Behind the Line
Topic: State of the Industry/Trends
Dining Trends
What do you think chef-driven dining will look like in five years?
- Leigh Omilinsky
- Pastry Chef
- Sofitel Chicago Water Tower/ Cafe des Architectes
- Chicago/IL
I hope that there will be an upswing in fine dining. As much as I love the super casual dining, it's not quite like the five star experience.
I hope there is a way to take that experience and m...
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Gizzards, sweetbreads and stomach, oh my! Does this sound tasty or what? Are you cooking with offal? Do you think the trend will last?
- Patrick Sheerin
- Chef/Partner
- Trenchermen
- Chicago, IL
I don't think eating offal is a trend, because it's now discussed in media it's gotten a bigger platform. As a chef's community, the more we work to provide an outlet for all of the cuts of meats ...
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What works in chef-driven ultra-casual spots and what doesn't?
- Nate Hamilton
- Chef de Cuisine
- Harvest
- Madison, WI
I think the important thing would be to stay true to the classics. I think an ultra casual spot can't be TOO inventive - it has to at least have the classics available, because there has to be some...
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Kids are our future. We need them healthy. Are you involved in teaching kids better eating habits? How?
- Chrissy Camba
- Chef
- Bar Pastoral
- Chicago, IL
no. and honestly, i would not be able to do that until i had better eating habits. why would anyone listen to a teacher that doesn't follow their own advice? however, once i am capable of setting m...
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Sustainable seafood is of the utmost importance, especially today. Are you involved in any sustainable seas programs?
- Zeeshan Shah
- Chef de Cuisine
- Old Town Social
- Chicago, IL
We are currently not involved in a sustainable seas program.
We do regularly serve Lake Superior Whitefish because it's from the midwest.
From foams to "deconstructed" everything, food trends come and go. In your mind, what's the silliest food trend ever?
- Matt Danko
- Pastry Chef
- The Greenhouse Tavern and Noodlecat
- Cleveland, OH
Towering plates of food that fall apart when they arrive, plates that are so deconstructed your not sure what you're eating, spherification.
When striving for casual, what are some common mistakes restaurants make?
- Rob Levitt
- Executive Chef/Owner
- The Butcher & Larder
- Chicago, IL
Casual places often equal bad attitudes and off-putting aloofness from FOH, and confusion in the kitchen. If casual means low prices that's fine as long as low prices don't equal inferior product....
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In recent years, high-caliber chefs have made a move to casual dining. What's the key to success?
- Nate Hamilton
- Chef de Cuisine
- Harvest
- Madison, WI
Doing casual dining with a better knowledge of technique than a lot of casual dining places, at the same price point. You can be a James Beard winning chef, but you still can knock out a good batch...
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Testicles: are they the next food trend?
- Chrissy Camba
- Chef
- Bar Pastoral
- Chicago, IL
LMAO - i had just woken up and i'm reading through these questions and i see this one....and i think to myself, "what?!" then, i just assume i have sleepy eyes - so, i try to rub my sleepy eyes out...
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Top five food trends you wish would die.
- Joncarl Lachman
- Executive Chef/Owner
- HB Home Bistro
- Chicago, IL
i am annoyed by "trends" in general...and try to keep it simple and focused...
its about the guest...not about the chef trying to show how cool he, or she...(but mostly he) is....
let me think....
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There's no denying casual spots are in-demand nowadays. If you've cooked in this arena, what are your over-arching restaurant philosophies?
- Nathan Sears
- Executive Chef/Owner
- The Radler and D.A.S.
- Chicago, IL
Consistency is key no matter what you wish to deliver.
Do classic desserts get lost with all the newfangled flavor combinations?
- Nate Hamilton
- Chef de Cuisine
- Harvest
- Madison, WI
No, much like classic entrees don't get lost with all the newfangled flavor combinations. A surprise here or there doesn't take away from a classic beef stew, much like Humphry Slocombe still offer...
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If you work, or have worked, in a casual restaurant, how do you infuse high-quality flavors into an affordable/casual menu?
- Nathan Sears
- Executive Chef/Owner
- The Radler and D.A.S.
- Chicago, IL
The protein is almost always the highest cost so using something like chicken legs and thighs cuts cost a lot. Then you can afford to wrap it in gold leaf or whatever you want.
Casual concepts and affordable menu options are all the rage (go figure). In the economic downturn, how have you made adjustments to your menus?
- Jason McLeod
- Executive Chef/Owner
- Box Tree Restaurant, Inc
- San Diego, CA
we look at different ideas all the time, but the biggest success so far as been our Sunday Supper for $29 served family style in Balsan, so far we have had great feedback and the best feedback we g...
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Do the media follow dessert trends at the expense of flavor?
- Leigh Omilinsky
- Pastry Chef
- Sofitel Chicago Water Tower/ Cafe des Architectes
- Chicago/IL
Yes. Also at the expense of really knowing what a well done dessert is.
Fine dining can be more than just white tablecloths and formalwear. What do you think the tricks are to crafting a fine dining restaurant with less of that high-end stigma?
- mark hinkle
- Manager
- Annie Gunn's
- Chesterfield, MO
Annie Gunn's originated as a neighborhood pub and, in many ways, still is today. At the same time, we are a chef driven restaurant and are often considered a fine dining, special occasion establis...
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Breakfast menus are on the rise in popularity, due in large part to the affordable price points. If you serve breakfast, how do you give that chef-driven spin to the bacon and eggs crowd?
- Nathan Sears
- Executive Chef/Owner
- The Radler and D.A.S.
- Chicago, IL
We don't serve breakfast.
Fine dining establishments are often relegated to "special occasion." If you are a fine dining establishment, do you embrace that or try to entice people to come in for more "everyday" dining?
- Nate Hamilton
- Chef de Cuisine
- Harvest
- Madison, WI
Small plates menus encouraging family style dining. Keeping prices relatively low while maintaining the quality level.
Love 'em or hate 'em, cupcakes have proven the test of time. Do you wish the cupcake trend would go away?
- Leigh Omilinsky
- Pastry Chef
- Sofitel Chicago Water Tower/ Cafe des Architectes
- Chicago/IL
I'm over it.
Cupcakes; if they aren't a passing trend, why?
- Leigh Omilinsky
- Pastry Chef
- Sofitel Chicago Water Tower/ Cafe des Architectes
- Chicago/IL
Well, they're great for kids, not for me.