“The best döner is made from layers of whole-muscle meat and intensely flavored ground meat. Building a döner is an art. The result is lightly charred, juicy, thinly shaved meats that melt in your mouth. Add traditional fresh vegetables and a tangy yogurt sauce for a memorable handheld.”
— RON DESANTIS
“Mediterranean proteins are perfectly suited to the grab-and-go nature of our culture—easy to eat with a quick-bite texture and decadent flavor.”
— MICHAEL BUONONATO
“Hooray for Middle Eastern meats such as shawarma, kafta and döner kebab! Flavorful spices, along with rich meats, crisp produce, bold and creamy sauces, all fit into the cravings of Millennial and Gen Z consumers.”
— DENNIS SAMALA
“There are two strong opportunities here. First, to explore the many different kebabs of places like Turkey. These can have unique flavors and textures—many of which could be replicated in the United States. The other opportunity is to push the gyro to its creative extreme. This could involve different combinations of meats, or additions of other ingredients to the vertical cooker. It could also include new combinations of ingredients within the pita (or another flatbread). Perhaps kebabs and mini gyros as part of a snack food menu, or even breakfast or brunch?”
— CHRIS KOETKE
“The dried, cured sausages from the Eastern Med region also offer really interesting flavors and menu opportunities. Basturma is a fenugreek-cured New York steak, and soujouk is an acidic sausage that hits you with waves of garlic and cumin.”
— ROBERT DANHI
