Flavor, Quality & American Menus: Volume III
The best chefs don't wait for ideas to come to them. They actively seek inspiration—by by traveling, visiting farmers' markets, reading, and eating widely. These are the chefs who welcome change, knowing that it keeps their skills honed, their customers intrigued, and their employees engaged.
More than ever, the nation's chefs are influential change agents, embracing and advancing some of today's Big Ideas: Sustainability. Buying locally. Globalization. Wellness. (Remember when that word didn't even exist?)
Finding the opportunity in these seismic attitudinal shifts is what The Culinary Institute of America's annual Flavor, Quality & American Menus conference is about. What does sustainability mean to a large foodservice operator, and how do sustainable practices affect profits? How can chefs align their cooking with the wellness trend, without sacrificing taste? What ingredients, recipes, and techniques can American chefs borrow from global kitchens to incorporate the international flavors that diners want now?
In the following pages, you'll discover some answers from other food professionals. You'll meet a visionary university foodservice director who has forged links with local growers to bring more fresh, seasonal produce onto campus—a win-win for students and farmers. You'll learn how an East Coast supermarket is delivering on the wellness challenge, and you'll read some predictions regarding the produce stars of the future. A top Vietnamese chef will introduce you to some fragrant herbs you may not know—herbs that can boost the excitement quotient on your menu and appeal to customers seeking culinary adventure. And you'll learn how a "sustain-agility" mindset can help you and your business adapt to change. Lastly, you'll find chef-tested recipes to get you started on incorporating some of these fresh ideas into your own operation.
