Chef Chatter
Chef Chatter: Why you can't ignore the plant-forward movement
Committing to at least a partially plant-based menu is a win-win for fast casuals and customers.
November 29, 2018
Editor's note: Chef Chatter is a series featuring chefs-authored blogs. If you'd like to write a Chef Chatter blog, send your idea to editor@fastcasual.com. Click here for the previous installment.
By Jorge Cespedes, Corporate Chef for Bush's Best Foodservice
With a growing number of people looking to eat more plant-based food, foodservice establishments across the country, including those in the fast casual segment, have taken steps to increase their vegan and vegetarian options in recent years.
"Plant-forward" is a term used to emphasize and celebrate a wide range of plant-based foods, including fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans and other legumes, nuts and seeds, plant oils, and herbs and spices. 
Vegetables are becoming the darlings of the plate, as many chefs feature them front and center going as far as using "meat preparation" methods like roasting to give them more robust flavor. Meat alternatives, plant proteins and sustainable cuisine are becoming popular while emerging flavors include fermentation, root-to-stem cooking and pseudo-meat. Vegetables moving front and center is called out as one of the top three trends currently driving menu innovation.
But the idea of being plant-forward is not necessarily new. Health, sustainability and globally inspired flavors have been important to many people for decades. A majority of cultures around the world include protein-packed ingredients — like beans — as a staple part of their diets and have for generations. As global flavors trend from one side of the world to another, chefs can use meat alternatives and veggies as the main flavor carrier to introduce customers to new and exciting ethnic ingredients.
I was born and raised in San Jose, Costa Rica, and plant-based dishes are a big part of our diets. We eat Gallo Pinto (a mixture of black beans and rice with lots of seasonings) every day and for nearly every meal. When those two items come together, you create a healthy way to lead a vegetarian or plant-based life.
When you reach deep into our cultural-historical pockets and see how people used to eat, this was the main strategy — plant-based with some bits and pieces of animal protein for flavor. Fast Casual operators can incorporate this methodology by thinking of the cultural background of the dish at hand, followed by the main flavors they want to showcase. For example, one of the most basic dishes of the Spanish culture is garbanzos con chorizo. This is a dish where the chorizo's only purpose is to flavor the dish, yet the main attraction is the garbanzos plus vegetables.
Today's more receptive palates are open to more worldly flavors, and global cuisines provide the sense of adventure and experimentation consumers seek, while also addressing the topic of conscious consumption. Consumers are looking to minimize waste and protect their health with clean ingredients and foods without gluten, dairy, meat, artificial ingredients, sugars, GMOs, trans fats and more.
Seeking healthier options is becoming the norm for a lot of diners — and though better-for-you foods isn't a new trend — the way they're being menued is definitely changing. New products, innovative recipes and repurposed ingredients are all part of the changing landscape of healthier foods.
There's one thing as a chef that I can't ignore, and that's flavor. Fast casuals can sometimes have menu limitations due to size and equipment in the kitchen or the level of staff training, but simplicity can be an operator's greatest friend when choosing the right ingredients. It's fun to play around with lots of new and exciting products, but we have to remember that the end goal is to make food that tastes delicious whether we are serving vegetarian, vegan or an animal protein menu item.
Committing to at least a partially plant-based menu is a win-win to encourage more healthful eating and implement solutions to feed future generations. There is no doubt that plant-forward is the answer. The more we know, the better we become at it.
Jorge Cespedes is the corporate chef for Bush's Best Foodservice. Jorge got his Culinary Arts degree from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. Jorge is on a constant search for the ultimate flavor, the ultimate experience and the right words to describe it, and has had the opportunity to travel the world searching for the origins of these flavors and experiences. With a Business in Marketing degree from Universidad Latina in San Jose, Costa Rica; Jorge has the capability to understand the marketing side of the industry and is able to apply that knowledge to each idea he develops.
Cover photo: iStock
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