April 13, 2016 By Sue Mah
“Anyone can cook a hamburger, leave the vegetables to the professionals.”
That is Amanda Cohen’s mantra. The Ottawa-born chef is owner of Dirt Candy, a restaurant on New York City’s Lower East Side. No stranger to creative cooking, she’s been a chef for almost 15 years and was the first vegetarian chef to compete ...Read more about this post
March 31, 2016 Levon Kurkjian, vice president of marketing at Kettle Cuisine, wholeheartedly agrees: “In an era when food sensitivities are headline news, menuing a selection of gluten-free items no longer gives a foodservice operator competitive advantage; it’s now an expectation and a baseline point of entry.” The company was founded by Jerry Shafir – whose daughter was ...Read more about this post
March 31, 2016 By Aaron Jourden
The emergence of quinoa as a near-mainstream ingredient has no doubt fueled chefs’ and diners’ desires to discover the many other types of ancient grains. Although many ancient grains are relatively unknown to consumers and are just now penetrating leading chain and independent menus in Canada, the latest data from Technomic’s MenuMonitor is ...Read more about this post
January 21, 2016 By Lucia Weiler
“Innovation” is a word often used in restaurant circles, but what does it really mean, and how can you put it to use to grow your business and boost your bottom line?
According to a recent report by consulting firm AlixPartners, “Innovation means re-engineering menus to better target today’s new consumer segments, re-engineering promotions ...Read more about this post
January 7, 2016 The foodservice industry is adapting to consumer demand for healthy, nutritious food. Ask a dozen people what healthy means, though, and you may get as many different answers. The wide variety of perceptions can cause menu development challenges, but can also ignite exciting ideas and culinary trends.
Customer expectation for personalization has expanded beyond steak doneness ...Read more about this post
January 4, 2016 By Mark Dempsey
January 4, 2016 Leave a comment Keeping up with the latest health trends in the foodservice industry is an ongoing challenge. Fortunately for restaurant operators, consumers’ definition of healthful food has broadened. Today, it’s less about removing negatives or adding positives, and more about simply eating real food.
Canadians report “healthy” as the number one characteristic ...Read more about this post
January 4, 2016 Healthy breakfast ideas to keep you on track this New Year
By Shelby Morrison, Order Up blog
January 4, 2016 You may hear over and over again that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. If your New Year’s resolution is to eat healthier, it all starts with breakfast. There is nothing like waking up and ...Read more about this post
December 10, 2015 By Lucia Weiler No need to skip dessert! Gelato and sorbetto are the perfect gourmet alternatives with numerous nutritional benefits.
Very popular in Europe and growing at a fast pace in North America, these frozen Italian treats are no longer considered a “temptation” but rather a customer favourite, taking the frustration and monotony out of some restricted-calorie ...Read more about this post
December 10, 2015 By Lucia Weiler
Dessert is the final course in a dining experience, and the best opportunity for chefs and restaurateurs to make a memorable last impression on guests. While dining out, many Canadians are looking for menu items that are delicious and better for their health – even when it comes to dessert. “Healthy dessert” may ...Read more about this post
November 4, 2015 By Liana Robberecht While summer seems like a good time to enjoy cool, crisp vegetables and all things salad, the reality is that you will find that individually-priced salads are a staple on restaurant menus year-round. Dark greens such as kale and spinach have become a favourite platform for entrée salads, often with the option to ...Read more about this post
October 29, 2015 By Denis Hancock and Jennifer Gausby There are many things restaurants can do to capitalize on Canadians’ desire to live better by eating healthier. The trick is to look beyond the usual tactics, namely reducing calories, sodium or fat by cutting portion sizes; changing sides; and removing great-tasting (but sometimes unhealthy) ingredients.The problem with these types ...Read more about this post
July 27, 2015 Press release
While chicken still holds its status as the centre-of-plate star for both consumers and operators, demands are shifting. More consumers are looking past poultry to seafood, vegetarian and vegan options. Utilizing proprietary intelligence and exclusive consumer data, Technomic’s Canadian Centre of the Plate Consumer Trend Report identifies and analyzes menu and consumer trends impacting ...Read more about this post
July 7, 2015 By Sean Moon Long gone are the images of Birkenstock-wearing hippies or wizened old Bulgarians digging into a dish of their favourite dairy concoction— yogurt in its myriad forms is now enjoyed by millions around the world, from toddlers to grandparents, supermodels to bodybuilders.
In fact, Canadian consumers have been lapping up the silky smooth delight in ...Read more about this post
June 23, 2015 By Devon Peart Nothing says summer like grilled foods. From a nutrition standpoint, grilling is a great way to prepare foods because it uses very little fat except to add flavour, and can be limited to your preference. Also, you don’t lose nutrients in the cooking water. From a taste standpoint, it’s a great way to ...Read more about this post
April 28, 2015 From culinary adventure to health and wellness, the unique qualities, texture and appeal of ancient grains continue to propel their growth. For example, whole millet and sorghum flours both impart a crunchiness compared to whole quinoa flour which lends a softer, smoother bite. The growth of their inclusion in a variety of categories – like ...Read more about this post
