1

World Cuisine: New Frontiers

It’s not easy to gain the attention of consumers nowadays. To build traffic and sales, operators really need to outshine the competition.

Innovative flavor notes and ingredients can be a low-risk way to update conventional foods and fuel consumer interest in trying new menu offerings. So the search is on for novel, surprising taste sensations. And the most obvious source of menu novelty is global foods, recipes, flavors and flavor combinations.

The “Big Three” ethnic cuisines familiar for generations—Italian, Mexican and Chinese—have been extended to three broader sources of innovation from three key regions of the planet: Mediterranean, Latin American and pan-Asian. Read on to learn how these ethnic trends are entering the mainstream.

v02.12

v02.12

Six out of 10 consumers indicate that they would likely order a menu item featuring flavors and ingredients of Mediterranean cuisines. Items reflecting these cuisines are

proliferating on restaurant menus as operators take advantage of growing consumer interest in ethnic cuisines, better-for-you fare and vegetarian foods.

Mediterranean cuisines rely on fish, herbs, vegetables and olive oil. Consumers seeking better-for-you fare also appreciate the cuisine’s simple preparations, use of fresh ingredients and cooking methods that instill flavor without added fats. Herbs like rosemary, thyme and chervil are included in sauces and as toppings for flatbreads and pizza. Pita sandwiches and Greek entree salads have seen healthy increases in menu incidence. Operators are also menuing more falafel, hummus, chickpeas and Greek yogurt.

Menu introductions include:

Mediterranean Paella—with saffron-infused rice, chorizo, roasted shrimp and balsamic-marinated chicken breast, part of the under-600-calorie ”Smart Choices” menu, la Madeleine Country French Café

Moroccan Salmon—grilled chermoula-marinated salmon, served with seasonal vegetables and steamed rice, part of the new “Lighter Side” menu, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant

Montaditos (small sandwiches)—varieties include Serrano Ham and Olive Oil; Tortilla Española (potato omelet) with Chipotle Aïoli; Grilled Chicken with Bacon, Iberico Cheese and Brava Sauce; Hummus with Grilled Eggplant, Fresh Tomato and Arugula on Whole-Wheat Bread; Grilled Beef with Guacamole and Pico de Gallo, Cerveceria 100 Montaditos (a Spanish chain that recently entered the U.S. market)

2

Latin American fare is much broader than the familiar Mexican, encompassing countries from Central and South America as well as the Caribbean. Drawing from everything from tropical ingredients to indigenous, European and Asian influences, each of these nations and regions is known for distinct flavors.

Grilled meats and accompanying sauces like chimichurri are appealing elements of Argentina’s cuisine, and traditional barbecued meats of southern Brazil form the basis for steakhouse concepts worldwide. Peru’s cuisine reflects not only indigenous and Spanish influences but also Arab, African, Chinese and Japanese immigrants; the national dish, ceviche, is similar to Japanese sashimi, and Peruvian food is unique in its ability to shine with Asian ingredients.

More broadly, Mexican, Cuban and other Hispanic flavors continue to influence and enrich the food culture in the U.S. A look at Hispanic cuisine on mainstream menus reveals trends around rustic street foods, straightforward presentations, pan-Latin and fusion sandwiches, and healthful menu offerings. Examples include:

Street-Style Mini Tacos—seasoned fajita steak or chicken or roasted pork, served open-faced on three mini corn tortillas with grilled onions and Jack cheese, accompanied by fresh avocado, pico de gallo and red-chile tomatillo salsa, On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina

Asada y Enchilada—grilled skirt steak with marinated onions and chimichurri sauce served with a cheese enchilada. A signature dish, Cantina Laredo

Peruvian Pork Sandwich—roasted Cuban-style pork topped with garlic aïoli, Brie, salsa verde and fresh cilantro, Rising Roll Gourmet

Arepa de Vegetales—fresh beets, avocado, cabbage and cilantro on an unleavened Colombian corn pastry with sweet plantains, Alma Pan-Latin Kitchen, Pittsburgh

The Meaning of Med Latin: The Other 'American'

Mediterranean cuisine can include flavors from Italy, France, Spain, Greece and the Middle East.

v02.12

The Vastness of Asia

3

As American consumers’ palates evolve, they’ve started moving beyond Chinese food and seeking out bolder, lesser known flavors from other Asian cuisines. Korean barbecue has made inroads on menus, as have Korean-style marinades for beef and chicken featuring such ingredients as soy sauce, pear juice, chiles, sugar, garlic and onions. Sweet, tart and tangy Filipino marinades; traditional Indian spices such as paprika, coriander, cumin, curry and cardamom; and fiery Southeast Asian Sriracha sauce are also beginning to show up on menus.

Most notably, Southeast Asian flavors and ingredients are proliferating. The boom in Thai foods like pad thai, as well as Vietnamese specialties such as pho noodle soups and banh mi sandwiches, has drawn more attention to

Southeast Asian fare generally. Now we’re starting to see flavors from the cuisines of Laos, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Asian appetizers such as satay skewers or Thai lettuce wraps are finding their way onto more menus. The next craze may be dumplings and steamed buns. Rickshaw Dumpling Bar in New York City and Chicago’s Wow Bao bun concept illustrate the appeal of easy to hold, dip and eat Asian snacks. And extending the comfort-food craze to ethnic fare, entire chains have been developed around pho—a Vietnamese noodle soup with beef brisket, flank steak and assorted add-ins.

Despite the less-than-stellar economic environment, we’ve seen a flurry of new Asian and Asian-fusion concept development. Phillips Seafood Restaurants opened Bombora, which emphasizes Asian and Latin flavors in menu items like tikka masala-glazed chicken wings with toasted almond dust. Ling & Louie’s Asian Bar and Grill is expanding rapidly, combining authentic Asian ingredients with classic American formats—meatloaf sliders with garlic-ginger dipping sauce, for example.

Some recently introduced Asian and Asian-fusion fare making news:

Bahn Mi Sandwiches—Vietnamese-style sandwiches featuring a choice of chicken, beef or shrimp on a French baguette, filled with pickled carrots, daikon radish, cilantro, cucumber slices and spicy sauce, served with sweet-potato fries, Mama Fu’s Asian House

Breakfast Bao—new breakfast version of steamed Vietnamese-style buns, filled with barbecue pork; coconut custard; or eggs combined with either bacon and Cheddar, spinach and mushroom, or spicy pork sausage, Wow Bao

Just how much ethnic innovation is right for your concept and clientele remains a tricky question. Sourcing less-familiar ingredients and developing appropriate recipes are other puzzlers. Your Sysco Marketing Associate, backed by Sysco’s formidable team of culinary and operational professionals, can help you with ingredient advice, costing information, recipes and consumer data so that you can incorporate these Mediterranean, Latin and Asian ethnic flavors and foods for your concept and customer base.

In addition, Sysco offers you access to two other invaluable resources:

Periodic Business Reviews in which a team of Sysco experts examines every phase of your operations and recommend improvements to build sales, traffic and the bottom line.

Access to Sysco iCare business partners—companies offering independent operators a suite of value-added resources designed to help them compete against chains and multiconcept operators as well as other independents.

For more information, contact your Sysco Marketing Associate.

Sysco Can Help

Sweet chili sauce, a popular condiment in Thailand and Laos, appeared on McDonald’s U.S. menu