Nutrition trends have been on the rise since menu-labeling regulations have been increasingly rising in every state. The article, Restaurateurs marry taste, healthfulness, by James Scarpa is regarding the force around menu labeling and the consumers wanting healthier options and ready to eat healthier has created casual dining chains to add healthier options and the number of chains involved is constantly increasing. However, the current chains are not just reducing the calories or fat in a item they are creating a new approach which is more of a culinary approach rather than clinical which is what was happening before.
Before the industry has tried to remove ingredients to make them healthier however, this effects flavors and could unintentionally ruin a menu item. Chief executive and president of Sizzler USA, Kerry Kramp, have been focused more on advertizing healthier soups and salad bar options for diners. Kramp’s focus for Sizzler USA was too look for a way to impact flavors that completed the food with still making the food healthier to the consumer. Sizzler’s kitchen is now producing salads and soups which much less sodium and all new salads and soups have been approved by nutrition experts from HealthyDiningFinder.com.
Chain restaurants have also been partnering up with nutritionist. Fox restaurant concepts has partnered up with Dr. Andrew Weil to open a True Food Kitchen, which is a casual establishment which focused on flavors but was also healthy for the consumer. They don’t want to be known for serving healthy food but rather a great quality restaurant that serves good food which just happens to be healthy.
This is a trend of nutrition is an interesting concept. Having health conscious consumers wanting health but good food is very difficult to accomplish in the industry. However, here are two restaurants that have been successful in accomplishing the goal of good healthy food. Consumers want to eat healthy and many chains and fine dining establishments have been giving the consumer what they want however, they were just taking out ingredients to make in healthy but by doing that they were decreasing the satisfaction of the menu item by not having the same flavors. Consulting with a nutritionist and working with them seems to be a creative idea where the restaurant can serve healthy food but still good food. By consulting with the nutritionist the chefs and line cooks will have knowledge of nutrition values and aware of what ingredients should be added to make a healthier dish but adding flavors to make it good instead of taking out flavors to make it healthy but lacking in flavor. This is a great trend that has hit chains it provides the consumer with what they want and it provides the chains to still be creative and make it more of an art instead of just taking ingredients out to become healthier.
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I think this is an awesome idea and a great solution. When the issue of limiting salt usage in New York was brought up, many of the chefs were upset because of how this would effect their dishes. However, if rather than removing or regulating "bad ingredients" we could find a way to substitute them and still make a great product, it could solve the issue. This could also help teach and train people to enjoy other foods that are healthy and still taste great. As I was reading this I was thinking about how they are working with a nutritionist. But what if rather than doing that, the chefs were trained differently. What if during their culinary education they are taught how to cook with foods that can still provide full flavor at a healthy rate? Eventually the nutritionist and chef could be combined into one person and save the restaurant a whole lot of money and reach out to more potential customers.
ReplyDeleteHealth and nutrition is a huge trend in today's society. Educated people are always looking for healthier menu items. Lowering menu items sodium by half is crazy that you can do that and still keep a great taste. It is nice to see that places are taking the initiative to make healthier menu items. I know most chefs just care about flavor and could care less about what they are serving. People are more prone to eat healthy and great tasting food. It is what the people want today. To keep up with the trends is it our job to give the people what they want.
ReplyDeleteI think alot of the chefs who are getting upset about all the limitations that are trying to be thrown at them were taught to be this way. If you can start teaching them early on in their career or education about nutrition it could help them be more open to the idea. For example, JWU could have a mandatory nutrition course for the culinary program. The company then wouldn't have to have an extra person on the payroll.
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