NEW NORDIC - DataSsential

MARCH 2014 FoodBytes
NEW NORDIC
THE SURPRISING RISE OF A CUISINE
A TOPICAL TREND REPORT FROM
Fish air-­‐drying on racks on Norway’s Lofoten Island. MARCH 2014 FoodBytes
FRESH, SIMPLE FLAVORS
WHEN NORDIC CHEFS BANDED TOGETHER TO CREATE A
NEW CULINARY PHILOSOPHY, THE WORLD TOOK NOTICE
As Claus Meyer, Denmark’s most well-­‐known food personality and an originator of the New Nordic Cuisine movement, tells it, for many years his home market could best be described as “unambi'ous.” The finest restaurants in the region were leaning on “French foie gras, Spanish ham, and Italian olive oil.” Indeed, for many years if you asked an American consumer what Nordic countries had contributed to the na'onal diet the answer might begin and end at “Swedish fish,” and whether they were referring to smoked salmon or the gummy red candies was a toss-­‐up. To most of the world, it was a region of austerity and preserva'on. But, in the past decade the percep'on of Nordic cuisine has changed, due in no small part to noma, the Copenhagen restaurant Meyer helped found, and the accompanying “New Nordic Kitchen Manifesto.” Now Nordic cuisine is simultaneously revered for its simplicity and inven'veness, where foraged wild herbs and vegetables are hand-­‐tweezed onto stark, flavorful dishes, exemplifying the trend towards clean, ingredient-­‐driven cuisine. Stateside, today’s innova've chefs are looking to their Nordic colleagues to discover how to make the most of every ingredient, no maTer the climate, and staples of the Nordic menu diet have become on-­‐trend dishes on menus across the country: house-­‐pickled vegetables, whole-­‐grain breads, seafood charcuterie, ciders, house-­‐cured meats, unusual root vegetables – the list goes on. In this month’s issue of FoodBytes, your free Datassen'al TrendSpoWng Report, we bring you an overview of New Nordic Cuisine, from the movement’s background, to an interview with Meyer, to the ways American operators are adop'ng these flavors and ingredients on their own menus. And this is just a small preview of the in-­‐depth trend research we will bring you in our upcoming Datassen'al World Bites: Nordic Countries TrendSpoWng Report, which we will be sent to subscribers in April. Cover Photo: SKÁL, a restaurant and cocktail bar in New York City. 2
datassen'al.com | 888-­‐556-­‐3687 MANIFESTO FOR THE
NEW NORDIC KITCHEN
As Nordic chefs we find that the Eme has now come for us to create a New Nordic Kitchen, which in virtue of its good taste and special character compares favorably with the standard of the greatest kitchens of the world. The aims of New Nordic Cuisine are: 1.  To express the purity, freshness, simplicity and ethics we wish to associate with our region. 2.  To reflect the changing of the seasons in the meals we make. 3.  To base our cooking on ingredients and produce whose characteris'cs are par'cularly excellent in our climates, landscapes and waters. 4.  To combine the demand for good taste with modern knowledge of health and well-­‐being. 5.  To promote Nordic products and the variety of Nordic producers – and to spread the word about their underlying cultures. 6.  To promote animal welfare and a sound produc'on process in our seas, on our farmland and in the wild. 7.  To develop poten'ally new applica'ons of tradi'onal Nordic food products. 8.  To combine the best in Nordic cookery and culinary tradi'ons with impulses from abroad. 9.  To combine local self-­‐sufficiency with regional sharing of high-­‐quality products. 10.  To join forces with consumer representa'ves, other cooking craasmen, agriculture, the fishing, food, retail and wholesale industries, researchers, teachers, poli'cians and authori'es on this project for the benefit and advantage of everyone in the Nordic countries. MARCH 2014 FoodBytes
Noma, located in Copenhagen, Denmark, was named the “Best Restaurant in the World” for three years running. WHAT IS NEW
NORDIC CUISINE?
To many, New Nordic cuisine is defined by a single restaurant – noma. With chef Rene Redzepi at the helm, noma put New Nordic cuisine on the map, drawing diners from around the world to an old warehouse on the city’s waterfront to taste his team’s interpreta'ons of classic Nordic food, u'lizing ingredients na've to the region, which oaen means featuring ingredients hand-­‐foraged by the noma team from the Danish countryside and shore. Less than 10 months aaer opening noma, Redzepi and co-­‐
founder Claus Meyer organized “The Nordic Cuisine Symposium,” in which chefs and other food professionals from the region came together to create the “New Nordic Kitchen Manifesto,” redefining “the contours of a new Nordic cuisine.” The Manifesto calls aTen'on to the region’s diverse landscape, both wild and cul'vated – mushrooms, wild berries, cold water fish, cheeses, reindeer – in an area with a surprisingly temperate, though always-­‐fluctua'ng, climate. The recommenda'ons were widely adopted by the governments of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway, turning the region into a true global culinary des'na'on. WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
“NORDIC” AND “SCANDINAVIAN”?
The “Nordic countries” are made up of five countries – Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden – and their associated territories and islands, which includes Greenland, an autonomous country within Denmark. “Scandinavia” is oaen used more loosely, and some'mes synonymously with “Nordic,” but tradi'onally refers to only Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, making “Scandinavia” a subset of the “Nordic” region. 3
datassen'al.com | 888-­‐556-­‐3687 MARCH 2014 FoodBytes
CLAUS MEYER: THE FATHER OF
NEW NORDIC CUISINE
As the author of 14 cookbooks, host of numerous cooking shows, owner/co-­‐owner of a wide range of food companies, and a co-­‐founder of noma, the Copenhagen restaurant ranked the best in the world by Restaurant magazine three years in a row, Claus Meyer is one of the most well-­‐known food personaliNes in Scandinavia. He is also a Nreless advocate for Nordic cuisine; in 2004, he gathered a group of chefs to spearhead the Manifesto for New Nordic Cuisine, which aimed to create ideals that Nordic cuisine should embrace – freshness, purity, seasonality, local ingredients, health, cooperaNon, etc. For DatassenNal’s upcoming April issue of World Bites: Nordic Cuisine, we asked Meyer to reflect on his work and how Nordic flavors and ingredients might translate to the American plate. Here is an excerpt from that interview: DATASSENTIAL: This year will mark the 10-­‐year anniversary of the New Nordic Kitchen Manifesto, in which you set out to re-­‐envision and transform Nordic culinary culture -­‐-­‐ no small task. In that 'me, what impact do you think the Manifesto and Nordic cuisine, ingredients, and flavors have had on global, and American, cuisine? MEYER: From my point of view, the Nordic Cuisine revolu'on or transforma'on definitely has influenced cooking, essen'ally fine dining, globally. We embarked on our endeavor in 2003 when 99% of all celebrity chefs paid liTle or no aTen'on to issues such as sustainability, healthiness, biodiversity or equality. Everything was about deliciousness and increasingly about science. This at a point where nature, if not our civiliza'on, is facing a severe risk of collapsing. D: Are there any foods or flavors that you, personally, feel are quintessen'ally Nordic? M: That a produce is quintessen'ally Nordic literally means that it is rooted in our landscapes and in our history, liTle if at all influenced by mankind, at best found nowhere or almost nowhere else and that it acquires a unique taste because it grows exactly here. Greenlandic Mosc ox living from what grows on the tundra, some of our ancient grain varie'es, or wild blueberries from the forests of northern Sweden, Norway or northern Finland are preTy good examples of this. D: You have done a lot to change the global concep'on of Nordic cuisine, but what do you s'll wish the world knew? If you were to select an element of Nordic cuisine that you think would be most readily accepted/adopted by Americans, what would that be? M: I am preTy sure Americans would love the casual and engaging element of our ways, and I believe that at least a large number of American ci'zens -­‐-­‐ but by nature and, because of related issues, not all -­‐-­‐ would embrace our bread and our roast pork sandwiches. I am curious to understand if you would love our wholegrain risoTo style porridges and our open faced (rye bread) sandwiches. D: What do you like to drink? Can you tell us what is really exci'ng in regard to beer, wine, liqueurs, etc. in Nordic countries? M: I like the cold-­‐pressed must [Ed. Note: Must is fruit juice pressed from the en're fruit – skins, seeds, stems, etc.] from apples from old low-­‐yielding apple trees. I like the cider and the double-­‐fermented (Champagne-­‐style) wine you can make from that must. I like good beer. Who does not? I love birch sap in the month of March and April, unpasteurized straight from the trees. I like a couple of the Danish grape-­‐based white wines – I love good wines from any wine producing country. I always drink local wine, locally. I love tea made from meadowsweet, elderflower, chamomile, mint, Spanish chervil, douglas fir, blueberry leaves, dried quinces and other delicacies you can harvest in our nature. For the full interview, including Meyer’s feelings on whether American operators can offer true Nordic cuisine, as well as his favorite Nordic-­‐inspired restaurants in the U.S., see our upcoming April issue of World Bites: Nordic Cuisine. If you don’t subscribe to this globe-­‐spanning TrendSpo<ng Report, c o n t a c t M a e v e W e b s t e r a t 3 1 2 -­‐ 6 5 5 -­‐ 0 5 9 6 o r maeve@datassenNal.com today to subscribe. Note: This interview has been condensed and edited. 4
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TRY SOMETHING NEW
The surprising variety found in Nordic cuisine means you can find something in common with many of the flavors and dishes American consumers already enjoy. The chart below tracks some tradiNonal Nordic flavors that can take well-­‐
known flavors to the next, more adventurous, level. A`er all, it wasn’t long ago that gnocchi and quinoa were considered strange and unusual new ingredients. DO YOU KNOW?
TRY:
RÖSTI
Like hash browns, rös' are grated and fried potatoes, oaen served in small “nests” or sliced into wedges. Addi'ons/toppings include bacon, egg, cheese, smoked salmon, and sour cream. CRANBERRY
LINGONBERRY
A cousin to the cranberry, these tart berries can be made into jams, syrups, sauces, wines, and ice creams, or served as a sweet/tart accompaniment to wild game meats. OPEN-FACED
SANDWICH
SMØRREBRØD/
SMÖRGÅSAR
These oaen-­‐elaborately decorated, open-­‐faced sandwiches tradi'onally top a base of buTered rye bread with a variety of toppings, including shrimp, roast beef, pate, vegetables, and herbs. JUNIPER
The primary flavoring in gin, juniper has a pine taste that pairs well with lamb, pork, and game meats, though it can also infuse sauces, jams, drinks, and desserts. SKYR
Popularized by the yogurt company “Siggi’s” as “Icelandic-­‐style yogurt,” skyr (technically a cheese) is generally even thicker than Greek yogurt, making it a rich yet fat-­‐free indulgence. PØLSE
The ubiquitous fast food of Nordic countries, pølse are oaen long, bright red pork sausages eaten with any number of condiments and with/on buns or potato flatbread (lompe). HASH BROWNS/
TATER TOTS
ROSEMARY
GREEK YOGURT
HOT DOG
5
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Bachelor Farmer’s Swedish meatballs, with potato puree, lingonberries, and pickled cucumbers Mussels with smoked pork, sauerkraut, and beer at FIKA, in Minneapolis “Grilled Pear” at New York’s ACME NYC NOTABLE OPERATORS
Operators in both Minneapolis, with its Scandinavian heritage, and always-­‐on-­‐trend New York are taking inspiraNon from New Nordic cuisine, using local (o`en foraged) ingredients in modern, invenNve ways. THE BACHELOR FARMER
Featured in our November 2013 issue of Dine Around: Minneapolis/St. Paul, The Bachelor Farmer may be the most well-­‐known restaurant in the Twin Ci'es, serving Nordic farmhouse cuisine (there is even a farm on the roof) that ranges from a cabbage salad with chopped egg, pickled onion, Parmesan, and toasted pain de mie to grilled pheasant with pork belly and lacinato kale to a Sunday brunch featuring a full smørrebrød (open-­‐
faced sandwich) menu. FIKA
Also covered in Dine Around, FIKA, located in Minneapolis’ American Swedish Ins'tute, refers to the tradi'onal Swedish daily coffee break. The affordable-­‐yet-­‐upscale menu includes a number of smörgåsar (Swedish open-­‐faced sandwich) op'ons, entrees like meatballs with juniper, and a wide selec'on of baked goods, including Swedish cardamom rolls. AQUAVIT
New York’s Aquavit has been serving up Scandinavian-­‐inspired cuisine since 1987, and helped launch the career of celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson, who became the youngest chef to earn three Michelin stars during his tenure at the restaurant. For lunch the restaurant serves an a la carte menu of Scandinavian classics, like gravlax and Swedish meatballs, while dinner features tas'ng menus with dishes like Squab Ro' and Onion Family and Skrei Cod with Fermented Cabbage. ACME NYC
ACME calls itself a “New American” bistro with “subtle Nordic influences,” from Danish chef and noma co-­‐founder Mads Refslund. The menu features dishes like a Cod Tart with truffle and cured egg yolk; Grilled Oysters with pine, parsley, and dill; and a brunch featuring Beer & Bread Porridge with salted caramel ice cream, Bison Tartare with roasted rye bread and sunchoke chips, and a pastry basket filled with coffee cake, fennel madeleines, and fresh fruit ebelskivers (tradi'onal Danish filled pancakes). AT MAJOR CHAINS
Atlanta Bread Co. has featured lingonberry on both their Turkey Berry Brie on Asiago Focaccia sandwich and their Lingonberry Cream Cheese Croissant LTOs, while IHOP’s Classic Roasted Turkey Dinner, introduced last year, was served with lingonberry jam, which is also served in their Swedish Crepes. The associa'on with fresh seafood means many chains denote the Nordic origins of their fish: P.F. Chang’s, Abuelo’s, California Pizza Kitchen, and Outback Steakhouse have all menued Norwegian salmon, while Denny’s and Uno Chicago Bar & Grill menued Icelandic haddock and cod. And Swedish furniture chain IKEA con'nues to be a dining des'na'on in its own right – the company es'mated they would sell 150 million Swedish meatballs to their 700 million guests last year. 6
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HUNGRY
FOR MORE?
This is just a small taste of the research and data we have collected in order to make accurate, data-­‐backed trend iden'fica'ons. Now let Datassen'al take you deeper into the implica'ons of these trends and what they mean for your company. We can take you behind the data that shows how restaurant menus are shrinking and morphing, show you an in-­‐depth look at the surprising demographic data on consumers (including Millennials) that informed these trends, and show you real-­‐world examples of every trend covered. And it’s all backed by the industry’s most accurate and trusted menu database, MenuTrends, and the industry’s largest operator research panel, OPERA. To start puWng these trends to work for you, contact Datassen'al today: 1-­‐888-­‐556-­‐3687 info@datassenEal.com 7
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A MAJORITY OF CONSUMERS SAY
THEIR TASTES ARE SHAPED BY THEIR
RESTAURANT EXPERIENCES
What’s happening on the menu today can
be a leading indicator of tomorrow’s food
trends.
Datassen'al MenuTrends tracks 7,000 dis'nct US restaurants and over one 1 million menu items. Because the database is designed to mirror the US restaurant census by segment, region, and menu type, MenuTrends is the only system that offers true projectable data. All segments and cuisine types are tracked extensively – from food trucks to fine dining. MenuTrends INSIDER is also updated every month with Limited Time Offers (LTOs) and other new menu ac'vity, with product photos that bring the lis'ngs to life. And with thousands of ready-­‐to-­‐use reports and simple trend detec'on tools, you can jump right into the database, iden'fying, measuring, and predic'ng the food and flavor trends that maTer to your business. Call us today to begin using the food industry’s authorita've resource for flavor trends. Call Jack Li at 310-­‐922-­‐6299 or email jack@datassenEal.com. 8
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TOPICS COVERED IN LAST MONTH’S
TRENDSPOTTING REPORTS
ON THE MENU
DINE AROUND: BOSTON
In February’s On the Menu, we looked at classic French flavors in lavender and frog legs, flavor trends at both ends of the MAC with orgeat and dark chocolate, and regional favorites lobster rolls and pimento cheese spread. And in our coverage of new menu items and LTOs, we looked at meals for two, red velvet, and decadent new dishes. UPCOMING:
We cover togarishi, bobarga, broccolini, negronis, gelato, and fresh-­‐squeezed juice. In February’s Dine Around, we traveled to Boston, a city where chefs are taking food seriously, but oaen serving it in a casual environment. We checked out tradi'onal favorites, like oysters and anadama bread, and new trends and flavors, from a vegan QSR to a Turkish “tavern” serving up small plates to a producer trying to reinvent microwave popcorn. UPCOMING: We check out the tropical flavors of Honolulu. WORLD BITES: PERU
CREATIVE CONCEPTS:
FAST CASUAL PIZZA
In World Bites, we sought out the abundant variety of flavors and dishes found in Peru, a diverse cuisine now being showcased across the country by superstar chefs. We found on-­‐trend flavors a n d d i s h e s l i k e r a w fi s h preparaEons, cheesy sauces, and quinoa; a street food dessert that scored high with Millennials; and a chicken dish that scored 96 out of 100 on an index of market interest. In February’s Crea've Concepts, we took an in-­‐depth look at the operators jumping into the fast-­‐
growing fast casual pizza market, with an in-­‐depth look at six operators, nine quick profiles, e x t e n s i v e t r e n d o v e r v i e w , consumer awareness and appeal data for both menu items and toppings, and over 35 menu item examples. UPCOMING: We look at the operators who are creaEng demand by serving up extremely limited Eme offers. UPCOMING: We search for the authenEc dishes and ingredients in Nordic cuisine. 9
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