Global Dishes Can Be Easy with Cafe H
The good news is that you don’t have to rely on a pantry full of rare, imported ingredients to satisfy guests’ craving for global cuisine. Just one prepared element can be the anchor to your recipes as your menu voyages around the world.
Since most dishes have a protein, that is a great place to start. And just because certain flavors are culturally specific doesn’t mean they’re limiting. With a little creativity, you can use them beyond their traditional dishes.
Chicken Tikka Masala
553576 – 2/5 lb.
An Indian staple, this chicken thigh meat marinated in a creamy tomato sauce and features classic flavors from the country: turmeric, garam masala and ginger along with paprika and garlic.
Menu Ideas
Chicken Tikka Masala Flatbread
Tikka Poutine
Pork Carnitas
553438 – 6/5 lb. avg.
The name of this Latin American ingredient translates to “little meats,” but the taste can make a big impression. Pork or chicken is marinated with garlic and citrus flavors, and slow cooked for tenderness.
Menu Ideas
Breakfast Chilaquiles
Pork Carnitas Nachos
Beef Barbacoa
553255 – 4/5 lb. avg.
You can find barbacoa at tables all across Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean. Trimmed pork or beef is slow-cooked for hours and seasoned with garlic, chilies and other spices.
Menu Ideas
Barbacoa Banh Mi
Barbacoa Stacked Tostadas
Industry Insight
Whatever cuisine fits best with a particular restaurant, operators are taking notice of the global trend. More than one-third of operators are planning to add more globally influenced foods to their menus in the next year, Datassential said, and nearly one-quarter added more in the last year.
The overwhelming reason operators are going global? To add variety to their menus.
