Restaurant operators, hit hard by the recession, scramble to find offerings that incorporate new ingredients and presentations, an acceptable price point and previously underserved dayparts--all while trying to guess what the next hot trend will be.
The year in foodservice beverages has been the year of the smoothie, with major and minor chains adding the beverage with a healthy positioning, nutritional ingredients and creative flavorings. That said, coffee remains the segmentís stalwart.
Nominations for the 2010 Spirit of Innovation Awards were all excellent examples of the teamwork crucial to innovation, the very concept the awards were created to reward. This year saw major and minor companies alike align to create innovative new products and push the boundaries of innovation.
American chefs have taken some of the world's signature street foods, such as tapas, and reinvented them for their restaurants. Starters allow chefs to be playful, creative, experimental and whimsical. Chefs are taking street foods from other parts of the world and putting their own spin on them.
No longer content to buy premium, fresh produce from local farmers, some chefs are taking the local sourcing concept to new heights--rooftops, to be specific.