Use condiments to add flavour magic

Add a little magic with a range of condiments, herbs, spices and sauces to make your dishes sing

With rising costs on everyone's minds, wouldn't it be great if there was some sort of magic dust chefs could sprinkle on diners' plates that would boost the margin on the meal and leave the customer in raptures over how delicious the food was.

Perhaps it could transport the customer back to a favourite holiday destination or evoke a treasured childhood memory. And maybe it could also help reduce wastage in the kitchen, or make the customer feel that they were leaving the restaurant in a healthier shape than when they arrived.

The answer has probably been staring at you from your kitchen cupboard all along. In the right hands herbs, spices and condiments can elevate a meal from bland to blimey. Flavours can be delivered in a multitude of formats, from marinades to table sauces, chutneys or sprinkles. So, what flavour influences and spices, herbs and condiments should operators be looking at to spice up everyone's life?

Well travelled

Chefs should make the most of bold and varied flavours from around the globe, which can help drive appeal and enhance the value of a dish for consumers, the annual McCormick Flavour Forecast for 2022 recommends.

The global flavour company's report quotes Lumina Intelligence [December 2021], which suggests that flavours from Moroccan and Caribbean cuisine are picking up as a trend, while Japanese and Hawaiian food continues to grow, with the likes of Thai and Korean dishes becoming more established.

Caterer BaxterStorey's director of food Greg Bramwell meanwhile tips flavour combinations including Lebanese and other Middle Eastern cuisines such as Iraqi, Cypriot, and Israeli as on trend.

"These days people demand more from their food; they want the full sensory experience from smell and texture as well as taste. From this, we're seeing a transition to more culturally diverse foods, including Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine," he says.

In terms of condiments, "emerging trends in restaurants have included kimchi from Korean cuisine, as well as pickles and sauerkraut, which have been driven by an increased interest in Scandinavian and Northern European dishes," says Charlie Holland, marketing manager at Vadasz, part of the Compleat Food Group.

Across the board, a key trend in flavours is that dishes must embrace heat, according to McCormick, making chilli peppers a "hot" topic, says Ian Craddock, senior research chef. "Consumers, as well as chefs, are more discerning than ever, understanding that the strength and variety of a chilli pepper can have a big impact on the final dish. When it comes to hot sauces and the different chillies used to create these, it is no different."

It is a point that Ian Nottage, head of food development at Sysco Speciality Group echoes. "Recipes are becoming more specific and moving away from the standard ‘red' or ‘green' chilli with more attention paid to the different attributes of a chilli from a taste perspective," he says.

Cholula Hot Sauce, a Mexican hot sauce made with a blend of árbol and piquín peppers, has recently been launched by McCormick in a 1.89 litre foodservice format. By listing it in dish descriptors, operators have an opportunity to command a premium price point, Craddock suggests.

Meanwhile, flavours are being delivered in new formats as well as the traditional, for example flavoured salts are an incoming trend, reports Tom Styman-Heighton, development chef at Funnybones Foodservice. The salts can be sprinkled on top of cooked dishes, such as chips, roasted veg and burgers, used in marinades or added to mayonnaise to create dips, he says.

Funnybones recently introduced vegan Hickory Bacon Salt and Cheezey mature cheese flavour in a salty sprinkle. These make it easy to add some oomph to your menu, Styman-Heighton says.

Fresh thinking

Over the years decorative and flavourful micro herbs have come into their own, such as butterfly sorrel, amaranth oyster leaves and apple blossom, reports Ian Nottage at Sysco.

"A word of caution though, it's easy to get carried away and sling handfuls on a plate because they look colourful. But always think about the flavour and whether the leaf actually pairs with the main element of the dish, otherwise it will be ruined," he says.

Chutney is another on-trend format, as a condiment that can potentially help reduce wastage while also adding value to dishes, suppliers report. To help reduce food waste some manufacturers are using ‘wonky' fruit and vegetables in their condiments and sauces, while others are looking to send a positive message to consumers by sourcing ingredients locally as this can mean fewer food miles, says Rachel Shoosmith, marketing manager at Creative Foods.

Charlotte Rouse, head of operations at BaxterStorey's Fuel Experiences business, comments: "We're seeing more awareness for reducing our food waste, and our chefs are always developing menus to use as much of our ingredients as possible. We've created an amazing melon rind chutney that incorporates garlic, ginger and chilli flakes. It's perfect with cheese and crackers, in sandwiches and burgers and even on chips."

There has been a huge increase in demand for pickles, slaws and ferments at the company's Fresh Kitchen facility, comments Ian Nottage, head of food development at Sysco.

"These items represent a real opportunity for chefs to create a point of difference on the menu, whether they are used as an accompaniment to a main dish or as an integral part of an on-trend street food option."

Charlie Holland at Vadasz also notes a real interest from consumers in ferments and fermented condiments in particular, stating that growing trends for plant-based eating and natural products which offer functional benefits such as promoting gut health are playing out here.

"Vadasz's range of pickles and ferments can transform a large variety of dishes, from sandwiches, including the on-trend kimchi ‘kimcheese' toastie, to burgers. Vadasz's kimchi is being used by chefs to elevate bowl food and add an extra zing to poke bowls, as a simple way of adding value to a dish."

Condiments are also a great way to make plant-based food more favoursome, for example by adding a chilli and plant-based mayonnaise to a Middle Eastern falafel and chip wrap.

Health kick

And on the topic of healthy eating options, the out of home sector should be offering healthier alternatives to salt, that original gangster of the spice rack, urges Caroline Klinge, director at LoSalt. Lower salt options need to be available front of house to encourage healthier choices, and chefs should also be doing everything possible back of house to develop and cook low-sodium meals.

As well as healthier options, consumers are also embracing products with a more natural backstory, says Rachel Shoosmith at Creative Foods: "Consumers are looking for high-quality products that contain wild ingredients, which they perceive to be better for both themselves and the planet. Wild garlic is a great example and we can expect to see it feature in more and more condiments."

The use of herbs and spices can add margin to a full range of side dishes and nibbles as well as the obvious main dishes, says Rouse at Fuel. Baking bread from scratch has great creative appeal especially when you add various herbs and spices. Allspice, she suggests, is a great ingredient for sweet breads, and aniseed is perfect for regional breads from Italy and Germany. The focaccia can be dressed up using spices and herbs to create a unique bread.

Spicing things up can also help reclaim ingredients that might otherwise go to waste, says Rouse, for example, saving the chicken fat from your Sunday roast and combining it with rosemary makes a delicious savoury focaccia.

Meanwhile, while being experimental with flavours is very much the order of the day, it is important to remember that consumers also value familiar tastes. Everyone has their favourite table sauce and the provision of these is vital to the enjoyment of a simple dish like chips, says Tom Styman-Heighton at Funnybones Foodservice.

"Diners can be picky about brands and varieties of sauces, so operators need to select their range carefully, ensuring they have considered the preferences of their customers," he says. Table sauces can add an authentic touch to the serve. For example, a true American hot dog needs to be served with smooth yellow American mustard, Styman-Heighton comments.

As consumer trends for more diverse flavours grow, Heinz Professional mayonnaise can be used to enhance dishes behind the scenes, and carry flavours whilst retaining its smooth texture even through high heat, says Chloé Schiltz, brand manager, Kraft Heinz Foodservice.

From crowd-pleasers to fine dining, the right choice of sauces, spice and herbs showcases the ingredients and adds value all round. The question for the chef is, how can you take things to the next level, from tasty to taste sensation?