Customers have a soft spot in their hearts for comfort foods on restaurant menus. Classics like mac and cheese, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, roast meats, and home-baked goods recall happy memories and cast an aura of warmth and connection over the dining experience.
“People are turning to the food that conjures up the emotions of sitting around the dinner table with family,” says Curtis Hawk, Boar’s Head Brand culinary development chef. “Comfort foods are at the top of the list of trends on restaurant menus today.”
That’s why a growing number of chefs are riffing on nostalgic recipes by adding global flavors and ingredients. As Hawk puts it, “Modern spins on classic dishes are very high in demand right now.”
Crafting comfort foods
Operators elevating comfort food on restaurant menus will benefit from the versatility, appeal, and operational advantages of Boar’s Head® premium delicatessen products. Established in 1905, the iconic Boar’s Head Brand offers the highest quality delicatessen meats, cheeses, charcuterie, hummus, spreads, and condiments for crafting comfort food specialties that engage and excite customers and boost sales.
For example, take the Boar’s Head Bold® line of premium delicatessen meats, cheeses and condiments, which features authentic flavors from cultures around the world. Operators can use these products to explore comfort foods on restaurant menus in new ways that are exciting yet also familiar for guests.
“One of my favorite ways to create an international dish is to make a chicken salad using Boar’s Head Bold® Madrasala® Curry Chicken Breast,” says Hawk. “Another is using Boar’s Head Bold® Ichiban Teriyaki® Style Chicken Breast in a stir fry or shredded into a broth with ramen and fresh vegetables. These are great ways to add flavor to a dish while offering the convenience of a ready-to-eat item.”
In addition, Hawk suggests using Boar’s Head Bold® Chipotle Chicken Breast as a signature taco filling and mixing Boar’s Head Bold® PitCraft® Slow Smoked Turkey Breast into mac and cheese.
Offering lively, varied global flavors like Boar’s Head® delicatessen meats, cheeses and condiments is a must for engaging today’s food-savvy customers, particularly Gen Z patrons who have grown up with a greater exposure to ethnic cuisines than preceding generations.
To put the vibrant flavors of Boar’s Head® premium cheeses into play, top a French dip sandwich with Boar’s Head Bold® Horseradish Cheddar Cheese or serve a bowl of hot chili with shredded Boar’s Head Bold® 3 Pepper Colby Jack® Cheese. “These items share all of the emotions of comfort food while creating a whole new experience for guests,” Hawk says.
Another way to combine novelty and comfort is to highlight Boar’s Head® Hummus as a protein option, mayonnaise substitute on sandwiches, or novel dessert ingredient. An example of the latter is Pumpkin Pie Dessert Hummus Cookie Tarts, which feature the rich taste of Boar’s Head FallSpice® Pumpkin Pie Dessert Hummus. “It’s a great way to increase protein while indulging at the same time,” says Hawk.
Lessening labor
Boar’s Head® delicatessen meats, cheeses and condiments are labor savers, critical at a time when rising costs are squeezing restaurant margins. Building the menu with Boar’s Head Bold® meats, all of which are fully cooked and ready to use, lessens the high labor outlays and consistency issues of cooking proteins from scratch. Whole-muscle meats can be sliced, diced, cubed, chopped, pulled, shredded, or cut into medallions to fit virtually any recipe.
This versatility inspires innovative takes on time-honored recipes. “For example, we are taking our whole-muscle proteins and shredding them for use in pasta, tacos, pizzas, mac and cheese, and many more comfort foods,” says Hawk. “We have even tested using a box grater on pastrami to create new textures.”
“Comfort foods tend to be easier to execute, making labor challenges a little easier when it comes to finding highly technical cooks,” says Hawk. “Ingredients typically are much more straightforward, which impacts inventory management in a positive way.”
The business case
Still another selling point for comfort foods on restaurant menus is the way they fit shorter menus and simpler recipes, which help operators cope with the ongoing labor shortage and supply chain disruptions.
“There is less room for risk on a limited menu, so you need items that are consumer favorites,” says Hawk. “This screams comfort food and the trend of smaller menus absolutely plays right into this trend.”
The ultimate payoff for operators is in dollars and cents. “By putting their own spin on comfort foods, chefs can create vintage dishes that are good for margins,” says Hawk.
At a time of economic challenges and stiff competition, the appeal of comfort foods on restaurant menus is a powerful tool for menu makers. For more ideas about creating signature comfort food recipes with flavorful Boar’s Head® products, visit https://www.boarsheadfoodservice.com.
