In 17^th century New York the island of Manhattan was covered with oyster beds and the salty shellfish was enjoyed by rich and poor alike, and by the 19^th century oysters could be enjoyed from the street carts of the city, in saloons, or in elegant dining establishments on the island—scalloped oysters, fried oysters, oysters dipped in butter, pan roasted oysters, and even oyster stew.  Shards of shells could be found gleaming from the streets, and the calcium-rich shells fertilized gardens across the city.  Although the love affair with oysters waned considerably after the 1800s, they are making a strong comeback and harvests along the east and west coasts have been growing steadily since 2006.

Raw oysters are all the rage. Photo Credit: Giuseppes Ferratore

Where oysters were once relegated to fine dining menus, or maybe at a few casual independent restaurants, lately the oyster bar concept has been thriving.  Again we find young diners setting the trend, using food as a means to impress, and oysters seem to be the perfect fit for the adventuresome twenty-somethings.  For restaurants and bars alike, raw oysters are seen as a “loss leader,” an inexpensive lure to drive alcohol sales.

And let’s face it; if you know nothing else about oysters, you probably know that they are an excellent accompaniment to alcohol.  Pair with luxurious champagne, with an ice cold beer, with an elegant glass of wine.  Or be really adventurous and try your oysters with a dirty martini or a gin gimlet—Americans, after all, pioneered the pairing of spirits with their oysters.  And experts say that if you really want to experience a match made in heaven, try the bivalve with a side of absinthe (now legal again in many US states)—the briny oysters pair extraordinarily well with the soft fennel and mint flavors of the liqueur.  Some bars even serve many varieties of absinthe for pairing with many varieties of oysters.

Chefs show their artisanal talents with their oyster creations. Photo credit: Sharon Ang

Raw oysters seem to be all the rage, but cooking them gives chefs a place to showcase their artisanal talents.  For example, Melissa Kelly, chef at Primo in Rockland, Maine, “offers Oysters Three Ways:  raw with Prosecco mignonette, roasted with marrow butter and garlic chips, and fried with scallion aioli” according to NRN in Survey: Oysters becoming more popular among younger consumers.  Some establishments serve them with just a simple cocktail sauce, some with kimchee, some grilled with garlic butter.  There are myriad ways to prepare this single food item, and chefs are cashing in on their creativity.

And then there are the connoisseurs of all things oyster—those masters who can taste the subtle distinctions between the waters in which they were cultivated, who talk about things like hints of melon, cucumber, and finish.  Like locally sourced foods, knowing the origin of your oyster is a talking point, and a point of connection between the provider and the consumer.  Simply being an east coast oyster or a west coast oyster is no longer enough; customers now want to know about the oyster farm, about the owner, about the conditions in which the oysters were raised.

Oysters must be eaten alive or cooked alive.  If the shell is open and stays open even after being provoked by a tap or a poke, toss the bivalve out.  Also, if a shell doesn’t open after cooking it also should be tossed.  Oysters with shell damage should not be consumed.  There are some experts who believe oysters are safe even if they don’t open after cooking, but a strong word of caution:  just don’t do it.  Eating a bad oyster can leave you feeling lousy, if not very sick.

Whether you think of oysters as innovative, as adventurous, as elegant, or as something you would never ever in a million years sink your teeth into, the fact is that the trend seems to be in it for the long haul.  As a low-cost loss leader to drive traffic or as a delicate entrée at your favorite posh restaurant, the oyster continues to gain in popularity with no indication of slowing down.  Have you tried oysters?  How were they prepared?  Will you eat them again?  We’d love to know your experience!

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This change has had strong effects on the foodservice industry, as operators are burdened with the task of keeping up with the wants and needs of their consumers in order to maintain their business and thus put money in their banks and keep their restaurants operational.  Below are just a few of the things operations need to keep in mind when exploring different options within the industry.

Healthier Foods Equal Changes in Equipment

As society demands healthier food that tastes better, gone are the days of fryers and steam lines, especially in hospitals and schools.  This is good news for students and hospital-stayers as, following this equipment out the door are the mushy foods we usually associate with our school days.  Be prepared to see heated shelves in the kitchens, and with them, roasted and grilled foods that are much more appealing to the consumer.  Also expect to find more intense flavors as kitchens are utilizing more marinating equipment or smokers as a means to add flavor without taking away from the value of the food.

Locally Grown and Raised

Fresh vs frozen.  Local vs imported.  Whole vs processed.  More and more often, consumers are insisting on fresh, whole, local foods and this demand requires changes to how food is handled in the back-of-the-house.  Larger cooler spaces but less freezer space for storing the onslaught of fresh produce while cutting back on the need to store frozen commodities.  Labor costs may change as operators need to wash and trim produce before cutting and chopping, since locally grown food will generally come as-cut from the farm.  Chefs will need to be creative and flexible when designing their menus, accommodating what is in season or a food item that may not be considered “mainstream,” such as root vegetables.

Catering to the Diners’ Desires

If you’ve been following Technomic’s trends for 2015, you already know that consumers, especially younger consumers, “desire to have what they want when they want it.”  While this movement is manageable in the fast-food and fast-casual industry (add this, please, or take away that please), formal and casual dining has had to conform to a more focused menu if the operation opts for locally sourced foods.  This is contradictory to the trending attitudes towards variety and flexibility, but what seems to be happening is that restaurants are specializing in their culinary selections and diners can choose their restaurant based on the type of culinary experience they are looking for on any given day.  Going to eat at an establishment with few menu items, knowing that the food will be authentic and fresh, is trumping the larger-menu operations whose huge variety causes one to wonder about the origin and freshness of the dish they order.

Educational Marketing

The increase of allergies in children and adults has changed the way food is approached, prepared, and processed.  Responsibly operating a restaurant requires that chefs separate allergen ingredients and ensure the proper equipment is used to manage their dietary needs.  For example, for someone with a life-threatening nut allergy, it is imperative that different pans, utensils, grills, or other kitchen implements are used in preparing food for this particular guest, as any residue of nuts could cause a reaction.

Additionally, there has been a shift in food preparation that relates to food origins—and how to avoid the less-than-stellar practices of some of the larger animal farming companies, where overcrowding  affects the quality of animals, and the subsequent slaughter of such ill animals is at issue.  FDA menu labeling requirements that mandate restaurants show the calorie counts of their menu items have done wonders to educate consumers about their calorie intake.  Further requirements about the food—such as where the beef you are about to eat comes from, and whether or not the cows were grass fed—can also help to educate the consumer and give them reason to trust your operation and therefore want to return.

What’s Next?

Operators will need to remain vigilant in their research into customer trends and how these trends will affect their establishment, and if so, how should they adapt in order to accommodate them?  Technomic sees “more focused and local menus in the future…[and] a decline in the traditional chain segment that doesn’t adapt to the consumer evolution.”  Because while there is still a segment of the dining industry that eats fast, fried, and processed food, and wants them for cheap, these numbers will continue to dwindle over time as more and more customers are seeking out the healthier alternatives.

How will your restaurant manage these changes, if they haven’t already begun the process of change?  And how will you continue to adapt to the ever-changing foodservice industry?

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What has had to happen, though, in order to maintain clientele during this downswing in the nation’s disposable income, is an evolution of sorts within the fine dining industry.  Incorporating lighter fare to accommodate women diners, for example, has brought more traffic to the otherwise conventional steakhouses.  And because attracting new customers has been the biggest challenge over the past several years, these establishments have had to make price point changes to their menus, offering moderate prices but still the same quality of service that has come to be expected in pricier restaurants.  Dress codes in many high-end restaurants have been relaxed, attracting younger generations with money to spend.  Making changes when needed while still maintaining the same lofty integrity haute cuisine is known for has been the goal of high-end operations, and achieving this goal time and again is keeping the industry alive.

And let’s face it, anyone who has dined in any genre of fine cuisine restaurants can tell you that the level of customer service they received is virtually unparalleled by the casual scene, much less the fast-casual restaurant atmosphere.  There is something to the concept that never ceases to impress:  maître d’s holding chairs for women, a rigorously trained staff that is there solely to meet your every need and to satisfy your every whim.  Chefs who deliver mouth-watering meals that are exquisitely crafted, taking risks with their menu items to impress their guests.  A menagerie of employees and atmosphere that can create “an illusion of a life where everyone is happy to see us, every need is met and everything tastes better. We need this now more than ever,” claims Daniel Patterson, chef, restaurateur, and food writer.

So what, then, is the take-away for casual and fast-casual enterprises?  As people are re-entering the world of dining out, the best restaurant owners and operators can offer them is quality—perfection in food, service, and atmosphere—each and every time a guest enters through their doors.  No, fast-casual prices don’t allow for a maître d to present you with a wine list or to escort you to the restroom during your meal.  But that doesn’t mean that customer service should be lacking.  No matter how established your restaurant is, you should value every customer as though they were your only one.  The best fast-casual operators don’t let their concept effect the level of service they provide.  Just a few minutes of interaction with customers can provide them with the same sense of attention they may receive at a high-end restaurant.  As George Green (a fast-casual expert) puts it, the best, most simple way to make a customer choose your restaurant over another is to “hire happy people who care about others and challenge them to make each customer’s experience better.”

When it’s all said and done, people just want to know they matter when they walk in to a restaurant.  Your operation’s ability to prove to them that they are important will bring them back through your doors, and that, after all, is what will make your restaurant a success, whether you fall in the realm of fine-dining, casual, fast-casual, or anywhere in between.

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Planning ahead is imperative to owners wanting to capitalize on the couples who will dine in their restaurant.  Line up enough staff to handle the workload seamlessly, or at least make it look like a well-oiled machine—organized chaos, as some have called the waltz of the restaurant staff when they are “in the weeds.”  Plan for seating, as most diners will be coming in as parties of just two—and you will need to accommodate that without causing your wait list to explode.  Will your four-top tables split down into two?  If not, what other creative options may you have to modify your seating?  Plan your menu according to the rush you are sure to have and what your kitchen staff can handle.  Deborah Schneider, chef of Sol Cocina in Newport Beach, says that “a wise chef will offer their regular menu and add a few engaging Valentine’s specials.”  While this is a choice of many establishments, others opt for a complete menu shift, offering a fixed-price multiple-course meal to their diners in order to allow their kitchen to smoothly handle the craziness that accompanies a full and busy restaurant.  Some opt to keep their menu unchanged, but provide discounts to drive traffic through their doors.  Still others, especially in smaller neighborhood establishments, use the special day to encourage long-term loyalty by extending a la carte choices at a great price so patrons can sample multiple items, maybe discover new favorites, and ensure their return at a later date.  Other popular ideas include Valentine-themed items such pink cocktails, heart-shaped pasta, champagnes, or roses for sale on their premises.  There are even restaurants who will cater to the lovebirds who come to dine with their nest of children, offering deeply discounted kids’ meal prices or dessert favorites for the younger foodies.

Lastly, though Valentine’s Day is certainly a day that caters to sweethearts, many restaurant owners seize the opportunity to indulge the anti-amorous, with promotions designed to draw in those flying solo on this .  Special cocktail concoctions such as shots of “Love Stinks”—a mixture of grape vodka, raspberry liqueur, and cranberry juice—or “Love on the Rocks”—a creation of vodka, peach schnapps, orange and pomegranate juice over ice—are sure to help ease the pang of loneliness when one finds themselves dateless on the biggest date night of the year.

Opportunities abound for big sales for the Saturday night Valentine’s Day.  The key is to be sure to show the love—by being prepared for big business and by offering what your guests are looking for.  Plan carefully, and make sure that your every move reflects your appreciation of the portion of that $10 billion that gets thrown your way.  Your goal, after all, is a happy patron who will gladly return in the very near future.  How will you earn their loyalty?

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Aioli: a creamy, emulsion spread consisting of garlic, pounded to a paste with a mortar and pestle, then whisked into egg yolk, lemon juice, olive oil, and seasonings. Some variants omit the egg yolk.

Arrabiata: Tomatoes, garlic, and red chili peppers cooked together to create a spicy sauce for pasta.

Bard: a thin slice of bacon or other fat secured to a roast of meat or poultry, especially very lean cuts, to prevent it from drying out while cooking.

Bearnaise: Emulsified butter with egg yolks, white wine vinegar, and herbs.

Beurre: French for butter. But if you see “beurre blanc” on the menu, watch for butter sauce with white wine, shallots, and vinegar.

Bolognese: a sauce, often tomato-based, with meat added.

Bordelaise: a sauce made of dry red wine, bone marrow, butter, garlic, and shallots. Often served with added mushrooms, and is a great accompaniment to red meats.

Charcuterie: a selection of preserved meats such as salami, prosciutto, sausages, or bacon.

Chimichurri: a green sauce made of chopped parsley, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano, and vinegar. Often used to season meat while grilling. Red chimichurri is similar but tomato and red bell pepper may be added.

Cioppino: a fish stew consisting of different fresh catches, including shellfish.

Compote: fruit and sugar cooked in water with spices.

Confit: food cooked in grease or sugars at a lower temperature than deep frying originally as a means of preserving, but in restaurants the method is used as a means of tenderizing. You may see fruit confit or meat confit on menus.

Consomme: a clear, strong soup made from richly flavored, clarified stock.

Crème Fraiche: similar to sour cream but is less tangy and richer in flavor. Also less viscous than sour cream, and with a higher fat content.

Flambe: a cooking procedure where alcohol is added to a hot pan to create flames. It is typically done to add a dramatic flair to foodservice but also may be done in the kitchen to add the flavor and aroma of liquor or liqueur to a dish (the alcohol content is burned out before serving).

Foie Gras: fattened duck or goose liver.

Fromage: French for cheese.

Gastrique: carmelized sugar, deglazed with vinegar, used for flavoring sauces.

Pate: a mixture of cooked ground meat and fat minced into a spreadable paste.

Polenta: cornmeal boiled into a porridge. The resulting grits can be baked, grilled, or fried.

Ragout: a method of preparation where a mixture of diverse ingredients are slow-cooked over low heat.

Rapini: a slightly bitter, green cruciferous vegetable from the turnip family whose buds are similar to broccoli.

Remoulade: a sauce made with mayonnaise and various herbs and condiments. The resulting mixture is similar to tartar, but is sometimes flavored with curry, horseradish, paprika, or capers.

Risotto: a rice dish cooked in broth until it is creamy.

Rissole: minced meat or fish, coated in egg and breadcrumbs, and fried.

Sashimi: very fresh raw meat or fish sliced into thin pieces.

Scungilli: very large marine snails.

Tapenade: finely chopped or pureed olives and capers with olive oil, sometimes with anchovies.

Tartare: a dish made from finely chopped or minced raw beef, often served with onions and seasonings.

Terrine: a loaf of meat similar to pate but more coarsely chopped.

Tripe: edible stomach meats, usually from cows.

Veloute: a light stock thickened with roux (butter and flour) and seasoned with salt and pepper.

Have I missed any that may be helpful to diners?  Please feel free to let me know, I will add them right away!

The post Fancy Dining 101: What Am I Eating? appeared first on Houston's Blog.

And if the lingering recession didn’t seal the deal for these fast-casual operations, check this out: in 2008, the biggest rise in sales was from the 18-34 age demographic. That same group now makes up the 24-40 demographic, and their continued patronage of fast-casual restaurants persist in driving the market segment.

This top dining trend for 2015 is in it for the long haul, too, and other chains eager to mimic Chipotle’s style continue to open up nationwide—think Five Guys and Panera, Panda Express and Boston Market. Traditional sit-down establishments are opening their dining rooms for fast-casual lunches while their dinner formats remain unchanged, as demonstrated in Romano’s Macaroni Grill and their new Romano’s Kitchen Counter, where you can order from a special lunch menu customized to be speedy. You pay for your meal, take a seat, and your hot, fresh food will be delivered to you in under 7 minutes. Even pizza has jumped on board, with MOD joining the realm of fast, quality foods on the west coast and Uncle Maddio’s spreading across the east. Individual pizzas, made to order with the freshest ingredients and minimal waiting time, are picking up momentum among even the most environmentally conscientious of America’s time-starved crowds.

Many times a trend is just a passing fad that withers and dies almost as quickly as it caught hold. But this top trend of 2015 doesn’t seem to be at risk for slowing its pace. You can expect that sit-down markets will continue to dwindle as fast-casual establishments stay the course.

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