CHARLOTTE N.C. —Nowadays, many corporate chefs are going P.C., for “protein as a condiment,” menu trend expert Nancy Kruse told attendees of the annual Culinary R&D conference here.
In the mass market, that P.C. approach is seen in the thinly shaved prime rib or pastrami topping jumbo-size Angus beef burgers at sister chains Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr. But at the same time, the Kruse Co. president said, rising food costs and the depressed economy have resulted in shrinking serving sizes. —Nowadays, many corporate chefs are going P.C., for “protein as a condiment,” menu trend expert Nancy Kruse told attendees of the annual Culinary R&D conference here.
Tough economic times also have prompted chains’ R&D executives to roll out more lower-food-cost, slow-cooked items, such as the braised-beef cannelloni of Maggiano’s Little Italy, Kruse explained during her “State of the Plate” keynote presentation. —Nowadays, many corporate chefs are going P.C., for “protein as a condiment,” menu trend expert Nancy Kruse told attendees of the annual Culinary R&D conference here.
Meanwhile, as corporate chefs are cutting costs, they’ve also upgraded burgers with better buns, premium beef and fancy condiments, she told the conferees. —Nowadays, many corporate chefs are going P.C., for “protein as a condiment,” menu trend expert Nancy Kruse told attendees of the annual Culinary R&D conference here.
Mini burgers are the “leading chain menu trend of the moment,” Kruse also noted, citing research conducted by Nation’s Restaurant News and the International Corporate Chefs Association. —Nowadays, many corporate chefs are going P.C., for “protein as a condiment,” menu trend expert Nancy Kruse told attendees of the annual Culinary R&D conference here.
Small, slider-type burgers and all kinds of tiny sandwiches, in fact, fit well in one of the few growing dayparts—snack time, especially during evening hours. While sales are slowing throughout the day, sales in late-night and morning meal periods are increasing, according to NPD Group/CREST. —Nowadays, many corporate chefs are going P.C., for “protein as a condiment,” menu trend expert Nancy Kruse told attendees of the annual Culinary R&D conference here.
Kruse noted that Denny’s is leading the late-night snack charge with a menu that is only available after 10 p.m. and includes four packs of mini burgers; “Potachos,” which are potato chip nachos; “Sweet Ride Nachos,” with dessert toppings; and a “Plain White Shake,” made with vanilla ice cream, a piece of cheesecake and white-chocolate chips. —Nowadays, many corporate chefs are going P.C., for “protein as a condiment,” menu trend expert Nancy Kruse told attendees of the annual Culinary R&D conference here.
In the morning segment, Starbucks Coffee’s newest breakfast menu features a hot-selling oatmeal item, served in a paper bowl with a choice of toppings. Not just for breakfast anymore, coffee also “has been the hands-down flavor of the year,” Kruse said, pointing out an example of 7-Eleven’s “Slurpuccino—a freshly brewed Brain Freeze.” —Nowadays, many corporate chefs are going P.C., for “protein as a condiment,” menu trend expert Nancy Kruse told attendees of the annual Culinary R&D conference here.
But she called bacon a leading “noisemaker of the year” and said “10 percent of all items sold in foodservice contain bacon.” —Nowadays, many corporate chefs are going P.C., for “protein as a condiment,” menu trend expert Nancy Kruse told attendees of the annual Culinary R&D conference here.
“Flavor” in general is “the biggest trend driving menu R&D,” which is followed by “freshness, then small plates, ethnic and health,” she said, citing input from International Corporate Chef Association members. The ICCA also found that the hottest beverage alcohol trend is infused spirits and mojitos, while the leading nonalcohol beverage is tea, followed by energy drinks and smoothies. —Nowadays, many corporate chefs are going P.C., for “protein as a condiment,” menu trend expert Nancy Kruse told attendees of the annual Culinary R&D conference here.
Grilling leads all cooking-trend options, followed by deep-frying, Kruse noted. —Nowadays, many corporate chefs are going P.C., for “protein as a condiment,” menu trend expert Nancy Kruse told attendees of the annual Culinary R&D conference here.
For the 12 months ended in July, “Menu Mine” data from the Foodservice Research Institute indicate that “grilling” done by chains ranking among the industry’s top 200 brands has increased 38 percent since 2005. “Deep frying” increased 21 percent, and “broiling/char broiling” decreased 13 percent during the same period. —Nowadays, many corporate chefs are going P.C., for “protein as a condiment,” menu trend expert Nancy Kruse told attendees of the annual Culinary R&D conference here.
Kruse also said more menus highlight dishes that won recipe contests. Many restaurant companies have orchestrated cooking contests that occasionally result in new menu items that were developed by consumers, well-known chefs and, in some cases, a chain’s own staff. —Nowadays, many corporate chefs are going P.C., for “protein as a condiment,” menu trend expert Nancy Kruse told attendees of the annual Culinary R&D conference here.
Looking ahead, Kruse said she expects growth in a segment newly dubbed “fine fast,” which is being led by Europeans’ upgraded fast food and such restaurant concepts as visionary Spanish chef Ferran Adrià’s Fast Good, which is based in Madrid. The fine-fast category could also be typified by Ouest Express, the newest restaurant from famed chef Paul Bocuse’s empire, based in Lyon, France. At Ouest Express, bread is baked fresh every two hours and may be topped with prosciutto-style ham. —Nowadays, many corporate chefs are going P.C., for “protein as a condiment,” menu trend expert Nancy Kruse told attendees of the annual Culinary R&D conference here.
For a possible trend in the distant future, Kruse said she’s keeping her eye on cooking with coal. She pointed out that Phil Romano’s new Coal Vine concept has two units in Dallas that use coal-fired pizza ovens. —Nowadays, many corporate chefs are going P.C., for “protein as a condiment,” menu trend expert Nancy Kruse told attendees of the annual Culinary R&D conference here.
R&D conference uncovers a host of menu trends —Nowadays, many corporate chefs are going P.C., for “protein as a condiment,” menu trend expert Nancy Kruse told attendees of the annual Culinary R&D conference here.