Deep fried and delicious

Time to put some fried chicken on your menu? Globally, this dish is going to grow by 5.3% in the next four years, according to ReportLinker research. Use both wing and thigh in these ideas below.

Korean

Double fry technique with umami flavours and a sweet sauce.

Peri Peri

Add this chilli paste to season and/ or marinate your chicken.

Lemon Pepper

Add grated zest to the butter as well as in the seasoning.

US-style

Try adding cornmeal to your breadcrumb mixture. And for an American twist on the chip butty, how about a fried chicken butty?

Planting a seed

Could seeds be the new nuts? Although nuts get a lot of good press with their high protein and antioxidant value, they are expensive and not always sustainably produced.

Seeds are a chef’s new secret weapon that adds crunch and kudos to dishes. A little goes a long way and helps premiumise presentation, which increases profit margin too. Sunflower seeds are high in protein and add a flash of green to the plate, while linseed, flax and chia seeds are packed with omega-3 fatty acids and fibre.

Sprinkle a seed mix on green salad or as a garnish on vegetarian dishes. Serve snacking bags of seeds and dried fruit alongside nuts and crisps.

“5.3% globally fried chicken is going to grow 5.3% over the next four years. ”

- ReportLinker

“Seeds have long been used in assorted superfood salads, but they have wider untapped potential both on menus and in snacking. Indeed, we expect healthier snacks in pubs to gain greater traction.”

- Steve Gotham, Unilever CMI Manager

Get into Pickles

Gut health is a growing trend, according to Bupa UK. <iso kimchi and probiotic (all biotic-rich fermented foods) are good for the gut (and tasty).

Fermented food often has a strong flavour, so they work well in dishes or as a garnish. Make pickles from scratch and they’re relatively cheap to produce.

Get it on the menu:

Pickled veg brings a zing to the plate, adds colour, and is a simple way to elevate a dish. Sour flavours are becoming more popular as a result of this trend according to Waitrose, so squeeze an extra bit of lime into that dressing or try quick-marinating meat in vinegar to tickle sour tastebuds.

Teriyaki sauce

This is one of the most versatile and easy to use fermented foods.

“We have fallen in love with spice so offering foods that add a kick to your dishes makes sense. For instance, using a good teriyaki sauce can transform the taste of any meat or vegetable dish especially if the meat is marinated in teriyaki for a few hours then cooked.”

- Bing-yu Lee, European Manager at Kikkoman

Ever heard of a climatarian?

Everyone knows about the traffic light labelling system that demonstrates how healthy (or unhealthy) food is. Now carbon footprint labelling is following in its wake. Did you know it’s possible to add a climate rating to your menus: from high to medium or low.

According to the Carbon Trust (2020), 67% of UK consumers support carbon labelling on products. This helps them make informed choices and demonstrates your responsibility too.

Carbon-proof your menu

Free tools such as Myemissions.green will calculate your menu’s carbon footprint. Otherwise, use your social channels or menus to tell customers about the simple carbon- reduction actions you’re taking (such as recycling or reducing energy consumption and waste). Contact your local council for support or join the Sustainable Restaurant Association’s Food Made Good (foodmadegood.org) community to get accredited.