Gen Next—Understanding Tomorrow’s Tastemakers
A 360˚ view of young consumers’ desires and impressions of restaurant dining today was featured in this session. New consumer research from Y-Pulse, a presentation by a 12-year-old healthy-eating advocate, and an expert panel representing hotels, casual dining, quick service and school foodservice shared insight on the subject of what kids really want. The experts agreed that sometimes what parents think their children want couldn’t be further from reality.

The research showed that kids have a taste for restaurant dining, listing casual dining and quick service as their favorite places to eat away from home. The research showed that kids are interested in foods that are higher in quality and are healthier for them. Food is the driver for kids, and the ability to customize it is what captures their loyalty in restaurants.

Alternative Points of View
This conference incites industry professionals to share strong opinions that are sometimes in agreement, yet often not. Some subjects of disagreement included:

• The Future of Gluten Free. The number of consumers considering a gluten-free lifestyle is driven more by choice than diagnosed medical need, and although some believe it is here to stay, others believe it will eventually become the choice of only those with Celiac disease, as it limits enjoyment of food significantly.
• Glycemic Index. This has been proposed as a driving force, as the number of diabetics increases and consumers gain an increasing understanding of it. Yet others feel it is simply too complicated for the average consumer to understand.
• Functional Foods. The high consumption of these foods by Millennial consumers leads many to believe that functional ingredients are the future of product and menu development. Others believe consumer demand favors nutrient-dense whole foods that are pure and simple.
• Carnivore vs. Herbivore. The debate continues with the omnivore rising.
• Nose to Tail. To some it was ready for prime time in sharable items for adventurous diners to enjoy the experience; to others it was simply too real and too scary for the mainstream diner.
• Health vs. Indulgence. There is a place for both health and indulgence in foodservice. In casual dining, consumers are interested in indulging in ways they might not at home. When it comes to dessert, leading restaurateurs and hoteliers discussed the strategy of selling sweet with the help of new consumer research from the Culinary Visions® Panel.
• Culinary vs. Marketing vs. Purchasing. The never-ending conflict between marketing, culinary and purchasing was discussed at length in a variety of different forums at this conference. Most notable was the challenge of consumer research, specifically when it targets too broad of an audience and ensures that a new item that pushes the boundaries will never go to market the way it was envisioned by culinary. The impact of introducing new, less-costly ingredients that don’t deliver the indescribable subtleties that make one recipe preparation just good and another irresistible is another challenge.

Real & Authentic
Research presented by Datassential showed that consumer desire for real food trumps the desire for authenticity. Real food was defined by consumers as foods perceived to be natural, fresh and without additives; free from artificial ingredients or extensive processing was considered important by 55% of consumers. Authentic foods, defined as traditional recipes true to their origin and culture and not Americanized, were considered important by 19% of consumers.

There was considerable acceptance of using herbs and spices from a particular part of the world with local ingredients to make new dishes appealing. Delicious and memorable meals might not necessarily be authentic, but they will create a physical and emotional connection. The appearance of being handmade, not perfectly identical, is a consumer cue to real and authentic that might be at odds with an industry that strives for consistency.

Consumers not only want their food to be real, they want the conversation about it to be real. This study pointed out that consumers want personal messages on social media, not corporate messages. Personal connections and word of mouth are most important to creating interest in new food experiences, with 53% of consumers saying they got information from their friends and family.

New Foods, Flavors and Preparations Ready for Mainstream
Chef Gerry Ludwig of Gordon Food Service delivers an incomparably entertaining and inspiring presentation of his culinary travels across the country every year. He braves the culinary frontiers and gives a glimpse into the future with his take on ideas that are ready to go mainstream.

•  New Flavors of the Old South. Cajun, Creole and Low Country cuisines deliver bold flavor and comfort. These cuisines are menu ready for a wide range of segments because there is no learning curve for the consumer. This idea might even be ripe for a fast-casual concept. Ingredients key to this cuisine are grits, greens, bourbon seafood and pork.
• Savory Pancakes. Several years ago we heard about okonomiyaki (a savory Japanese pancake containing a variety of ingredients) and other savory pancakes with Asian flavor. The trend extends beyond Asian, making the idea ready for mainstream because pancakes are inexpensive flavor carriers with the potential to offer innovation to the highly popular wrap.
• Thighs on the Rise. Flavorful and economical, chicken thighs are offering an alternative to the ubiquitous chicken breast. The tipping point for consumer interest in dark meat is here; skin on, boneless chicken thighs are giving a crispy, crunchy, delicious twist to many favorite dishes.
•  The Full-Service Taco. Korean tacos inspired the category and created new interest in the taco when burrito aficionados were ready for a change. Fine-dining versions of tacos are available across the country and ready for mainstream casual because of their versatility. Tacos are also an ideal platform for delicious and flavorful vegetarian offerings.

Breakfast Mash Up
Breakfast is moving beyond the morning daypart in cutting-edge independent restaurants. Chefs consider the protein, satiety and comfort that are inherent to breakfast offerings as ideal for a wide range of foodservice venues.

Hot menu items discussed included: breakfast tacos; breakfast wraps thinking beyond the tortilla as a wrap to naan bread, arepas and crêpes; ancient grains in savory bowls; and waffles in unexpected sweet and savory renditions.

Global Inspiration
A chef panel discussed some inspiration from around the world that has the potential to find its way onto American menus.

• Noodle Bowls and Soups. Pancit, a noodle bowl from the Philippines, builds on the popularity of Vietnamese pho and other Asian-inspired one-dish meals finding favor with consumers for their freshness and flavor. Soups from thin and hearty to thick and savory—global inspiration brings new life to this classic comfort food.
• Crunchy Fried, Soft-Centered Snacks. Many Latin American countries offer inspiration for this appetizer/small plate favorite, including aborrajadas, llapingachos and empanadas.
• World Foods To Refresh Favorites
  Adobo from Malaysia is made with soy and coconut vinegar—the new teriyaki
  Calamansi—the new citrus
  Green Garbanzo Beans—the new edamame
  Za’atar—a Middle Eastern seasoning blend that adds zest to bread dipped in olive oil
  Wasabi—adds sparkle to potato salad and deviled eggs
• Peruvian Corn. Both yellow and purple are prized for different reasons. Giant kernels of yellow Peruvian corn are a perfect bar snack or garnish. Purple Peruvian corn is loaded with antioxidants and makes delicious beverages like chicha morada.
• Puffy Tacos. Fish-shaped waffle tacos in the Philippines are stuffed with lots of different flavors and fillings.

Taste Talk Tweet
Twitter conversations from the Flavor Experience were hard to find as the conference organizer boldly disavowed having a hash tag in favor of encouraging tasting and personal connection on all subjects related to flavor and the menu.

If you would like to follow Olson Communications’ observations in real time, follow at http://twitter.com/OlsonComm. The next conference covered is Les Dames d’Escoffier International’s in Austin, Texas, October 24-27.

Copyright Olson Communications, Inc., 2013