Trends & Updates

Cuisine Canada, a national association of culinary professionals, recently held their Northern Bounty Conference in Guelph, Ontario and on the agenda at the conference was a session on industry trends. The panel was directed by Bonnie Stern, well known cookbook author and TV chef, the speakers on the panel included: Dinah Koo of Dinah’s Catering and creator of Tiger Lily’s Restaurants; Tony Aspler, long time wine journalist; Doug Fisher, a foodservice and hospitality consultant, and finally; Michael Bonacini, creator of such well known Toronto restaurants as Canoe, Auberge du Pommier and Steakfrites. This illustrious group is on the leading edge of the food and wine business in Canada - not only do they see the trends first hand; they help make them. And the rising number of beef items on the menu was a big part of this presentation, here is a recap of some of the comments.

All panelists began by noting that whether eating at home or dining out at a restaurant there has been an overwhelming return to comfort foods and more humble cuisine, often given a gourmet twist. In terms of the food and flavours, all panelists agreed that fusion is out, and traditional, classic flavours are in. No longer will we see a combination of Asian, Italian and French foods combined on one plate, usually in a tower. There will be a return to more authentic flavours along with comfort foods such as braised meats, really good artisan breads and cheeses, and wonderful strong flavourings from the Mediterranean. Classic French and Italian cooking is also back in favour. Says Bonacini, "Fusion food is falling from grace, basic wholesome food centred on true flavours is back with a vengeance."

And instead of looking for newer, bigger and better, working with obscure ingredients and often ecologically fragile products; chefs today are sticking with the old standards. But they are sourcing the absolute best they can - locally grown produce, the finest cheeses and premium beef available. The better the product, the more flavour to start with, creating a wonderful dish.

Protein continues to be a strong trend. Whether it’s the high protein diet, craving meat in our diets, or just plain taste - red meat rules! According to Oliver Bonacini, steak houses in downtown Toronto accounted for $40 million in sales last year. And Bonacini features a number of beef items, especially slow cooked braised items in all of his operations. Dinah Koo said that even for catered events there is a much higher demand for beef items. Look for slow cooked comfort foods such as chili, beef ribs and brisket beautifully prepared using these less expensive cuts of beef.

Speaking of slow cooked food, according to consultant Doug Fisher, one of the biggest trends in both the US and Canada currently is barbecue - this allows for fast service, but is slow comfort food. ABC Country Restaurants in Western Canada are big fans of this trend. Menu items from their Smokehouse Barbecue menu have been wildly popular since their launch two years ago and continue to be big sellers.

There is also a change in the type of restaurants customers are going to - there is a move to casual dining restaurants. The traditional "family restaurant" segment is shrinking as customers are looking for a more upscale dining experience. As baby boomers age, so do their children, reducing the need for restaurants geared to families. Restaurant goers are looking for good value, and they want delicious food, fairly priced in a comfortable atmosphere where they can get a glass of good wine and relax. In addition to seeing more casual type restaurants (think Milestones) look for more bistros, trattorias and brasseries that serve casual simple fare in a warm neighbourhood atmosphere.

We have seen this phenomenon start to happen on the west coast. Traditional family restaurant chains like White Spot Restaurants look to be moving away from their family roots and heading toward casual dining with upscale or Chicago steakhouse décor packages, and menus that feature Sterling Silver™ filet mignon.

In fact, a number of casual dining chains have focused on building their dinner business using branded or premium beef as the focus. Casey’s Restaurants (part of the Prime Restaurant Group) are using Sterling Silver™ beef in their restaurants. And Milestones Restaurants have just launched Grilled Perfections, their new signature premium steak lineup featuring Canadian beef, including Certified Angus Beef™. Their menu focuses on a number of new steak items featuring wonderful flavours like Gorgonzola demi glaze and Portobello mushroom butter. "Our customers love beef dishes and we want give them the finest quality product available," says Cathy Tostenson, Marketing Manager for Milestones. "That is why we created Grilled Perfections, and we guarantee that our customers will have a great steak experience."

Tim Horton’s has demonstrated their understanding of the changing restaurant scene, moving from a quick service doughnut and coffee shop to a great place for lunch. When Tim Horton’s added chili to their menu, they sold so much of it that Crest Research, the people who collect data on Canadian eating habits had to create an entire new category just for chili.

The other segment that will continue to shrink according to the panel is the quick service restaurant chain. Again, as there are fewer children "driving" their parents to quick service, there will be less reason to go. In order to keep their customers, QSR operators will look into higher quality and more diverse offerings such as sushi, steak sandwiches and chili that offer more interesting and stronger flavours. Along with family restaurants, this segment will feel the pinch as restaurant goers look for more sophisticated offerings.

And so you have it, a thought provoking discussion from some of the foodservice industry’s leading players - and where beef fits into the future.

TOP OF PAGE