Fastest-Growing Ingredients at Full-Service Restaurants

Canadian full-service restaurants are spotlighting a variety of globally inspired ingredients, namely from regions in France, Asia and South America. Velouté takes the top spot on this list. This velvety French sauce, made by combining roux and stock, is being drizzled over vegetables, including tomatoes and peas, as well as protein options, such as chicken and fish. For a sweet application, operators are combining it with caramel for a pie filling.

Adobo is on the rise across Canadian FSR menus. This salty and garlicky seasoning is appearing on menus with proteins such as chicken, ribs and fish. Adobo is also showing up in tacos and burritos as a seasoning.

Chile peppers are also growing on Canadian menus. Green chiles are prematurely harvested, which gives them a hotter flavour profile. Green chiles are menued mostly in global applications, including in Vietnamese dishes with green chile sauce and in Indian curry. Green chile sauce is also drizzled over Mexican options, including burritos, fajitas and enchiladas. Red chiles are harvested when mature, making them sweeter. They are being menued as pizza toppings and in sauces for chicken wings.

Tapioca—a South American starch extracted from the cassava plant—is also rising across FSR menus. It is most often menued in boba drinks as pearls but is also being served in cracker form to complement fish entrees.