{"id":4672,"date":"2017-09-07T13:16:00","date_gmt":"2017-09-07T18:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/live-gordon-food-service.pantheonsite.io\/sharing-plates-a-menu-category-with-growing-opportunity\/"},"modified":"2023-02-01T14:17:14","modified_gmt":"2023-02-01T20:17:14","slug":"sharing-plates-a-menu-category-with-growing-opportunity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gfs.com\/es-us\/ideas\/sharing-plates-a-menu-category-with-growing-opportunity\/","title":{"rendered":"Sharing Plates\u2014A Menu Category with Growing Opportunity"},"content":{"rendered":"

The sharing plates category marks one of the largest macro trends in foodservice today. It continues to evolve, presenting new opportunities as both modern flavor trends and dining habits inform its creative, flavor-forward menu development. The genesis of the trend can be traced to the mid 1980s, when Spanish tapas captured the imagination of many consumers. \u201cDiners realized they could order a wide assortment of dishes and share them,\u201d says Gordon Food Service\u00ae Corporate Consulting Chef Gerry Ludwig, CEC. \u201cThis marked a sea change in the industry, and foodies were the first to embrace this \u2018new\u2019 format, where they could try all of the tastes around the table.\u201d 
 
The tapas craze evolved into a meze phenomenon, showcasing Mediterranean small plates for a broader flavor adventure. Eclectic American restaurants, gastropubs and taverns soon picked up on the trend, leveraging the social, fun side of sharing plates. Propelling sharing plates forward and moving them deeper into a mega trend? The younger generations. \u201cAlthough boomers launched this trend initially, I really believe that Millennials and Gen Z are making it even more relevant today,\u201d Ludwig says. \u201cThey love the social, casual aspect of dining. They also love a bit of adventure.\u201d Today\u2019s opportunity, he says, comes from interpreting modern flavor trends through sharing plates.
 
Adding sharing plates does not require a brand overhaul or a re-engineering of the menu. <\/p>\n

Here are three ways to do it:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Eliminate side dishes and weave them into shared plates instead.<\/li>\n
  2. Limit the selection of entr\u00e9es and make them designed for sharing.<\/li>\n
  3. Rename appetizers as small plates\/sharing plates for a modern feel.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \u201cAddressing this trend is answering the demand from consumers,\u201d Ludwig says. It\u2019s not about check building. It\u2019s about establishing differentiation in the marketplace and increasing your value proposition that keeps them coming back.<\/p>\n

    5 ways into the trend <\/h3>\n

    On their annual external research tour, Ludwig and his culinary R&D team has identified five fantastic menu opportunities in sharing plates.
     
    1. Crocks & Spreads:<\/strong> From potted meats to cheese spreads, this ultra-shareable continues to gain traction on menus, interpreting various flavor trends in its many iterations. Cheese spreads pull from both the Southern trend, with pimento cheese, for instance, as well as the microbrew trend, adding premium beer to the mix. Modern seafood makes a play here, too. As example, look to Chicago\u2019s Beacon Tavern with its Peekytoe Crab Dip featuring Old Bay, lemon and Utz crab chips.
     
    Crocks & Spreads on the Menu<\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    • Cheese and Crackers. Aged Cheddar and WPA Spread, Ritz sleeve \u2014 Forbidden Root, Chicago<\/li>\n
    • Potted House Smoked Salmon with salmon roe and dill \u2014 The Belvedere, Los Angeles<\/li>\n
    • Garden Egg Salad with trout roe, celery leaf, sourdough toast \u2014 Manuela, Los Angeles<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      2. Hummus Beyond Chickpeas:<\/strong> Leading the wave of Eastern Mediterranean exploration is hummus. And now comes the creative innovation around this shareable spread, where chefs are leveraging the familiarity and snackability of hummus, then turning it into a signature sharing plate.
       
      Hummus Beyond Chickpeas on the Menu<\/strong><\/p>\n

        \n
      • Cauliflower Hummus with popcorn, toasted seeds, red onion, dill, grilled bread \u2014 The Little Beet Table, Chicago<\/li>\n
      • Pumpkin Hummus and Naan Bread with pomegranate pepita salsa \u2014 Rose Cafe, Los Angeles<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        3. Tartars & Crudos:<\/strong> We\u2019ve seen what Ludwig calls the \u201cmega explosion\u201d of poke on fast-casual menus, signaling a readiness from diners to explore raw and marinated products. Tartars, crudos (a dish of Chilean heritage similar to steak tartare), ceviches and poke fit beautifully into a sharing-plates strategy\u2014serving up fresh, clean flavors in a fun, social format.
         
        Tartars & Crudos on the Menu<\/strong><\/p>\n

          \n
        • Five Dot Ranch Steak Tartare with banyuls, preserved tomato chutney, watercress, quail egg, sour ciabatta \u2014 Solbar, Calistoga, CA.<\/li>\n
        • Beef & Butter with salt and pepper, grilled bread \u2014 Cannibal, Los Angeles<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          4. Crunchy-Fried Items: <\/strong>It\u2019s hard to get more craveable than a perfectly crispy bite. \u201cOne of the reasons we\u2019re seeing so much innovation in this category is that this deep-fried, flavor-forward sharing plates are not easy to reproduce at home,\u201d Ludwig says. \u201cTwo of the primary drivers for consumers are unique foods and flavors and items they can\u2019t make at home.\u201d Creativity is king today, so look to dishes like Camarones con Quinoa, served at Boleo in Chicago\u2014quinoa-crusted shrimp with sweet potato croquettes and a passion fruit reduction.
           
          Crunchy-Fried Items on the Menu<\/strong><\/p>\n

            \n
          • Creamed Spinach Hushpuppies with beef au jus butter \u2014 Quality Eats, New York<\/li>\n
          • Mondeghili Milanesi: Bread-crusted meat patties with lemon, salsa verde and watercress \u2014 Officine Brera, Los Angeles<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            5. Clam Dishes: <\/strong>The modern seafood trend puts forth a casual, approachable vibe, and clams\u2014briny, familiar and delicious\u2014fit nicely into this space. \u201cWe\u2019re seeing larger clams grilled or served raw, maybe topped, then roasted or baked,\u201d Ludwig says. \u201cSome of the clam dishes on menus today are served in a broth or steamed and tossed in a bit of pasta.\u201d
             
            Clam Dishes on the Menu<\/strong><\/p>\n

              \n
            • Chowder Fries: Housemade clam chowder, thick-cut bacon, steamed littleneck clams, celery \u2014 Plan Check, Los Angeles<\/li>\n
            • Pacceri with clams, n\u2019duja, black garlic, white wine \u2014 Ocean Cut, Chicago<\/li>\n<\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              Call them what you want\u2014small plates, shareables\u2014they\u2019re still growing in popularity. Here are 5 on-trend ways you can incorporate them into your menu.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":4673,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[68],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4672","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culinary-ideas"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nSharing Plates\u2014A Menu Category with Growing Opportunity<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"People eat first with their eyes, and social media platforms let nursing homes and senior living communities share a feast for the eyes.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/gfs.com\/es-us\/ideas\/sharing-plates-a-menu-category-with-growing-opportunity\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" 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