Creating the process that drives the MenuMasters® philosophy

The foodservice industry has historically been blessed with an abundance of passion and creativity that has translated into innovation through entrepreneurial achievement, individual accomplishment, trial and error and long-term morphing of restaurant concepts. In today’s environment it is necessary to add discipline to that passion and creativity, anchoring innovation in business strategy, optimizing the methods for introducing successful new products, particularly in multi-unit foodservice segments.

The menu development process begins with clear and concise corporate business strategy, which will yield the goal and success criteria for menu development activity, creating fertile ground for creative idea generation. Integral to this strategy is an understanding of the target consumer, his/her behavior and needs, the equities, competencies and capabilities of the restaurant and the perception of the brand in the eyes of the restaurant guest. It is within this context that creative exploration and product innovation has, as its end point, the delivery of the product to the guest at the unit level.

The process can be visualized as a cycle, with the goal definition, ideation and exploration at the beginning and implementation as the end. The key disciplines of Culinary Art; Marketing & Consumer Behavior; Operational Logistics and Food Science & Technology interact throughout the cycle, providing momentum to fuel the process and refine the product. It is a fluid process, highly influenced by the balance between creativity and reality, with each discipline exerting its force along the timeline. Each group or company employing the process must tailor it to fit its specific goals, organizational objectives and structure.

Ideation…
The generation of meaningful new menu concepts

Exploration…
The filtering of the concepts in order to find the most relevant ones

Feasibility…
Initial assessment of a new product’s fit within the current operational framework

Validation…
Formal confirmation of assumptions from feasibility

Test Market…
Confirmation of market-wide operational feasibility and consumer acceptance

Launch…
System or regional rollout of successfully market tested product

The execution and development of new menu items is a collaborative effort among the people/departments who are stakeholders in its success. It is imperative for each individual to understand the process and the value of his/her role, ensuring seamless and effective interaction. It is the combination of strategy and innovation aligned with creativity, culinary skill, food science, consumer understanding and implementation that guarantees the successful launch of new products in the food and foodservice industries.

The guiding principle of the MenuMasters® Center for Menu Research & Development is: individuals engaged in the process of menu development should have working knowledge of four fundamental disciplines, Culinary Art & Craft; Operations; Food Science & Technology and Marketing & Consumer Behavior, though his or her expertise may reside in only one. It is important we learn from other industries, where the rigor or discipline of the process far outweighs the creativity. Applying some of that discipline to our creativity is the key to the successful development of the menu R&D process.