Chef Insights

Discover New Hot Trends

Main Auction Services would like to continue our discovery of new and hot food options for your restaurant, bar, café, or institution. Considerations with Hot & Trendy Foods are put forth in 10 Hot Tips by the Publishers of a new book “Best Chefs America”. Research in this book has included interviews with over 5,000 chefs across the country asking questions about likes dislikes, chefs choices, family cuisine, and what types of cuisine and food types & trends are they noticing in the US.

The directory of these interviews have made some bold industry statements and pointed out some clear food trends you may need to consider before you purchase new restaurant equipment for your location.  Did you know that our staff can assist you with planning for new and unique items to serve in your location? 

Main Auction Services in Dallas and Houston has over 35 years in the Culinary Industry and is eager to assist you with planning for your future equipment needs over time, as well as making sure you purchase the restaurant equipment you need to purchase right now.

Main Auction Services can assist you with any number of types of kitchen equipment that can facilitate food preparation of these new trends for your restaurant. Salad bars, Mini Dessert Bars, Line Salad Bars, Wine Bars, Chef Stations, Mobile Kiosk Stations, and any other equipment configurations that will work for your new cuisine in your current location.

Remember, now that summer is in full swing, and as temperatures rise, customers are looking for something cool, refreshing and light.  If your restaurant offers a light, fresh menu it is very likely that you will see orders spike as temperatures continue to rise, according to the latest data from GrubHub.* If you don’t have such items yet on the menu or the food prep areas to prepare said items, then you need to read and consider the information in this article. Fresh ideas equate to fresh cuisine and increased market share sales.

Does Heat Make A Difference In What You Should Serve?

“The seasonality of ingredients plays into menus across the country, so we were interested to see if temperature affected takeout orders in a similar fashion,” Mike Evans, GrubHub co-founder and chief operating officer, said in a statement. “Our findings suggest a definite relationship between temperature and food choice.”

Conclusions that may be reached from this data include restaurants serving low-carb menu options as possible reasons for the  biggest spike in orders as temperatures increased. Reports from GrubHub found that diners are 6 percent to 7 percent more likely to order from restaurants featuring those types of menu items in warmer weather than they are in colder weather. In addition, these  diners are 4 percent to 5 percent more likely to order from restaurants serving salads, healthful options and Italian cuisine as temperatures rise. Finally, diners are 3 percent to 4 percent more likely to order from restaurants serving low-fat options and 2 percent to 3 percent more likely to order from restaurants serving seafood. This is great news as we proceed into the hottest part of the season, especially here in Texas.

Let's break down menu offerings which were reported to have these increase in sales:

• Low Fat
• Low Carb
• Gluten free
• Fresh Fruit
• Cold Soups
• Fresh Cold Beverages
• Fresh Vegetables

Grub Hub Reports identified wraps, salads, vegan options and sushi also received higher numbers of orders during warm months, and specific cuisines like Chinese, Thai, and Indian are more popular in colder months. Customers placing orders at most restaurants serving sandwiches, sushi, dessert, vegetarian, and Mediterranean can be considered popular throughout the year regardless of temperature.

Culinary Trends From Best Chefs America Interviews

1. Local / Farm to Table – Use local ingredients if you can. Most chefs respected by peers have adopted a farm to table ingredients perspective. Some restaurants have their own farms or support local communities.

2. Sustainable – Environmental concerns have made it into the minds of consumers who are now asking if foods sold were grown or raised in a way that has minimal impact on the environment.  Even McDonald’s now has and “eco label” for the sustainable fish they serve. What will work for you?

3. Sous Vide - Vacuum-sealing ingredients in a bag, either to cook slowly and gently or for other applications, such as compressing fruit or quickly infusing proteins with flavor is something that has become in the top-of-mind with many chefs. These flavor enhancing techniques  enable unique preparation of appetizers, entrée’s and desserts alike.

4. Food Trucks – Would you consider an inexpensive way to get into the foodservice business? A very literal marketing vehicle or a tool for catering, chefs see food trucks as an enduring part of the dining landscape. Popularity in vital shopping and nite club areas as well as sports and local community events enhances your brand and can create excitement about new products you offer in the location you advertise.

5. Heirloom Vegetables – If you go look at the newsstand in your current grocery store you will find big bold beautiful photos of heirloom veggies for appetizers, main meals and yes even desserts. People love to hear the stories behind their food, and if a vegetable was sprouted from the seeds that someone’s grandmother stored in the attic or is part of an obscure planting from a remote hill in Umbria, ambiance is just as much a part of the vegetable as the  romance of enjoying it in your favorite place to go eat.

6. Charcuterie – Do you enjoy cold cuts? Chefs say the appeal of cold cuts remains on track as more chefs cure their own meats and the supply of excellent domestic and imported products expands. Education, technique, and quality products can enhance preparation of a variety of key products you may create specific signature dishes around. The addition of an appetizer, main entrée, and item for your wine a cheese bar might just be the boost you need this summer  and fall as patios support local community and family events.

7. Radishes – Do you like radishes? Have you ever had them in anything except a salad? Fresh, brite and fully involved tastes are appealing to those looking for bold flavors that aren’t intimidating.  In fact, the new varieties and colors enhance much much more than salads with flavors and  have been a surprise breakout vegetable across the nation.

8. Micro-Greens – Looking for a special salad or great way to serve a new style strawberry chicken salad or fish entrée? Many new up and coming Chefs across the country say micro-greens have enduring appeal since they're small and delicate, yet flavorful, and an easy way to add freshness cues to a dish, but won’t overpower the flavors of your other ingredients.

9. Local Honey – Besides the medicinal properties for allergies, delicious, distinctive, and increasingly available as more and more hospitality venues in institutional settings like hotels,  have begun to keep their own bees, or using local honey. Chefs everywhere are using this popular sweetner in salad dressings, for veggies, and in a variety of pastry creations.

10. Restaurant Gardens – Farm to table meets food co-op. The trend across the nation for chefs or staff to have herb farms, grow special produce and vegetables to support menu items seasonally is one sure way to cut the cost of keeping your profits high.

“The seasonality of ingredients plays into menus across the country, so we were interested to see if temperature affected takeout orders in a similar fashion,” Mike Evans, GrubHub co-founder and chief operating officer, said in a statement. “Our findings suggest a definite relationship between temperature and food choice.”

Main Auction Services is expanding to meet the needs of the Culinary base here in the Dallas Ft. Worth area. With locations in Dallas and Houston, we are here to serve your needs year round with securing the restaurant equipment you need for your business. Looking to increase your revenues? Or maybe you need help with food sourcing and planning? More important, maybe you need to consult with an expert who can help you grow your business…Main Auction Services is here to help. Call us today. Take advantage of the expertise we offer in the food service industry.

Did you realize that Main Auction has 2 locations in Texas?  1718 West Main Street • Grand Prairie, Texas 75050 • 972-642-0513 and 12922 Hempstead Hwy • Houston, Texas 77040 • 713-690-1231.

Don't forget Main Auction Services has over 35 years of experience in the Food Service Industry. Our qualified staff is always willing to help you increase your top line revenues. Give us a call to find out more right now!

*GrubHub is available in more than 500 cities in the U.S. and features more than 20,000 online ordering restaurants.

Looking for Used Restaurant Equipment?

Call us here at Main Auction Services, together we can find options to secure your business for the future…

Dallas: 972-642-0513  &  972-579-4612 (Irving) and Houston: 713-690-1231