009 Flavor Consumer Trend Report's Consumer Insights section examines flavor preferences and purchasing behaviour based on surveys of more than 1,500 consumers. The Menu Insights section utilizes Technomic's proprietary Menu Monitor database to provide an in-depth look at how leading, independent and emerging chain restaurant operators are incorporating flavor profiles into menu items. Throughout the report, 2009 results are compared to results from Technomic's 2007 Flavor Trend Category Report. Appendices feature menu listings showcasing the top 10 flavors as measured by menu data, plus detailed demographic profiles of consumers who enjoy these top 10 flavors.

Find the original article here