World Cuisine Using Seasonal Foods is a Restaurant's Bread & Butter

July 20, 2020

While it is sometimes difficult to predict the next big culinary craze, chefs and restaurateurs agree that global cuisine will be a hot industry trendin 2020 and beyond. From South Korean street food, to Polish pierogies, to Venezuelan arepas, international dishes and bold ingredients are popping up on menus everywhere. 

Help boost restaurant sales and increase your client base by tapping into this industry trend. Double down on customer cravings, and pack your menu with fresh, seasonal ingredients. Looking to help save on food costs and incorporate world flavors into your menu? Wholesale restaurant food suppliers provide affordable and high-quality specialty foods and ingredients in bulk. What’s more? They have a wealth of seasonal wholesale produce to maximize your menu.  

How Can Wholesale Restaurant Supply Stores Enhance Your International Menu? 

Global cuisine often implies hard-to-find spices and ingredients, which can drive up food costs. Embracing a globally inspired menu, however, doesn’t have to break the bank or require a trip across the pond for ingredients. You can easily purchase unique, wholesale meat and seafood, like Star Ranch Angus Beef Tenderloin or wild caught Northwest shrimp, to enhance any of your restaurant’s globally inspired dishes. 

Plus, you will find a wealth of spices, from allspice to turmeric, so you can create your own signature blend for pennies. To really take your menus to the next level, incorporate seasonal ingredients from your wholesale restaurant supply store into all your menu items. Don’t be afraid to tweak global dishes and translate them for your region by using local products.  

Why Should You Shop Around the Seasons? 

In recent years restaurant owners have adjusted their menus to focus on seasonality and meet the demands of their customer base. Patrons are increasingly interested in clean, fresh ingredients and seasonal menus offer just that. Seasonal items are fresher, taste better, and can cost less than items out of season. That’s not all! Check out these other benefits to incorporating seasonal, local ingredients: 

Increase customer base by offering rotating menus. Switching up your menu based on seasonal items creates new reasons for guests to frequent your establishment. Instead of set menus, customers can discover new flavors and dishes with the changing of the seasons! 

Seasonal menus allow for more marketing capabilities. Fresh, vibrant ingredients, like summer tomatoes, are begging to be photographed and posted on social media. Cooking seasonally allows you to highlight your new menus and feature pics of your beautiful products multiple times a year. You can even design a creative marketing campaign around your seasonally acquired bounty. 

Purchasing ingredients in season is more cost effective. Restaurant owners know that saving on food costs is crucial to maintaining profits. Buying wholesale produce in the peak of its season can save you dollars because the items are more readily available. Purchasing local produce, like Oregon berries in the summer or Washington apples in the fall, can save you even more in food costs. Plus, you know that the items are picked at their prime, so you don’t have to worry about spoilage.  

Combining seasonal items with the bold flavors of international cuisine allows you to take advantage of both trends at once. Here are just a few global food trend ideas with a seasonal twist: 

• Give the Eastern European favorite, cherry vareniki, a Northwest attitude with the addition of Rainier cherries. 
• Highlight the sweet flavor of Walla Walla onions in a classic Alsatian onion tart. 
• Turn those gorgeous summer tomatoes into a sizzling shakshuka.  

Seasonal ingredients and specialty food items are readily available at your wholesale restaurant food supply store. Why not try adding a little world cuisine flair to local ingredients? You will provide customers what they crave and help save on food costs. 

Looking for a Local Wholesale Restaurant Food Supplier with Seasonal Products and International ingredients? 

US Foods CHEF'STORE is your go-to for international ingredients and local, seasonal items. Our aisles and online store are bursting with high-quality products to inspire your next menu. Don’t forget to check out our fresh produce, featuring some of the best fruits and vegetables from the region. We also offer restaurant grocery delivery right to your kitchen via Instacart and Shipt. Set up an account today and get ready to expand your menu with global flair and seasonal delights.

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