While restaurant traffic has largely recovered since the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, today’s diners remain somewhat cautious about breaking out their wallets for meals away from home. In the wake of sky-high food costs, they need ever-more compelling incentives and are discerning in their choices. In general, guests go out to eat in pursuit of items that are craveable, distinctive, trend-forward and difficult to replicate at home.

In response, restaurants need menu solutions that tick all those boxes, upping the ante further with unique items they can call wholly their own, separating themselves from the rest of the pack. Scratch-preparation is the tactic here, providing truth-in-advertising of the inimitable quality of highlighted dishes, whether menu favorites, weekly specials or LTOs. Foodservice operators face economic challenges of their own, so scratch options need to lean on stockroom essentials and other versatile ingredients, while being simple to execute by kitchen staff.

“Make a statement on your menu—items made from scratch will impress your customers and showcase your culinary team’s skills,” urges Dan Follese, Executive Chef, Food Trend Translator. One of the easiest and most effective ways to do this is to create signature sauces, dips, crusts and glazes that act as high-impact flavor bombs. These are often the dish elements that customers remember and that inspire cravings for repeat visits.

Chef Follese understands that the budgetary and labor pressures facing foodservice operators means every menu decision needs to be considered with care. Relying on pantry staples like Argo^® Corn Starch and highly versatile ingredients you likely have on hand can remove some of the pain points associated with scratch prep. Sauces made with Argo^® Corn Starch are “foolproof,” he says. “Argo^® Corn Starch is always my go-to for making dips and sauces, because it’s easy to use, cost-effective and creates consistency in all of my recipes.”

FIVE SAVORY WAYS TO STAND OUT WITH SIMPLE SCRATCH PREP

There’s always room on the menu for flashy, inventive culinary creations, but that doesn’t have to be your aim in developing dishes you can “own.” Simple is a perfectly acceptable goal, when it’s also craveable and memorable. Following are five menu inspirations from ACH Foodservice, each featuring Argo^® Corn Starch and representing a wide spectrum of savory statement dishes.

1

Cheese Sauce

Add Cheese Sauce to any number of menu items and you can drive the crave factor through the roof! Pair this simple recipe with a baked potato or make it next-level by pouring it over Hasselback potatoes. Grill or toast large pieces of sourdough and then top with cheese sauce for an open-faced play on grilled cheese. Kick up steamed vegetables, add it to a burger, use it to stuff mushrooms, drizzle it over fries or add it to elbow pasta for a classic mac and cheese. Review the competition to determine opportunities where your super-simple, super-craveable dish will stand out.

Application of even a basic sauce with different foundation ingredients is one way to attract notice. Another is to integrate trending flavors to the reinvent the profile of the sauce. “To make a sauce or dip especially craveable, consider incorporating trending ingredients that excite the palate,” advises Follese. “Ingredients such as miso for umami richness, Sriracha for a spicy kick or truffle oil for a luxurious touch can elevate a basic sauce into a must-try signature item.” He also suggests that global ingredients like harissa, wasabi and tahini can intrigue diners and encourage experimentation. “Pairing these trending inclusions with Argo^® Corn Starch ensures a consistently delightful texture, making the sauce or dip versatile and irresistible.”

Follese affirms the value of this approach. “Developing a signature sauce or dip is invaluable for a restaurant’s branding and customer loyalty,” he says. “Today’s consumer is infatuated with identifiable flavors they crave from a favorite restaurant and often dip everything on the menu into this sauce.”

2

Warm Blue Cheese Dip

As with sauces, scratch-prepared dips, like the Warm Blue Cheese Dip pictured here with housemade spicy potato chips, offer operators another easy and appealing menu option with a high degree of craveability. Dips also allow restaurants to tap another important driver for customer traffic today: social engagement. Younger demographics, especially, look to dining out as an opportunity to connect with friends. Often integral to that connection is a shared food experience, whether through a craveable appetizers or small plate orders where everyone gets a bite.

“One very important aspect of dips—and sauces—is that it clings to every item dipped into it,” says Follese. “I use Argo^® Corn Starch because it allows you to control the viscosity or thickness of the dips. If it’s too thin, rolling off the carrier, diners miss out on flavorful satisfaction.”

Thoughtfully curated inclusions are an important pathway to establishing the unique quality of a signature dip that cannot be prepared at home or found at the competition. Follese’s suggestions for flavor-forward sauces (above) are appropriate for dips, as well.

A proven popular signature dip (or sauce) can be a powerfully effective resource in a menu planner’s toolbox. “Specialty dips have a lot of cross-functionality,” says Follese. “You can use them as a sandwich spread, a salad dressing or a great dip for handhelds.”

3

Japanese Souffle Pancakes

Adding dishes that have trend momentum thanks to TikTok and other social media is another savvy strategy to draw customers into your restaurant. Japanese Souffle Pancakes rank high on the list of talked-about taste experiences. “Incorporating trends that look impressive is another reason guests will keep coming back,” says Follese. The key, he notes, is to make preparation easier for the back-of-house team to execute.

“While they are impressive with their fluffy appearance and unique texture, like all souffles, Japanese pancakes can be challenging in the kitchen,” says Follese. “But when you use Argo^® Corn Starch in your recipe, success is practically guaranteed.” He explains that the corn starch creates stabilization without weighing down the final product, keeping its fluffy structure from going flat before it arrives at the table. “My confidence level is super high when I make this recipe. It’s never been easier to add something extra-special like this to the menu.”

Follese sees great potential for Japanese Souffle Pancakes on the menu. “They can be an all-day item that pairs perfectly with sweet fruits as well as working in savory combinations. Think of them like a Southern biscuit, possibly offering them with sticky barbecue ribs,” he says. “It’s a great dish to showcase consistency, quality and high standards, while appealing to curiosity and contemporary tastes.”

4

Gluten-Free Swedish Meatballs

Swedish meatballs have a long history in their namesake nation, but in this country, they may be best known as a 1970s-era dinner party staple and/or a novel treat to enjoy when shopping at Ikea^®, the global furniture giant. Today, the dish may be riding a sentimental wave back to wider popularity. And with these easy-prep Gluten-Free Swedish Meatballs, operators can leverage two other customer drivers: nostalgia and craveable foods that reflect nutrition needs/wants.

“The retro factor taps into the ‘newstalgia’ trend, evoking fond memories of simpler times and comforting home-cooked meals,” says Chef Follese. “This trend has powerful appeal, as it combines familiarity with quality ingredients and modern interpretations. It also bridges generational tastes, offering a comforting yet updated dish that resonates widely.”

This recipe subs in crispy rice squares cereal for conventional breadcrumbs in the meatballs and sour cream instead of heavy cream in the gravy. Argo^® Corn Starch is key to a sauce that appeals to both traditionalists and health-conscious diners, credits Follese. “The gravy clings to the meatballs, while creating a delicious saucy blanket.”

5

Cayenne Coconut Crusted Chicken

A distinctive fried chicken is another opportunity to build customer loyalty, and the flavor difference-makers are usually found in the ingredients used in the batter or dredge that will coat the meat prior to frying, producing a memorable flavor and textural experience. For this Cayenne Coconut Crusted Chicken, the name says it all. But while coconut and cayenne may be the star turns, Argo^® Corn Starch gets the credit for giving the chicken an extra light and crunchy coating.

Are you letting other restaurant brands captivate and capture customer interest with signature items they call their own? Make sure your menu has something to say!

Put the power of your pantry into action, trusting in the quality performance of Argo^® Corn Starch and Karo^® Corn Syrup for both new menu inspirations and longstanding recipe favorites.