Menu Innovator Blog

italian cuisine

Christini’s, Orlando, FL (Italian)

By Tony Lagana / August 12, 2021

In 1984, Chef and Restaurateur Chris Christini opened his namesake restaurant; Christini’s Ristorante  Italiano in Orlando, Florida. It is highly regarded as one of the best Italian cuisines in Orlando. Chef Christini ran the restaurant and it’s until turning the kitchen over to Executive Chef Jason Gonsalves in  2019. Mr. Christini can still be found greeting…

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Blue Hill, New York, NY (New American)

By Nadja Jauregui / August 5, 2021

Since 2014, Chef Dan Barber has brought his loves of farming and cooking together to New York to create a locally sourced, seasonal menu served in a cozy townhouse in Greenwich Village. In August of 2020, Chef Barber launched a Chef-in-Residence series where each chef contestant from different culinary backgrounds provides meals at Blue Hill…

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Blanca, Brooklyn, NY (Italian)

By Tony Lagana / July 29, 2021

Chef Carlo Mirarchi is a self-taught culinary genius who is regularly referred to as a misfit in the kitchen  for his original and somewhat unconventional techniques and flavor combinations. Chef Mirarchi does not look at food the way that many others do and that is what makes dining at Blanca so exciting; you  truly never…

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culinary technology

Tech Innovations in The Food Industry

By Tony Lagana / June 21, 2021

If the last year has shown us anything it’s this: The culinary industry has no choice but to embrace innovation and the risk that sometimes comes with new culinary technology. We have seen some innovations catch on slowly, only to single-handedly keep a business afloat in uncertain times. Other “advances” that were often safe in…

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delivery

Pivoting From Dine-in to Take Out

By Mary Kay LaBrie / March 3, 2021

COVID and the Traditional Restaurant Business Model With the onset of COVID, restaurants are struggling to stay afloat. In a recent article in the New York Post, almost half of the restaurants in New York City may end up closing their doors for good.  With a meager 25 percent of indoor seating capacity allowed these…

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asian diversity cooking

Race and Diversity in the Restaurant Industry

By Dawn Ferchak / February 25, 2021

Diversity has been a hot topic in 2020. The Black Lives Matter movement is a large part of it, but new strides have also driven more diversity to defeat racism. Creating more opportunities for people of color (POC) affects all aspects of the restaurant world, from the bottom to the top. Minority Opportunities Minority workers…

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ham and egg sandwhich

Tech Companies Challenge Third-Party Delivery Services

By Tony Lagana / February 18, 2021

Complicated Convenience As the restaurant industry is rapidly evolving with the new use of third-party delivery services, there are still some hiccups. Lack of communication, process, and transparency lead to such issues, such as inaccurate orders, misunderstood/misinterpreted dishes, and late delivery times. Another large issue caused directly by third-party services is absorbent rates, sometimes taking…

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indian food

Indian Cooking: New generation, New Expectations

By Tony Lagana / January 7, 2021

Breaking out the Box A simple Tikka Masala or Butter Chicken isn’t going to cut it anymore for the average consumer. Many people have tried Indian food and leave with the expectation of knowing what always to expect when getting Indian food instead of searching for new restaurants with more innovative menus. Most Indian restaurants…

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french cuisine

Café Boulud, Palm Beach, Florida (French)

By Tony Lagana / January 6, 2021

Originally from Lyon, France, Chef Daniel Boulud has become a leading American Chef and Restaurateur, with multiple restaurants in New York, Boston, Washington DC, Palm Beach, Miami, Toronto, London, Montreal, and Singapore. Boulud began working in the culinary industry in his early teens, became skilled in classic French techniques, and originally came to the U.S.…

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italian food

Babbo, New York, NY (Italian)

By Tony Lagana / January 4, 2021

Chef Robert Zwirz took over as Executive Chef of Babbo in January of 2018 when longtime Executive Chef, Frank Langello and Mario Batali stepped down. Zwirz began his culinary education in 2004 at the Culinary Education Center in New Jersey and then proceeded to earn his degree from Johnson and Wales. In 2009 he began…

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