Stateside Inspiration - Ethnic food turns mainstream

Stateside Inspiration by Lisa Chafel, managing director, Food Stuff Ltd

Ethnic turns mainstream

Whether in one of the new "Fast Casual" concepts, a typical chain or top gourmet restaurant, what were once considered

"ethnic" foods and flavours have now become part of the mainstream in American dining. Maybe it's because of the diverse ethnic makeup that has made America the melting pot it is, but we seem to have very few qualms about adopting and adapting what we like from other cultures into our own.

On the menus of most American chains you will undoubtedly find some derivative of Mexican or Chinese cuisine - and

sometimes a combination of the two. Take for example the ever-popular Cheesecake Factory's Tex Mex Egg Roll - a starter of spicy chicken, corn, black beans, peppers, onions and melted cheese, served with avocado cream and salsa.

Nowhere is this trend more evident than in New York where second generation Chinese are "hyphenating" restaurant offerings to feature the likes of Chinese-Cuban, Chinese-Indian and Chinese-Jamaican.

Americans have grown so familiar with ethnic foods that ingredients such as coriander, cardamom, curry, and wasabi show up in the most all-American of dishes. Diners are now becoming so used to these once exotic flavours, that chefs have to be creative to keep things from getting boring.

One Denver Colorado-based restaurant, Vesta Dipping Grill, offers more than 30 different sauces as dips to go with mains. Preparation methods for the proteins are mostly grilled and customers can choose three dipping sauces to complement each main course. These range from traditional to more fanciful, ethnic combinations. This unique dipping

concept offers a fun, exciting way for customers to try different foods and experiment with different flavours.

Like the UK's emphasis on Asian flavours, US chains are taking more ingredient tips from the Orient with items like salmon and chicken being marinated or glazed in miso, sugar, garlic and chilli paste before grilling.

Meanwhile, Mexican variations continue to grow and we see chillies are all over the places, especially the roasted chipotle. Popular in chains and on the supermarket shelves, are new forms of Mexican that go beyond the burrito. We see "Fresh Mex" that is a fresher, healthier variation using

more authentic ingredients and preparations.

There are also newly discovered variations, such as taquitos - tightly rolled tortillas with chicken, beef or bean fillings - and empanadas, a more South American, small pasty-type item that can be filled with meat, seafood or vegetables.

New research from international market analyst, Datamonitor, confirms that Brits top the European charts when it come to their love of ethnic foods. In packaged foods, ready-meals or eating out, experts predict curry, Chinese and Mexican consumption will continue to grow as people demand better-tasting, stronger-flavoured and more authentic food.

We've seen pubs feature Asian and Thai food for some time now, but what is the next step? If America is anything to go by, customers will be looking for that next level of ethnic flavours and ingredients to interest them - maybe authenticity is the way but most likely it will be a new kind of hybrid that sits comfortably between British tastes and its ethnic origins.

Sources: Restaurants & Institutions, Flavor & the Menu Spring 2005, www.flavoronline.com. Datamonitor 9 September 2005; www.cheesecakefactory.com; New York Times, 21 September 2005, "Craving Hyphenated Chinese"