Menu Strategies
A monthly eNewsletter that crosses the boundaries between commercial and non-commercial foodservice, spotlighting the best in menu ideas.
Meet the chef Q&A: Brian McPherson
On a July afternoon when the heat index hit 103° in Alexandria, Va., executive chef Brian McPherson reflected on dishes made for cool summertime enjoyment.
Meet the chef Q&A: Matt Christianson
Pickling and canning add distinction to the menu of Urban Farmer, a modern steakhouse in Portland, Oregon, with a penchant for local and sustainable food.
With the popularity of dessert trending upwards, Jeremy Lycan, executive chef for Sara Lee Foodservice, and his team had a lot to work with when developing Luxe Layers Premium Sliced Pies. With a layer of light, buttery pie crust in between two layers of gourmet flavored fillings, new Luxe Layers Pies not only satisfy customer desire for dessert indulgence, but also provide operators with a dessert option that is unique and on-trend.
A dessert with a variety of facets “eats better,” claims Patti Dellamonica-Bauler, pastry chef of One Market Restaurant. At this San Francisco dining spot, desserts often explore various flavor aspects of a star ingredient. “It’s about taking things that relate to an ingredient and finding different ways to present them and reinforce the theme,” says Dellamonica-Bauler.
Given the array of Japanese whiskies and cocktails available at TanakaSan, a Seattle-based Asian-American concept, it’s no wonder that customers are brainstorming new food and beverage tandems. Interspersed among groups of eclectic dishes like Chilled Fish and Noodles are clusters of drinks like Sake Slushies and Shochu, inviting guests to enjoy food and beverage together.
Bison promoters like entrepreneur and rancher Ted Turner and restaurant executive George McKerrow Jr., co-founders of the 44-unit casual dining chain, Ted’s Montana Grill, are putting bison in the spotlight. Out to show that bison is a premium protein that tastes great, Ted’s menus specialties such as bison nachos, chili, burgers, short ribs and meatloaf.
Offering a mix of innovative global cooking and traditional American fare is essential for Jennifer Cleveland and Eric Heath, co-owners of Cleveland-Heath, a creative comfort-food restaurant in Edwardsville, Ill. “We have old-school diners who love meat and potatoes and large entrées and other people who follow the food movement and go for small plates,” says Heath. “We really want to please them both.”