cuisine

The Week in Ideas, April 15, 2013

Sometimes the best idea is to ask for help. Using trademarks against your competitors. Dumpster-diver cuisine. And an idea to deal with reservation no-shows.

Hispanics Are More Likely To Source Protein Based on Meal Traditions

CHICAGO (April 17, 2013)—While U.S. Hispanics and non-Hispanics consume foods high in protein, Hispanics consume chicken, legumes, eggs, and fish/seafood...

From Turkish kabobs and Greek gyros to Mexican tacos and Indian flatbreads, street vendors the world over have forever been selling hearty snacks-to-go. Now...

There are “new rules” to competing in the restaurant industry, attendees of the Restaurant Leadership Conference learned during an opening breakout session hosted by Darren Tristano and Ron Paul of Technomic Inc. They outlined 10 strategies for restaurateurs to consider.

Four luminaries of the restaurant and food industries took the stage at a Culinary Institute of America event last week to share their culinary philosophies and formulas for success. The quartet—Rick Bayless, Cliff Pleau, Daniel Humm and Walter Robb—was there to be honored with a 2013 Augie Leadership Award, a CIA honor now in its seventh year.

Mike Roberts’ is doing what he’s always done: following the customer. It’s tempting to see Guest Editor Mike Roberts’ new LYFE Kitchen and its array of socially responsible attributes as a departure from his old job as Global President and COO of McDonald’s.

Is “better pizza” following in the footsteps of “better burgers” as the next fast-casual star? Some industry veterans are betting on it, including...

What happens when your guest feedback programs insist your customers love you, but your restaurant is empty? That was Terry Smith’s dilemma when he was brought on board as consultant for Texas Steakhouse in 2008.

Ruby Tuesday’s narrowly averted cheese-biscuit apocalypse demonstrates how social media’s role is evolving from marketing to operations. The chain has spent several years working through a major brand refresh, migrating from a down-home bar-and-grill to a more upscale-casual concept. To that end, the company decided to phase out the free cheddar biscuits given to diners, testing the new program in one area where the biscuits went AWOL. The reaction was telling: customers had a fit, sharing their displeasure through social media.

Sous vide—cooking under vacuum—may be the “hottest” technique to hit restaurants, but it demands prep and food safety skills which are lacking in most kitchen staff.

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