For all consumers, health and safety are the biggest concern, therefore increasing the demand for the freshest, least processed foods at home and away from home. A great tasting dish simply isn’t good enough for today’s consumer. Mounting concerns regarding health, sustainability for future generations, and getting the most out of each food dollar has brought about higher expectations for pure and real ingredients. Exceptional quality and flavor of locally grown, fresh-picked produce and made-from-scratch goods also has  fueled the momentum and craving for true scratch cooking.

Read the full article at FastCasual.com.

Cari Price is the corporate development chef at Food IQ. The company’s goal is to help restaurant operators create food with impact. Food that starts with true insight into a concept’s business, its customers and its competition, and ideas with the culinary skill, experience and vision that help restaurant operators connect with their audience.

Of the chains on TECHNOMIC’s list, seven of 10 were fast-casual concepts which shouldn’t be a shock since that segment has not only survived the economic downturn, but flourished. The ability to offer consumers customizable items featuring high-quality ingredients at an affordable price is the hallmark of fast-casuals and has made us rethink the term “value”.

Among these top fast-causal chains, certain cuisine categories seem to rise to the top. Bakery-cafes once ruled this segment, but now Mexican, upscale burgers and Asian are leading the fast-casual craze. The foods featured at these restaurants are generally easy to produce with limited service, smaller and less-skilled crews. But as with all well-established brands, there are always up-and-comers vying for the spotlight. So who will take the lead in the Mexican, Asian and burger categories?

Read the full article at FastCasual.com.

FoodIQ Executive Chef Tom Smith lives the philosophy of “Before it’s a great dish, it’s a great idea,” partnering and guiding his clients to strategic culinary concepts, executions and ideations.

Then came the recession of 2007 and new stresses for the foodservice industry. Consumers now demanded more value for their dollar than ever before but still were not ready to sacrifice quality. These changes in the foodservice-segment landscape have created an interesting phenomenon: Operators in all segments are moving
toward an optimum value platform nestled between full-serve and quick-serve spectrums. Operators seeking this new value platform are “upscaling the downscale” — either on their existing menus or by opening new locations under the brand umbrella, both efforts showcasing more upscale culinary interpretations brought to life through downscale pantries.

At one end of the industry, casualization is a proven strategy in play. Leading high-end chefs are opening more-casual burger joints; others have gone mobile, utilizing food trucks to bring their culinary talents to a more mainstream audience while delivering maximum value. Noted Chicago chef Michael Kornick of upscale MK restaurant fame partnered with David Morton to open DMK Burger Bar and the new Fish Bar, which offers a “clam-shack” atmosphere with most meals under $10. Similarly, fellow Chicagoan Rick Bayless made news with the launch of the quick-serve Xoco, with a menu based on Mexico’s most beloved street foods, much more humble than Topolobompo’s offerings.

At the other end of the spectrum, the quick-service segment is making upscale strides to satisfy its customers’ demands for more value without surrendering their constant quest for flavor. From this perspective, efforts are reversed: Operators are upgrading existing ingredients and menu items to bring a heightened value  perception. Fast-casual operators showcase high-end ingredients while quick-serve flexes its culinary muscles by tapping into more premium-branding strategies for enhanced quality; some food trucks are even going brick and mortar.

Within this new value model, any operator can be your competition, and “battle lines” are drawn somewhere between the fast-casual and casual-dining segments. Quick-serve and fast casual operators are upping their flavor and quality game to add menu-item value — while still offering fast service at an affordable price point. Meanwhile, full-service operations are using their more-diverse pantries to give patrons more affordable options while still delivering on their individual brand promises.

Several base menu items are emerging as the culinary cornerstones of this new value model: Burgers, sandwiches, pasta, pizza and ice cream all represent opportunities for operators of all segments to add value and quality through upscaled or casualized tactics. These platforms offer the “menu elasticity” to reside on any menu, from QSR to fine dining, without confusing consumers. These items make customers feel comfortable with your menu and thus are the natural platform for upgrades through culinary experimentation and enhanced quality and value.

On all parts of the menu, the value platform model is all about adding value up and down the chain in commercial foodservice. For QSR and fast-casual operators, it involves taking culinary inspiration from casual and fine-dining segments and delivering it back to consumers within a limited-service format. For full-service segments, value means developing items to attract consumers with high culinary imagination but at a price point that lets them experience your “brand” at a more affordable overall cost.

Download the full article: The New Value Platform

Or read at flavor-online.com.

Chefs are some of the most progressive, creative star-worthy entrepreneurs our country has to offer. Many of them have begun to realize that they can just as easily express their passion and creativity through fast-casual concepts without compromising the extremely high standards that have made them successful. Top-notch chefs are now constructing new concepts with smaller footprints and less overhead, allowing them to develop new menus and dishes at smaller price points.

Read the full article at FastCasual.com.

FoodIQ Executive Chef Tom Smith lives the philosophy of “Before it’s a great dish, it’s a great idea,” partnering and guiding his clients to strategic culinary concepts, executions and ideations.

Knowing where one’s food comes from is a phenomenon known as transparency. And although this need-to-know reflects a refreshing consumer awareness, there’s more to the story. The demand to understand the sourcing and nutritional value of foodstuffs has reached all the way into the restaurant world.

For full article, visit FastCasual.com.

Mindy Armstrong is the Insights & Account Manager at FoodIQ.  Her background in branding, food marketing and menu innovation in the restaurant industry gives her clients a unique advantage in the development of insight-driven menu concepts.

The annual National Restaurant Association Tradeshow in Chicago was a whirlwind for us. Not only did we design the menu for the Marlin Network breakfast, Breakfast Interrupted, but we also designed the menu and coordinated with the hotel executive chef for the Mission Foodservice reception that fed over 200 people. In addition, we concepted, developed and delivered over 600 crepes at a BBQ on Navy Pier that benefited Share Our Strength for Bush’s Beans.

Chef Tom Smith represented FoodIQ and Bush Brothers at the [http://www.umass.edu/chefconference/2011/] 17th annual Tastes of the World Chef Culinary Conference at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. The theme was Simple Food, Healthy Eating, and focused on many simple (less processed, uncomplicated to prepare) healthier dishes with plenty of flavor as well as a reverence for incorporating locally produced, seasonal foods.