East by Southeast: Spotlight on Asian Flavors
If you’ve checked any social media stream over the past month, you already know that Korean, Filipino, and Thai flavors are heating things up for American food trends.
Quick Bite
Ube. Pandan. Thai chilis and Korean kimchi. From sweet to spicy, pickled to punchy, analysts and influencers alike are expecting a big year for Asian flavors that steer away from those typically found at chain restaurants across the country.
These countries and their flavor profiles are hardly anything new to American cuisine—the nation’s first kimchi maker set up shop in 1971, while the first Thai and Filipino restaurants opened back in the 1960s—but they also never really caught on the way Chinese or Japanese dishes and chains did. It’s this combination of fresh but familiar that encourages customers to try different flavors while not straying too far from their comfort zone.
No matter the chef or socialite, everyone seems to agree that the appeal of these three cuisines is their vibrancy—the purple of Ube yams spread across toast, the matcha-like green that pandan adds to cake, the harmony of spicy Thai chilis in a sweet sauce, and that soda-like pop of carbonation from fermented kimchi.
Food for Thought
You don’t have to run a foodservice operation dedicated to Filipino, Thai, or Korean cuisine to be inspired by these tastes and connect with these customers.
How can your restaurant incorporate some of the trending flavors from these three cultures?
Products On Trend
Vibrant Food, Dark Plates
Nothing brings out the bright reds and greens of veggies in a rice or noodle dish better than dark plateware.
Wok Ranges
From bulgogi to japchae, pad Thai to pancit, woks are an essential prep tool for Asian eateries. The best way to heat that wok? You guessed it—a wok range.
Specialty Knives
Intricate cuisine calls for specialized prep tools! Chopping, fileting, slicing, or dicing—these knives will have you covered.