Menu Innovator Blog

restaurant trends

Menu Innovator’s Top 100

By Susanne Bukey / May 31, 2021

If you have not had the amazing experience of entering the Menu Innovator website, now is the time. Menu Innovator https://menuinnovator.com provides a detailed menu analysis evaluating hundreds of restaurants and products. The goal of Menu Innovator is to provide unbiased culinary data, and market trends to assist foodservice operators and chefs in innovating new…

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artisan cheese

Artisan Cheese, The Current Food Trend Soars

By Susanne Bukey / May 24, 2021

Cheese is that magnificent food that adds that extra special creaminess, flavor, and rich mouthfeel to about any recipe. It’s what makes a meal memorable whether it be the oozing out between two slices of grilled bread, the glorious stretch on pizza, or the extra flavor, and texture on a charcuterie board.  Artisan cheeses are…

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pandemic

The Pandemic Changes Everything

By Susanne Bukey / May 6, 2021

The closing of restaurants due to the pandemic was permanent for some, others are just beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel, while others stepped up to help their communities in any way they could. The restaurants that remained open held their own with takeout and delivery. Virtual restaurants began to…

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healthy food

Healthy Food Here and Now

By Mary Kay LaBrie / May 4, 2021

Dieting on the Back Burner? Many people have gained weight or have put their diets/health on the back burner since the pandemic began, but since things are steadily going back to normal, many people are trying to compensate for their yearlong cheat day by eating healthy. Some people have been able to get back to…

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non-dairy

Non-Dairy Products On The Rise

By Mary Kay LaBrie / April 20, 2021

Non-dairy products are booming and expanding. A few things helped us get to this point; one being cultural diversity (thank you coconut milk!) and the broadened ingredient list that diversity contributes to, two being health and wellness movements, and three being sustainability practices combined with people trying to curb their carnivorous and glutinous habits.  Why You Might…

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The Avengers to Pollution: Waste and Recycling

By Susanne Bukey / April 15, 2021

COVID 19 Takes Its Toll In 2020, the nation embraced remote work, social distancing, and wearing masks amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The health crisis necessitated massive shifts in American culture. As American businesses, restaurants and consumers were enthusiastically working on programs to reduce waste and carbon footprint, the pandemic put programs on hold placing a…

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interchangeable ingredients

Interchangeable Ingredients Made Easy

By Mary Kay LaBrie / April 13, 2021

Versatility affords operators the ability to test new concepts You’ve got a popular salad on your menu. So you decide to take some of the same ingredients and create a flatbread. That’s a success. So you decide to create a bowl. That works. Then a pizza and finally, a sandwich. Now you have not one,…

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Mediterranean cuisine

Mediterranean Cuisine Growing in Popularity

By Dawn Ferchak / April 8, 2021

People have known for years that Mediterranean cuisine is healthy for you. Certain Middle Eastern foods have always been familiar for quite a while, like hummus, falafel, and kabobs. But there is so much more to enjoy from these regions. Spices and flavors from the Mediterranean and the Middle East have begun to trend. These…

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seaweed

Seaweed & Aquaculture

By Mary Kay LaBrie / April 6, 2021

From nori, the seaweed paper used in sushi, to a topping on shrimp burgers, there’s no doubt that seaweed is gaining in popularity. You may not know that there are a staggering variety of seaweeds, almost 600 subtypes, and they all vary in texture, color, and shape. These include Kelps, Dulse, Hijiki, Kombu, Arame, Wakame,…

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african influences

African Influences Gain Steam

By Dawn Ferchak / April 1, 2021

From soul food to fine dining, African influences and flavors are finding their way to American restaurants. Driven by both the trend for global flavors and a new appreciation for African American chefs and history, foods and ingredients from the massive continent are something to watch and something to try. History Brings Inspiration African people…

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