Restaurant are always coming up with new and exciting menus to keep their patrons interested and engaged. But where do these ideas come from? What goes into creating a menu that not only tastes good but is also visually appealing?

Behind the scenes, there is a lot of work that goes into developing a restaurant’s latest menu. The chef, sous chef and other members of the culinary team spend hours brainstorming ideas, testing and refining recipes, and sourcing the highest-quality ingredients. In the end, the menu that diners see is the product of months of hard work.

One of the first steps in creating a new menu is identifying the inspiration behind it. This may be a specific cuisine or cooking technique. An ingredient that has piqued the chef’s interest, or a seasonal availability of produce. Once the inspiration is identified, the team will begin to research and experiment with recipes and ingredients that fit their vision.

For example, a Mexican-inspired restaurant may be looking to spice things up with a new menu item. The team may begin researching traditional Mexican dishes such as mole and then experiment with different ways to incorporate it into the menu. This could involve adding it as a sauce or marinade to a protein, incorporating it into a soup or stew or incorporating it into a vegetarian dish.

At the same time, the team will also be thinking about presentation. Good food is not just about taste. But also about how it looks on the plate. This means thinking about colours, textures and the overall appearance of the dish. The team may experiment with plating techniques. Such as arranging ingredients in a way that is visually appealing or using decorative elements to make each dish stand out.

Once the menu has been developed, the team will then move on to sourcing their ingredients. This can be a challenge since a restaurant needs to maintain consistent quality throughout the year. They will have to consider factors like seasonality, sourcing options and availability of ingredients. Over time they will have established relationships with a number of suppliers. And they will work hard to maintain these relationships to get the best possible produce for their dishes.

Finally, it’s time to bring the menu to life in the kitchen. This is where the chef and the team will work together to ensure that each menu item is cooked to perfection. During the early stages, the team will experiment with different cooking techniques and cooking times to create dishes that not only taste great but are also cooked to perfection. This may involve grilling, baking, frying or any other technique that allows the chef to get the best out of their ingredients.

In conclusion, creating a new menu takes hard work and creativity. It’s a process that involves research, experimentation and collaboration between the chef, the culinary team and the suppliers. At every stage, there is a focus on creating dishes that not only taste great but look great too. So the next time you’re dining out, take a moment to appreciate the work that went into creating the menu. It’s a labour of love that deserves recognition.