Being at The Flavor Experience, I'm late on my #MondaySparks but the inspiration is all around out here! 1. We visited Lala in Little Italy last night, and that place is just brimming with character, an authentic brand voice, great service and good food. It's a very '70s meets 2024 vibe. When they brough the check, it was delivered in a metal cigarette case and when the check was brought back each guest at the table was given candy cigarettes. It was fun end that so fit the feel of the place. And, we had just been talking about how operators could activate against the idea of Swedish candy. These weren't Swedish but it was a great way to take unique candy that was on brand and leave guests with a great final experience before leaving. 2. The food at the showcases has been really fantastic. It's hard to call out all of the amazing tastes and experiences, but one that absolutely must be mentioned was the watermelon peanut butter sandwich from National Watermelon Promotion Board and Chef Rebecca Peizer CEC CHE. Pairing pressed watermelon with a Thai inspired peanut butter sauce on pillowy bread was a revelation. Fruit often gets overlooked and relegated to salads or sides but leveraging unique preparations to alter the texture and potential application can open up completely new avenues of innovation. 3. Mike Kostyo gave a great breakout session today on the use of AI. He's becoming a bit of an expert in this area but the degree to which AI can act as a powerful innovation support tool is limitless. It's not a solution, but that element that will break through boundaries you didn't know were limiting the way you were thinking about innovation and give you permission to approach problem solving from directions you may never have considered. Ultimately, it gives you and your team permission to flip the scrip and look forward rather than looking back. #menumattersllc #innovation #trends2024 #foodandbeverageindustry #foodandbeverage #foodservice #restaurants #cpg
Both dinner, the candy and the Brunch were so lovely shared with you! Thank you!
VP, Menu Innovation, Perkins & Huddle House Restaurants
4moSo many of us use AI more because of Mike Kostyo — I had to miss his talk and can’t wait to get a copy. Great to see you! ❤️