FSR May 2023

First Course

to bring them to life. Below are the first four; head to FSRmagazine.com to check out the rest. 1. Irresistible Vegetables Most commonly thought of as side dishes, vegetables are taking cen ter stage as decadent, indulgent plant-based dishes at the center of the plate—without sacrificing on fla vor. Some veggies rising to the top are mushrooms, eggplants, parsnips, car rots, sweet potatoes, and beetroots. “Desserts are often associated with rich flavors such as butter, sugar, and cream. You can replace part of them with veg etables, especially root vegetables,” says Maurits van Vroenhoven, brand development lead chef for UFS in the Netherlands. 2. Modernized Comfort Food Timeless meals, like a classic tortellini pasta dish, can be modernized with a fresh spin. Chef Giuseppe Buscic chio, UFS executive lead chef for Italy, revised his pasta dough recipe for his Vegetable Charcoal and Saffron Tortel lini by using ready-to-use ingredients to mimic the color of river stones, filled with a hearty, slow-cooked beef osso bucco with mortadella Bolognese. 3. Low-waste Menus Making clever use of ingredients to help reduce food waste (as well as costs) is in everyone’s best interest. Low-waste menus use techniques that have been around for centuries, like fermenting, pickling, and curing, which not only extend the life of ingredients, but also create complex, umami flavors. 4. Wild and Pure Edible flowers, wild berries, seaweed, truffles, and wild mushrooms are a few examples of the top foraged ingre dients chefs are using to create tasty and sustainable dishes. Using locally sourced ingredients not only helps reduce the carbon footprint in food production, but also helps diners to feel a sense of connection to their home environment.

DESPITE INFLATION AND MARKET CONCERNS, tipping culture isn’t going anywhere. Toast data shows restaurant guests are still tipping generously, with tips at full service establishments averaging 19.6 percent in the fourth quarter. The state of Delaware had the highest average tip percentage of 21.8 percent at restau rants using the Toast platform in Q4. Hot Tip

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FSRMAGAZINE.COM

MAY 2023