Flavor Trends, Strategies and Solutions for Menu Development

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By Flavor & The Menu
June 1, 2021

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Michael Kupstas

Michael Kupstas

Culinary collaborations take on many forms, but few are as successful as the “Eat Like a King, Judged by a Cub” contest hosted by fast casual Lion’s Choice, which specializes in roast beef sandwiches. Four chefs from restaurants in the St. Louis area competed to develop a kids’ menu item featuring iconic ingredients from the host restaurant brand. Judged by children throughout the city, the winning Turkey Dipper was featured as a limited-time offering at Lion’s Choice, with sales proceeds donated to a local hunger relief organization.

The dish was created by Katie Collier, Chef/Owner of Katie’s Pizza and Pasta Osteria, with her own daughter’s tastes in mind. The crowd-pleaser featured Provel, a white processed cheese that is a St. Louis staple. It was paired with Lion’s Choice roasted turkey, tucked into an oven-baked flatbread, with marinara served on the side. “The warm turkey and gooey cheese created a rich, melt-in-your-mouth flavor with every tangy, marinara-dipped bite,” says Michael Kupstas, President and CEO of Lion’s Choice. “The fusion of two kid-friendly dishes—a classic turkey sandwich and cheese pizza—made it a crave-worthy menu option.”

 

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About The Author

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Leigh Kunkel is a freelance journalist with more than a decade of restaurant industry experience as a server, bartender and sommelier. She has written about restaurant operations for B2B publications, as well as foodservice brands, including Beam Suntory and Dawn Foods. She specializes in covering flavor, ingredient and cuisine trends. Leigh has also covered the food and beverage world for a wide range of consumer outlets such as The New York Times, Eater and Vinepair.