Fastest-Growing Flavours at Full-Service Restaurants

Spicy choices, global options and bold flavours are all increasing at Canadian full serves, adding variety and excitement to these menus.

Shiso, an aromatic herb with a citrusy taste, tops the list of fastest-growing flavours at Canadian FSRs. The Japanese herb is appearing in sushi and sashimi. Another Japanese flavour increasing on Canadian full-service menus is wasabi. The plant is most often made into a spicy green condiment, which is frequently served alongside sushi.

Yet another global flavour rising on these menus is yuzu, an East Asian citrus fruit with a tart taste. The sour fruit is appearing across mealparts, in nonalcohol beverages, desserts and seafood entrees.

Lemon-herb is also growing at Canadian FSRs. The flavour combo is popping up on menus as a fresh, bright complement to proteins such as chicken and salmon. Shiso, yuzu and lemon-herb are all citrusy, so this is clearly a flavour profile on the rise, as three of the top five fastest-growers fall within this category.

Another one of the fastest-growing flavours on full-service menus is smoked Gouda. This variant of Gouda cheese is most often appearing on burgers. This is an example of utilizing a preparation style, such as smoked, to add a new flavour profile to dishes.