At the 20th annual Research Chefs Association conference held in San Juan, Monica Watrous from FoodBusinessNews.net covered the leading trends during the Culinology Expo. She wrote an excellent article highlighting 5 key leading trends in the foodservice market. Two of these trends caught my eye and I want to discuss in more depth.
World of Flavors
The first trend is the influence of cultural flavors affecting menus. The rise in popularity of Japanese Cuisine and Asian flavors is affecting all types of restaurant menus. Many inspired chefs are creating Japanese fusion menu items, adding innovative and flavorful dishes to their menus. But the need to use authentic flavors is important. Gone are the days of creating Americanized versions of Asian products, the consumers are much more knowledgeable and demand more authentic ingredients. Chefs are realizing just because a product sounds Asian does not mean it is authentic.
For example, many chefs think all Panko is the same, but they’re not. Many Panko products on the market are hard and dense, which is not right. Chefs might not know but there is an option. An Authentic Japanese Panko will have a light delicate texture with flaky sliver shape crumbs. An authentic Panko will create a tender crispy texture vs the hard crunchy texture, which is not in balance with the soft protein or vegetable it is coating. Using authentic products does make a difference your customers notice when creating fusion menu items.
Fresh & Clean ingredients
The second trend is the move to Fresh & Clean ingredients. Creating food in the lab is being overtaken with patrons demanding GMO free food, with natural flavors and ingredients. More than ever before people are looking for clean ingredient lists and natural foods. Taste is still top priority but understanding each ingredients used in the food they eat as well as where it came from is gaining more attention.
Providing clean label choices is a trend that will be with us for a long time. Going to clean label products is an easy transition, there are so many choices available today. Upper Crust Enterprises has been providing clean label products well before it became a trend. We have never used preservatives, dough conditioners in our products. Our All Natural Panko is non-GMO, Vegan, Halal and Kosher certified and made with Natural ingredients like organic cane sugar, sea salt and unbleached unenriched wheat flour.
Upper Crust Enterprises has been producing Authentic Panko for over 35 years with most of its sales to Japanese restaurants worldwide. We challenge you to compare an authentic Panko to your current Panko and we guarantee you will like it with a 100% satisfaction guarantee . Don’t settle when creating your culinary masterpieces. For restaurant Chefs request a free sample of Authentic Japanese Panko today by visiting www.upperCrustEnt.com
Read Monica Watrous complete article (published on 3/20/2017) on the top trends at FoodbusinessNews.net
