Great minds think alike. That was proven when Dot’s culinary experts shared their favorite trends to hit U.S. menus this year. Without planning it, each of them named trends centered around a theme: global flavors.
At Dot, we not only keep up with the trends but work with foodservice restaurants and operators to strategize easy, cost-effective ways to implement them. As we share our favorite ingredients and dishes from around the world, we’ll also provide our recommendations for incorporating them into menus.
Tikka Masala
Corporate Chef Tim Gump
Chef Tim has been singing the praises of Indian food for years and its untapped potential to enliven menus at a wide range of restaurants. But he’s found that some concepts are stuck on one thing: they don’t serve Indian cuisine.
At a time of heavy cuisine crossover, he advocates for accounts to embrace global flavors. Tikka masala, a more familiar and approachable Indian classic, is a great place to start. Pizza sauce, spread for burgers or chicken sandwiches, dip for bread—the spiced tomato sauce is good for just about anything. And best of all, in Chef Tim’s words, “the flavor is so fun.”
Cilbir
Nevin Irvin, National Account Manager
If you haven’t heard of cilbir (or Turkish eggs), you will soon. According to Datassential, the item has grown 200% in the past four years on U.S. menus. And it’s not hard to understand why.
This dish of garlicky greek yogurt, poached eggs, and chili-infused oil “offers notes of heat and acid with the savory comfort of eggs,” according to Irvin. It may sound exotic, but cilbir is an easy menu addition, requiring just a few ingredients and simple prep. Irvin recommends drizzling chili crisp on top of the eggs to incorporate some extra crunch and capitalize on its growing popularity.
Korean Food
Marisa Vieira, Savor Imports Zone Manager
One of the big culinary stories of recent years has been the rise of Korean food in the U.S., from Korean BBQ to Korean fried chicken. But Vieira thinks there is still room to add K-flavors to comfort foods.
“Combining a familiar dish with a possibly not-so-familiar flavor helps bridge the gap and piques the consumer’s interest,” she says. At Savor, they like to mix their kimchi spice blend with mayonnaise to create a base for a Korean kimchi coleslaw, perfect for a pulled pork sandwich. Korean BBQ plus pizza, gochujang plus mac and cheese, bulgogi plus burgers—Korean ingredients plus comfort food equals success.
Your Sourcing Solution
Sourcing can be an obstacle when it comes to experimenting with global flavors and new trends. But the exact ingredient you’re looking for and new discoveries may be easier to find than you think.
“The secret? Ask for it!” says Chef Tim. “You may not know it is available.” With more than 123,000 products from 1,500 suppliers, Dot Foods has products that span across countries, trends, and menu needs, including quality global imports from Savor. New trends are always available on our website.
Discover more trends. Our Trending page is updated every month on our website.