Welcome to the Best of Flavor 2020
This special “Best of Flavor” issue features 100 entries—organized in no particular order—highlighting the flavor-forward innovation taking place in menu development today. Our annual “Best of Flavor” edition is here to inspire, and especially so, given the current foodservice landscape. Every year, we invite our readers to submit entries of their best flavor builds for this special issue. The result is a compilation of inventive flavor experiences—all showcasing the passion in this industry.
Slow Cooked Duck Egg
Slow-Cooked Duck Egg with California crème fraîche, pea purée, shiso and morels from the California Milk Advisory Board.
Ensalada de Col
Ensalada de Col: Savoy cabbage with Mahón cheese, anchovy-stuffed green olives and pistachios.
Steamed Clams in Arrabbiata
Steamed Clams in Arrabbiata: Manila clams, arrabbiata, red wine, charred fennel and fried lardo.
White Mushroom Salad
White Mushroom Salad with parsley, pecorino, red onion, radish and pomegranate seeds.
Crispy Sriracha Chicken Sandwich
Crispy Sriracha Chicken Sandwich with spicy honey Sriracha, aïoli sauce, lettuce, tomato and housemade pickles.
Emotional Intelligence cocktail
Emotional Intelligence cocktail: Fidencio Clásico mezcal, crème de cacao, allspice dram, lime juice, orange bitters and nutmeg.
Tostones Con Ceviche
Tostones con Ceviche featuring hamachi infused with ginger, garlic, soy, red onion, jalapeño and schichimi togarashi.
Huckleberry cocktail
I’m Your Huckleberry cocktail: White rum, ruby port wine, crème de cassis and blueberry skewer.
Australian Lamb Ragù over Ricotta Gnocchi
Australian Lamb Ragù over Ricotta Gnocchi with pickled cherry tomato-celery leaf salad.
Deep Dish Cauliflower Lasagna
Deep Dish Cauliflower Lasagna with housemade tomato-garlic sauce and mozzarella.
Beets + Avocado Bowl
Beets + Avocado Bowl with pickled red onion, walnuts, quinoa, hemp seeds and miso-lemongrass dressing.
Baked Goat Cheese
Baked Goat Cheese: goat cheese and blueberry-lavender jam in a phyllo shell, served with candied walnuts and citrus gel.
Snapper Cheeks
Snapper Cheeks with chile-spiked apple purée and a fresh apple and pickled fennel salad.
Greens & Beans Goodness
Greens & Beans Goodness: cannellini beans, kale, roasted tomatoes, chicken sausage, avocado, fried egg and peri peri sauce.
Banana Hotcakes Foster
Banana Hotcakes Foster: Japanese-style pancakes with caramelized bananas, salted miso-caramel ice cream, caramel sauce and black sesame seeds.
Aromatic Marcona Almonds and California Grapes
Aromatic Marcona Almonds and California Grapes with olive oil, salami and feta
Sunchoke With Oyster Mushrooms
Sunchoke with Oyster Mushrooms with horseradish oil, black truffle mayonnaise and orange.
Park Patty Melt
Park Patty Melt with American cheese, onions tossed in hot sauce, and Russian dressing on rye.
Marionberry Pie Shake
Marionberry Pie Shake: Vanilla ice cream, marionberry blackberries and pie crust.
Smoky Djinn Cocktail
Smoky Djinn cocktail: Bluecoat gin, Bols Genever, Velvet Falernum, toasted black sesame syrup and grapefruit juice.
Yoga Deck cocktail
Yoga Deck: Ketel One Botanical Peach & Orange Blossom, lemon juice and turmeric-ginger syrup.
Bistro Burger
Bistro Burger with chipotle avocado crema, applewood-smoked bacon, caramelized onion, arugula and smoked Gouda.
Baked & Fried Russet Potato
Baked and Fried Russet Potato with American cheese sauce, bacon, scallion, pickled sweet peppers and garlic streusel.
Mushroom Shawarma Bowl
Mushroom Shawarma Bowl with pickled cabbage, cucumber and onion salad, arugula and tahini over rice and lentils.
Chesapeake Blue Crab Fried Rice
Chesapeake Blue Crab Fried Rice with Old Bay seasoning, lime, cilantro and radish.
Chocolate-coffee Cannoli
Chocolate-Coffee Cannoli with white chocolate ganache, coconut crunch, yuzu curd and chocolate ice cream.
Chili Cheese Fries
Chili Cheese Fries: hot, crispy fries topped with rich, hearty ingredients make for a reliably winning combination.
Japanese Sweet Potato Agnlolotti
Japanese Sweet Potato Agnolotti with Parmesan sauce, tonka beans, matsutake, Brussels sprouts and pickled red kuri squash.
BLTE Sandwich
BLTE Classic BLT with an over-hard cage-free egg, Monterey Jack, spring mix and mayo on artisan whole-grain bread
Shin Ramyun Chicken Wings
Shin Ramyun Chicken Wings with gochujang glaze, buttermilk dressing, scallions and sesame seeds.
Smoked Salmon Kebab
Khan Saab Desi Craft Kitchen serves Smoked Salmon Kebab with fresh dill and mustard.
Spicy Steak and Hummus Feta Bowl
Spicy Steak and Hummus Feta Bowl features grass-fed beef marinated in a blend of 13 spices.
Seared Scallops
Seared Scallops: scallops, beluga lentils, parsnip “rice,” bacon, blood orange gastrique.
Deconstructed Greek Salad
Deconstructed Greek Salad: heirloom tomatoes, cucumber, pickled red onion, Kalamata olives, feta mousse, oregano and olive oil.
Spicy Carrot Buddha Bowl
Spicy Carrot Buddha Bowl: Avocado, quinoa, lentils, baby greens, carrot tops, spicy carrot hummus and cilantro-lime yogurt sauce.
Slow Cooker Cassoulet
Slow Cooker Cassoulet with confit duck, Toulouse pork sausage and Tarbais beans.
Dungeness Crab Cake
Dungeness Crab Cake with a nixtamalized green papaya and compressed jicama salad.
Spitjack Sandwich
Spitjack Sandwich: Pulled rotisserie chicken, carrot, cucumber, cilantro, pâté and Pluck sauce.
Build-Your-Own Dessert Waffle
Build-your-own Dessert Waffle with vanilla ice cream, peanut butter sauce, mini peanut butter cups, Kinder bar pieces and whipped cream.
Walnut Chocolate Mole Tostada
Walnut Chocolate Mole Tostada with roasted pork, corn, tomato, cilantro and Cotija cheese.
Ground Chuck Norris Burger
Ground Chuck Norris Burger containing two “smashed” patties, American cheese, Louie dressing, onion strings and bacon jam.
Smoked Beef Rib
Smoked Beef Rib with deviled egg gremolata, yellow barbecue sauce, crispy shallots and chile threads.
Honeymoon Oyster
Honeymoon Oyster with urchin lobe, salmon roe, tobiko, quail egg yolk and green onion.
Ginny’s 1888 Cocktail
Ginny’s 1888 cocktail - with Ginny’s Gin, burnt sage turbinado syrup, citrus-basil bitters, egg whites, cream and orange blossom water
Crispy Salmon Skin
Crispy Salmon Skin with cured salmon, citrus crème fraîche and smoked steelhead roe.
Coca Sobrasada Menorquina
Coca Sobrasada Menorquína: pan de cristal, spicy pork sausage, honey and fried quail eggs.
Sweet & Spicy Braised Short Rib Noodles
Sweet & Spicy Braised Short Rib Noodles with seasonal vegetables and pickled peppers.
Southern Honey Hot Chicken Hoagie
Southern Honey Hot Chicken Hoagie with cheesy grits, garlic dill pickle slices and honey hot sauce.
Brunch Chilaquiles con Huevos
Brunch Chilaquiles con Huevos: Crispy tortilla chips, guajillo chile salsa, Mexican cheeses, fried eggs and avocado.
Jackie O Burger
Jackie O Burger: lamb, feta, baby spinach, oven-roasted tomato and tzatziki, served on a brioche bun.
50/50 Bowl
50/50 Bowl: kale, farro, roasted chicken, sweet potato, dried cranberries, almonds, carrots and honey-lime dressing.
Chicken ‘N’ Watermelon ‘N’ Waffles
Chicken ‘N’ Watermelon ‘N’ Waffles: cheddar cheese waffle, fried chicken, spiced watermelon, bourbon-maple syrup and honey-hot sauce.
Billionaire's Bacon Banh Mi
Billionaire’s Bacon Banh Mi: Thick-cut glazed bacon, spicy pickled vegetables and mayo on a French baguette.
Spanish Coffee
Spanish Coffee: orange liqueur, Demerara, coffee, cinnamon, malted cream float and “magic”.
Biloxi Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich
Biloxi Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich with cabbage slaw, pickles and mustard sauce.
Welcome to the Junglebird Cocktail
Welcome to the Junglebird cocktail: Ron del Barrilito, mango-infused Campari, Rum-Bar overproof rum, pineapple and lime.
Original Duck Wrap
Original Duck Wrap with Creole cream cheese, smoked cheddar, pickled jalapeño, bacon and honey glaze.
Elote
Elote: charred Mexican street corn, huitlacoche crema, Cotija, scallions and chorizo vinaigrette.
Lamb Mac n Cheese
Lamb Mac with shallot cream sauce, ancho barbecue sauce, goat cheese, fontina and roasted poblanos.
Saff-Ron Swanson
Saff-Ron Swanson: Saffron and rose-infused vodka, clover honey, sesame oil, white balsamic and lemon.
The Chicken Parm Provolone Sandwich
The Chicken Parm Provolone Sandwich: Buttermilk fried chicken, fried provolone, spicy marinara, Parmesan and an herb cheese schmear.
Duck Spring Rolls
Duck Spring Rolls: Duck confit, cellophane noodles, cilantro, Thai basil and red cabbage, with sweet chile-soy dipping sauce.
Gambas y Arroz
Gambas y Arroz: Gulf shrimp and saffron bomba rice with peppers, tomatoes and poached eggs.
Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich
Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich with arugula-herb salad, cucumber, pickled turnips, harissa mayo and turmeric mayo.
Duck Confit Peirogi
Duck Confit Pierogi with parsnip purée, pickled blueberries and Chioggia beet chips.
Peanut Butter Pie
Peanut Butter Pie with peanut butter cookies, chocolate ganache and banana meringue.
Steak & Arugula Sandwich
Steak & Arugula Sandwich: shaved prime rib, Swiss, tomato, pickled onion, arugula and horseradish mustard, served on harvest toast.
Pan Roasted Chicken
Pan-Roasted Chicken with toasted spices, pomegranate glaze, pearl onions and a warm bulgur wheat salad.
