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Flavor & The Menu

Flavor trends, strategies and solutions for menu development Flavor & The Menu is published in print six times a year, including an annual Top Ten Trends issue.

Flavor & The Menu provides flavor and menu trends, strategies and solutions for food & beverage menu developers. Getflavor.com

01/07/2025

State of the Plate: Nashville hot is h-o-t-t-o-g-o 🔥 🎶

A scorned lover is said to have spurred the Nashville hot trend, which, nearly a century later, continues to find fresh flavor play. Chicken sandwiches are still the most ubiquitous rendition, but brands are experimenting across formats and dayparts.

In short, Nashville hot isn't cooling down—if anything, it's heating up.

Get the latest: https://www.getflavor.com/state-of-the-plate-nashville-hot-to-go/

27/06/2025

Quesadilla's time to shine 🤩

After the wildly successful 12-year run of the Quesadilla Burger, PINCHO flipped the script on its May LTO, introducing the new Smashdilla, which showcases burger flavors in a quesadilla format.

“We stepped back from those Mexican-forward flavors and focused more on a traditional burger flavor with a traditional quesadilla experience. We added pickles and green onions to pair with a double smash patty and voila, the Smashdilla was born,” Adrian Sanchez, director or culinary, recounts. Despite the high bar, the Smashdilla surpassed the Quesadilla Burger’s sales—“not to mention it was a lot of fun shooting videos of its ooey-gooey cheesiness,” he adds.

Get more: https://www.getflavor.com/quesadillas-time-to-shine/

26/06/2025

In April, quick-service chain Krystal launched an LTO lineup of mainstream waffle sandwiches, delivering a new guest experience that complements its existing steamed bun and buttermilk biscuit breakfast sandwich offerings.

🧇 Bacon, Egg & Cheese Waffle Sandwich
🧇 Sausage, Egg & Cheese Waffle Sandwich
🧇 Maple Waffle Chik Sandwich: crispy chicken patty drizzled with sweet glaze

The Takeaway: Innovation doesn’t have to be an entire flavor reset; it can be a simple switch-up, as evidenced by Krystal’s latest waffle-centric offerings, which merge value, convenience and craveable comfort.

To capitalize on waffle mania and contrasting textures, use waffles as distinct carriers that give beloved classics—or trending sandwiches—a new attitude.

https://www.getflavor.com/step-into-the-savory-side-of-waffles/

12/06/2025

A scoop on ice cream trends 🍦

Two years ago, ice cream consumption hit a record low, but that decline has only incited operators to up their game. New trends include mash-ups with baked goods, global infusions and even unexpectedly savory renditions (think: potato skins ice cream popsicles).

Indeed, few ingredients are off the table as we move into primetime for ice cream. Get the details: https://www.getflavor.com/state-of-the-plate-a-scoop-on-ice-cream-trends/

11/06/2025

When Lisa Feldman, senior director of culinary at Sodexo, first tasted Dan Dan Noodles as a kid at her best friend Jen Haupt’s house, she had no idea it would spark a full-circle culinary moment decades later.

Inspired by sponsor products for Kitchen Collaborative 2025, Feldman created a globally influenced take on the dish selected by Barilla for Professionals that was aptly finished and photographed in Jen’s kitchen, and named JenJen Ziti in her honor.

Read on: https://www.getflavor.com/kc-flavor-champion-lisa-feldman/

10/06/2025

As one of the most recognizable and beloved dishes, pizza offers an approachable platform for boundary-pushing trends. 🍕

From viral ingredients like tinned fish to pickles to crust mash-ups, these five opportunities prove that pizza plays well with all styles and flavors: https://www.getflavor.com/why-pizza-is-the-ultimate-trend-carrier/

28/05/2025

Sending smoky signals 🔥

Dovetailing with the increased attention to charring is the alluring byproduct: smoke. Whether naturally occurring from the actual charring process or via an added smoky ingredient (like smoked paprika), the interplay is what makes this flavor system so irresistible.

The succulent synergy between charred and smoky flavors is on full display at 82 Acres, where charred cabbage is paired with smoked onion purée and charred fondue.

Read on: https://www.getflavor.com/charred-to-perfection/

27/05/2025

Saffron Takes the Cake 🍰

Beyond its established role in savory dishes, saffron can play nicely on the sweet side of the menu. With its delicate fragrance, gorgeous hue and floral tone, saffron works well as a swirl through panna cotta or ice cream, or a final flourish in a chocolate dessert.

Saffron-infused pastry cream in donuts or churros promises differentiation and leans into the hi-lo trend. Haraz Coffee House, a Middle Eastern bakery based in Dearborn, Mich., demonstrates the magic behind a saffron and rose pairing in its Saffron-Rose Milk Cake.

See more saffron menu applications: https://www.getflavor.com/flavors-on-the-edge-saffron-slide-3/

26/05/2025

Recipe of the Day: Tomato Leaf Pesto, California Burrata & Roasted Tomato Toast 🍅

Chris Aquilino, senior director of enterprise culinary for Elior North America and owner/chief culinary officer of Chef Aquilino Consulting, considers himself “extremely fortunate” to be presented with many types of California cheeses for this recipe ideation project, ultimately settling on burrata as “a fantastic ingredient to use in a creative approach to a dish,” he says.

The Tomato Leaf Pesto, California Burrata and Roasted Tomato Toast makes the rich, buttery cheese the star in a new way that leverages the enduring popularity of toasts, a category that Aquilino feels has not yet peaked, despite its ease of prep, the mix of textures and the sheer enjoyment of the flavor experience.

Get the full recipe: https://www.getflavor.com/kitchen-collaborative-chris-aquilino/

25/05/2025

Green goddess dressing is taking over TikTok—but it’s more than just a pretty green salad. 🍃

With fresh herbs, zesty lemon, and a creamy kick, it’s the secret to viral-worthy meals (and pizza dips 👀).

Get the details: https://www.getflavor.com/5-viral-salads-that-slap/

23/05/2025

sweetgreen may be known for its wholesome salads and bowls, but the fast-casual titan also puts craveable flavors front and center through chef collabs and constant innovation. 🥗

We sat down with Mark Wynsma, R&D chef at Sweetgreen, for a deep dive into the brand's bold moves and how it brings signature dishes to market.

Get the details: https://www.getflavor.com/flavor-trailblazer-mark-wynsma/

22/05/2025

Since its debut in 2020, Kitchen Collaborative has been an exhilarating celebration of flavor innovation, and its all-new 2025 iteration—injecting a competitive element—has raised the culinary bar to new heights. Chefs submitted more than 500 wildly creative menu concepts, and now, the time has come for the big reveal of the dozen dishes deemed the best of the best!

Please join Flavor & The Menu, Summit F&B and our 2025 sponsors in congratulating these 12 talented chefs for their boundary-pushing, flavor-forward dishes ✨

https://www.getflavor.com/all-hail-the-flavor-champions/

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About Us

For nearly 20 years, Flavor & The Menu has looked at the industry through the lens of flavor. It has been the trusted source for flavor trends and innovation for food & beverage menu developers in all market segments. Flavor & The Menu remains keenly relevant, providing readers with ideas and inspiration to elevate their menus for success among consumers of today and tomorrow.

In print as a magazine six times a year, Flavor & The Menu positions flavor as the strategic point of differentiation and growth for foodservice operators. Our audience represents the growth of the foodservice industry—those innovators having the most impact on the majority of menus nationwide.

We don’t just cover the “what” in food and beverage trends—we dig deep to understand the “why,” providing the tools and information to drive both culinary intellect and innovation in the foodservice market, all the while igniting the passion for flavor among our readership.

PHOTO: Aussie Grill’s Crispy Sriracha Chicken Sandwich with spicy honey Sriracha, aïoli sauce, lettuce, tomato and housemade pickles. (Read about this build in our 2020 Best of Flavor issue.)