New Mexico restaurateurs see more and more diners clamoring for seasonal, fresh foods. It’s time to dish up clean meals! Restaurant Hospitality offers some simple, concrete ideas to try. “Consumers want to know more about what they are putting in their bodies,” says Maeve Webster, president of Menu Matters.
Good news! There is finally some shared definition as what clean meals are.
“Clean for us at this time refers to ingredients you would find in your pantry or in a grocery store,” says Bob Karisny, vice president, Taco John’s. “It means simple and easy to understand. Also the fewer the number of ingredients the simpler or ‘cleaner’ the label.”
- Offer diners more information about the ingredients in your dishes.
- Made made from scratch meals help meet the demand.
- Take the time with chefs to plan new approaches. Simpler dishes can be a win-win, for you, your kitchen staff, and your diners. Happy customers mean an increase to your bottom line.
Spice It Up
Both young and older diners crave stronger, more complex flavors. Amy Myrdal Miller, president of Farmer’s Daughter Consulting, agrees the trend is hitting kitchens around the country.
As baby boomers continue to age and become less sensitive to flavors, chefs and foodservice professionals will need to more aggressively season their foods — without relying on excessive sodium — to make the diner happy,” Myrdal Miller says.
Webster agrees restaurant diners will not retreat from their quest for bolder flavors and cleaner dishes.
Consumers are not willing to compromise on flavor… that doesn’t mean we should go back to the age of steamed broccoli and call that a solution. Those days are over.”
Find out how you can freshen up and spice up your menu with clean meals here.
