Small plates equal big profits: from gourmet high-protein delicacies to popular quesadillas, today's "pinchos" are tomorrow's trends

Prepared Foods, August, 2004 by Hugh J. McEvoy

From New York to Vancouver, Omaha to Miami, upscale restaurant customers are deciding what the next big fast-casual dining trends will be. They vote with their credit cards and with their wallets. In every American city, "small plates" are big hits. What was once only the first course is rapidly becoming the main event.

Amuse? Hors d'oeuvre? Appetizer? Tapa?

As Starbucks (Seattle) did for "gourmet" coffee, savvy menu marketers are creating a new lexicon for appetizers. Trendy diners now know the difference between an amuse bouche (literally "amusement for the mouth" ... the tiny free teaser of taste served immediately before you order) and a small plate or a tapa. And just as customers flocked to Starbucks to pay $3.00 for a cup of gourmet coffee, people are now ordering three, four or even more gourmet appetizers at a meal. At Chicago's TRU restaurant, chef Rick Tramonto's signature appetizer--the Crystal Caviar Staircase--costs $75. TRU makes a three- to four-hour event out of every dinner. With wine, dinner for two at TRU might easily cost $400. And, that gourmet experience is made up entirely of tiny small plates, exquisite little works of culinary art!

Low-carb Leads to Small Plates

Customers trying to stay on the popular Atkins Diet have discovered a delightful coincidence. Many of the deliciously rich meats, cheeses and shellfish used to create the most popular classic hors d'oeuvres just happen to be high in protein and low in carbs.

Bacon? Lobster? Pate? Dig in! It is all diet food now, since it is all low-carb. So long as the portions are small, the low-carb fans can enjoy rich gourmet meals. Meals entirely made up of small plates.

Charcuterie is the traditional culinary art of creating sausages, forcemeats, pates, smoked fish or meats, and other gourmet, high-protein delicacies. For hundreds of years, this specialty of the culinary arts was a mainstay of every grand hotel kitchen.

Unilever's (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.) certified master chef (CMC), Steve Jilleba, passed his CMC examination in no small part because of his expert knowledge of charcuterie. During his grueling weeklong practical examination, he repeatedly was required to demonstrate his skills in this area.

The Houston's Restaurant (Phoenix) chain features a signature smoked salmon appetizer. Another example of a low-carb small plate, this wonderful item is actually smoked in-house.

Chef Kurt Aebi, certified research chef (CRC), international corporate chef, McDonald's (Oak Brook, Ill.), has praised this item as one of his favorites. It is amazing that a fast casual restaurant is smoking its own salmon in each individual unit. A national chain restaurant practicing the classic art of charcuterie! And customers are making it one of the chain's most popular items. From Andouille (spicy, Cajun smoked pork sausage) to Weisswurst (mild German veal sausage) and from Sujuk (Lebanese beef) to smoked salmon, charcuterie is becoming a hot item on upscale menus.

Top Ten Appetizers
(by sales 2003)

1. Nachos
2. Chicken wings
3. Quesadillas
4. Shrimp
5. Chicken strips
6. Cheese sticks
7. Spinach/artichoke dip
8. Onion rings
9. Calamari
10. Potato skins

Source: Food Beat Inc.

John M. Wills, vice president of sales, Great American Appetizers Inc. (Nampa, Idaho), says he is seeing a "definite trend toward Asian flavors in hors d'oeuvres. Of course, Mexican items are still a hot trend. Mexican appetizers will continue to grow as a category. In fact, last year's biggest seller and fastest grower (nationwide) was the Stuffed Jalapeno Pepper."

Wills believes the low-carb trend has had little impact on the development of new appetizers. "People go out to eat to treat themselves ... not to diet. Plus, many appetizers are high-protein/low-carb already." However, people are beginning to seek healthier alternatives to deep fried items like French fries, cheese sticks or calamari. "We are looking for new, healthier alternatives. Cheese items have been growing rapidly in popularity. We now have a special Foccacia breading system and Mozzarella, Provolone and Gouda items that use it and are selling very well. Our hottest and newest appetizers are Garlic, Herb Cream Cheese Artichokes and Hot/Buffalo Battered Cheese Sticks. To stay in front of the developing Asian appetizer trend, we have created the Edamame Snap," he concludes.

Edamame is the entire soybean, including the pod (which is eaten). A very popular snack in Japan and Asia, this item is rapidly catching on in larger U.S. cities. A very wholesome vegetable, its protein quality is very high. Edamame has a nearly perfect balance of protein, carbohydrates and fat. This makes it an extremely appealing appetizer to those hoping to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Vegetarian Appetizers, Vegan Dieters and Raw Foods

A true vegan eats no animal products whatsoever. While many vegetarians actually do eat some types of animal protein, many eat eggs, and some also eat fish. Many, if not most, do include cheese and other dairy products in their meals. There are many varieties among vegetarian diets. However, one fact is universal in the veggie "foodie" community. Everyone who has decided to limit or eliminate animal protein from his or her menu believes that it is a much healthier way to eat. And this segment is one of the fastest growing in the U.S. The Vegetarian Resource Group (Baltimore, Md.) reports that more than half of all restaurant diners sometimes ordered a vegetarian item last year. And, among college and university students, more than 25% claim to be vegetarian. Again, this is a segment that continues to grow. Interestingly enough, the majority of vegetarians are not concerned about watching carbs or counting calories. (The elimination of animal fats and proteins also provides an overall reduction in calories and a corresponding weight loss.)