Food File - Stateside inspiration
Lisa Chafel looks at food ideas from across the pond.
Split personalities When it comes to food and flavour trends, Americans, it seems, want it all. Operators need to constantly offer something new - new flavour experiences, new forms, new eating occasions, to keep things interesting and competitive. And it seems that operators have to try to read their customers' minds and moods when it comes to what they might go for. This can mean menus that have split personalities.
Nostalgia v new Americans can be very sentimental and there is no stronger trend at the moment then nostalgia. This is "retro" - familiar foods and flavours we recollect from our childhoods - basically home-style food that they're not getting at home anymore. For Americans that's often slow-cooked foods and preparation methods and comforting desserts. But now that customers are more sophisticated, they're willing to pay more for nostalgia with a twist. On the other hand - and often on the same menu - they want new, exciting flavours, blending cuisine from around the world, authentic and regional ethnic food.
Healthy v indulgent As the American Baby Boomers age they want about half the portion sizes they went for in the '90s (that would be "normal" to you and me). They also enjoy sharing platters or lots of smaller entrees/tapas. Salads are huge - and I mean that literally - with all sorts of wonderful ingredients, usually with a really flavourful grilled protein, like chicken, shrimp or salmon, and often "ethnic", like Santa Fe Salad or Asian Sesame Salad. The low-carb thing may be waning a bit, along with low fat this and that, but what will still be important is healthier choices, fresh, organic, natural and not over-processed foods. Contrary to that, when they want to indulge, watch out.
Do-it-yourself Although they are eating out to let someone else do the cooking, a growing trend has customers doing it for themselves, with the likes of fondues, mix-your-own cocktails, assemble-your-own chocolate pudding, grill-your-own Kobe steak and cook-your-own Korean barbecues. This way people still get to interact with food, which can be fun, customise the way they want it, eat knowing its fresh - and miss out on the washing up.
Mood swings These trends in food and flavours may seem like a mass of contradictions, but what it really reflects is a better understanding of the changing needs of the consumer depending on time of day, mood, who they're with, how much time they have and, of course, how much they want to spend. They're sophisticated enough to know they will find exactly what they want from the plethora of choices out there. It's the successful operators who can provide that choice without losing sight of quality and value.
Sources: Technomic IFMA Forecast 2004, Menu Clips 5/04 Originally from New York, Lisa is MD of the Food Group UK, a foodservice-focused agency that she set up five years ago after working for more than 10 years in the Food Group's New York office.
