Are you serving flexitarians?

by Melissa Abbott — Director, Culinary Insights, The Hartman Group, Inc

After a decade of intense meat worship, chefs are procuring, preparing and serving vegetables with the same love and attention they previously reserved for…

Turning the mundane into the memorable

by Don Fox — CEO, Firehouse of America

Most consumers treat themselves to dining occasions across the entire spectrum of restaurant segments. Within everyone's lives, there are occasions that are…

Is “Jane Q Diner” responsible or is the counter person?

by Betsy Craig — pres, menutrinfo.com

Recently I had the pleasure and challenge of doing what I would call a “mystery dine” on a concept near the town where I live. This desire to go play Food PD…

Transparency is the Key to Successful Menu Labeling

by Betsy Craig — pres, menutrinfo.com

My NRA show experience started out with a session on Menu Labeling first thing Saturday morning and was a perfect way for me to begin this amazing conference.

Where have all the super fruits gone?

by Suzy Badaracco — President, Culinary Tides Inc

There are countless TV shows investigating what happened to former child stars and …Where Are They Now! They go something like this;

Hot gluten free mess of new products

by Betsy Craig — pres, menutrinfo.com

WestEx was a hot gluten-free mess of new products everywhere you turned.  

Make the connection to better food cost

As an industry, we are facing the continuous rise of commodities that adversely affect our businesses. The rising price in grains and feed affect the price of…

10 popular gluten-free menu ideas

by Betsy Craig — pres, menutrinfo.com

For restaurateurs who have decided to offer any sort of gluten-free menu items, the path can be a rough one that will end up creating a win-win situation for…

Trendy cake pops find their way into Starbucks

by Darrel Suderman — President, Food Technical Consulting

What is the latest food innovation at Starbucks?

Why Parents Love Menu Labeling

by Betsy Craig — pres, menutrinfo.com

Why Parents Love Menu Labeling

Tiki, sangria, kombucha oh my!

by Suzy Badaracco — President, Culinary Tides Inc

Winter is to spring as the economic crisis is to the recovery. And thank goodness spring is finally here.

Raw explained: Tips and tricks for offering raw dishes on your menu

by Betsy Craig — pres, menutrinfo.com

So what do you feed diners who request a raw meal?

Gluten-free is not so free for restaurants

by Betsy Craig — pres, menutrinfo.com

In the beginning of March, I had the pleasure of attending a hospitality trade show for both hotels and restaurants in Ocean City, Maryland. It was an…

Breakfast: The most innovative meal of the day

by Betsy Craig — pres, menutrinfo.com

You’ve heard it from your mother a thousand times: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  But did you know that as of late, it’s also been the most…

Innovation in the name of charity

by Darrel Suderman — President, Food Technical Consulting

What do the Love Kitchen, Panera Bread, and Cafe 180 all have in common? They provide affordable food to those who can’t regularly pay full price for a meal.

A trend is more than one

by Betsy Craig — pres, menutrinfo.com

For the last few months I have read over and over that menu labeling does not have an effect on ordering or calorie reduction. These articles have all been…

Hold the salt: 5 quick tips for serving low sodium menu items

by Betsy Craig — pres, menutrinfo.com

Cutting out the salt to make dishes healthier is no new concept; however, cooking without the salt can be a challenging and daunting task. That’s why we…

Keep your customers out of the ER For dessert

by Betsy Craig — pres, menutrinfo.com

Does it seem to anyone else that almost out of nowhere, all of a sudden, people are expressing food allergies in amazing numbers? 

Be allergy aware: A quick guide to the most common food allergies

by Betsy Craig — pres, menutrinfo.com

Eight foods are responsible for 90% of food allergic reactions. I've assembled this guide to help you (and your kitchen) be on the lookout for a food allergy.

Create low calorie dishes with these 12 tips

by Betsy Craig — pres, menutrinfo.com

As we continue into 2011 there seems to be a stronger theme of healthy eating. Is all the attention being stirred up by Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign?