What is a Brand’s Culinary Core and how is it important?

Seems like a simple question is this day and age, especially now in a climate of industry shifting and change. Some restaurant chains are starting to figure it out, most recently Chili’s. They clearly returned to their Culinary Core to revamp their business. So far no one else has said it so bluntly as they did when they said “We can’t be everything to everybody” instead they will focus on improving quality and size of the menu items that are the foundation of the brand. In essence they are returning to their Culinary Core of burgers, fajitas and ribs. Is it a big gamble? I don’t think so, having been in to recently check out the changes. Chili’s is back in a game changing way that will over the long term drive new traffic. Why because now they can deliver a better experience on the “fantastic few” menu items instead of the “mediocre many”.

In this competitive landscape getting back to a Culinary Core is key to turning the business around and growing again. The Culinary Core of any brand is there within its DNA it just needs to be uncovered after years of layer upon layer of LTO, menu additions, cost enhancements all done in the name of staying relevant with the changing consumer landscape. Invite us into the conversation and help provide you with the support to re-find your brand’s Culinary Core.  We have helped many of our clients unlock their menus to drive simplification, improve satisfaction and build sales and profits. Let us be your Strategic Culinary Consultant reach us at www.jwd-consultancy.com

Meatless Monday does not mean Tasteless Monday!

We have been eating more meatless dishes at home, simply because it feels better! So I am using my culinary skills to create "full flavor" and texture experiences using vegetables as the center of our meal. I have to say I am having loads of fun with it - some cuisines are easier to convert than others - Thai, Mexican, Italian, all are easy to move to tasty meatless entrees. I continue to look to the vegetarian cooking of the Middle East for flavor inspiration. Here is a classic dish twisted to be meatless and even Vegan if you skip the cheese. Oh yes, it is gluten free too........

Mushroom “Meatballs”

1/2 lb.             White Button Mushrooms

1/2 lb.             Cremini Mushrooms

½ C                  Onion, diced

¼ C                  Carrots, diced

¼ C                  Celery, diced

1-1/2 C             Gluten free bread crumbs

1 ea.                Egg

¼ C                  Pesto

1 tsp                Dried Oregano

1 tsp                Fennel, ground

½ tsp               Crushed red pepper

2 tsp                Kosher Salt

1 tsp                Black pepper

½ c                   Olive oil for cooking

Place the mushrooms, onion, carrot and celery in to a food processor and pulse until all is well ground and still has some meat like texture. Transfer to a baking pan and place in a 300 degree oven for about 20 minutes to dry the mixture out

Once dry – place in refrigeration and chill to room temperature

Transfer cooled mixture to a large bowl, add the bread crumbs, egg, pesto, herbs and spices

Mix well with your hands to incorporate all the ingredients

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until well chilled

 

To cook

Place a large sauté pan over medium heat add the olive oil

Using a #24 scoop/ disher – scoop round balls of the mushroom mixture, place in heated oil and brown on all sides, transfer to a sheet pan to bake

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes – hold warm until served.

To serve

In a large sauté pan, place al dente spaghetti squash and ½ c up of your favorite red sauce (I used Whole Foods Organic pasta sauce) toss to warm through

Place sauced squash noodles on a plate and top with three “meatballs”, garnish with a little more sauce (parmesan cheese optional and makes dish meatless but not vegan) 

Serve! We added a gluten free roll to enhance the meal

A Final lesson from J Mays - deliver “up market” value, play to the edges to break through.

Lessons from a car designer – deliver “up market” value, play to the edges to break through.

The last two things I learned from J Mays that can be translated into food and menu development are similar yet different ends of the spectrum of thinking. Sometimes it takes looking to the edges of the brand to find a way to deliver “up market “value. “Looking to the edges” means really exploring those outlying ideas or thoughts as you brainstorm. These ideas on the edge can sometimes be the first ideas we discard for being too outlandish. Look for simple, “ah ha” moments and then explore them further to see where they will take you. Always using the brand to lead and guide your thinking. Edge items may provide a path to brand evolution or a break out action you have been looking for as a competitive edge. There is gold in the fringe of thought about a design, brand, menu, concept or food idea give it the attention it so richly deserves. So this edge thinking can lead to unlocking unexpected value. The example J Mays gave during his chat was about designing a car for the growing market in China targeted at Millennials. The assignment was to deliver a very competitive car at a value price that would attract these young buyers. The solution they found was to deliver something completely unexpected in a car priced at this lower end of the market.  This was one of the first cars to be able to completely integrate with your smartphone. In China, handheld devices out number desk top computers significantly, have the car be able to become an extension of your phone was a huge break through. This was something expected in a far more sophisticated and expense automobile, it was unexpected in this budget friendly car. Unlocking this unexpected value gave the new car a sold footing in the market place and drove significant sales. All because the design team found away to “up market” a budget friendly car, at the time this gave Ford a competitive advantage in the growing Chinese market. How can we translate this thinking and design technique into food or food service? By finding ways to unlock “up market value” in our brands. I have two examples to share with you from my time in my recent position.  First example is the creation of Steak Night for Brick House Tavern + Tap. I needed to find a way to grow the dinner business during the week and shift the consumers mind that BHTT was only about bar food. So in J Mays example I found a solution that used “up market” value to energize the guest. Keeping in line with the brand I found that if we delivered a steakhouse experience that usually cost the consumer $40 for about half that amount it would be a win. So I set out to create a steak night special that did just that, it delivered unexpected quality and portion size at a $20-25 price point. It hit on all cylinders that I was looking for in a new product – increased steak night sales, maintained or increased margin,  and drove new traffic to dinner day part. By meeting an need of the current guest I was able to find a way to unlock a new visit and to move the sales needle on the business side. My second example was the re-introduction of baby back ribs to BHTT after having taken them off the menu a cycle earlier. My goal was to deliver a wow rib experience that created demand for the product and use this to drive traffic to another day of the week. So striping the rib plate down to the basics: meat itself, cooking method, sauce and the sides I rebuilt the product while keeping a gold standard in mind at a polished casual competitor priced 25% less for the same or better experience. Again being able to deliver “up market” value at a surprising price created new unexpected value in the minds consumer without having to discount or devalue the brand.  So you see embracing the lessons from a car designer when we develop food , beverages or even restaurant concepts we can truly deliver something unique and innovative to the consumer.

Thank you J Mays for being an inspiring and thought provoking influence on design and design thinking. I am truly grateful to be able to translate your insights in cars into the world of food and beverage development. Finding parallels and mentors outside of our industry is critical to innovative thinking and success in building businesses.

Sincerely

Jim Doak