Cooking with Custom Culinary®️

Consumers are looking at the world of food differently, steering away from ultra-processed foods and becoming more interested in sustainable, cleaner ingredients. As low- or no-carb diet fads wane, consumers are more than willing to revisit quality carbohydrates, carefully adding them back into their daily diets to fuel the body. Join Chef Reilly as he digs deeper into this 2022 trend.

Restaurants are getting more eco-conscious and making changes to reduce their negative impact on the planet. By reducing waste, your restaurant can position itself as an eco-friendly brand, help the planet, be more profitable and sustainable. Join Chef Manno as he shares some insights on Waste management.

Now more than ever, consumers want to escape. But it may not be feasible to book a trip to a far-flung destination at this time. Is there another way to satisfy that wanderlust? Luckily, new retail and menu offerings will allow consumers to travel the world with their taste buds! While pandemic eating concentrated mainly on comfort food and nostalgic ingredients, consumers have become more adventurous, craving global flavors of all kinds. Join Chef Michael Hornback as he takes us on the "Take Me Away" journey. 

Snacking is here to stay! The lines between dayparts are blurring, and one reason may be that consumers’ eating habits have been shifting away from full-size meals to more frequent middle-of-the-day snacks. Smaller meals can capitalize on convenience and portability for on-the-go eaters while meeting consumer demand for snackable options that satiate. Join Chef David as he takes us on a Snacking Way of Life journey.

Creating a more sustainable food system requires awareness, cooperation and action across the supply chain. Farmers, chefs, retailers, restaurants and consumers are working together to combat unnecessary food waste through upcycling and creative use of byproducts. Join Chef Michael as he discusses the repurposing of food, eliminating food waste, and helping drive a positive impact on the planet.

Buckle up, because this trend is all about the total experience that food provides—flavor is just one delightful stop along the way. It’s about taking an artful approach to food, especially in the age of social media. Join Chef Scott as he takes you through our fourth featured trend focused on leveraging what consumers are craving to grow your signature brand.

Mindful eating is maintaining an in-the-moment awareness of the food and beverage you put into your body. It involves observing how the food makes you feel and the signals your body sends about taste, satisfaction, and fullness. Mindful eating requires you to simply acknowledge and accept rather than judge the feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations you observe. It can extend to the process of buying, preparing, and serving your food as well as consuming it. Join Chef Smith as he shares his thoughts around this intriguing topic.

Chef Speranza discusses how to adapt to change and streamline operations to increase operational effectiveness, value added solutions, and speed scratch formats that address the challenges of labor shortages.

Plant-based foods are seeing increased demand from those who do not want to commit to a full vegan or even vegetarian lifestyle, but would rather pick and choose to suit their lifestyle, social life, or health conditions. Join Chef Michael Speranza as he takes a deeper look into this mega trend.

Plant-based cheese is gradually crossing over to the mainstream, and as the plant-based food category continues to gain popularity, the demand for dairy-alternative cheeses is also expected to witness notable growth in the upcoming years. 

I’m convinced the world would simply quit turning if it weren’t for the alliums. At the very least, food as we know it would cease to exist. Join Chef Michael Smith as he discusses the health and Culinary benefits of Garlic.

When it comes to chile peppers, heat isn't the whole story. Join Chef Hornback as he speaks about cooking with chiles and their flavor not just their fire.

Two of the hottest food trends today are comfort foods and Korean cuisine.  Chef Mike Speranza offers some insight on combining both trends to offer your guests the dishes they crave.

“Chef Russell discusses the importance of building a great relationship with your Fishmonger and how fresh fish could be the star of your menu”

When you choose to buy sustainable seafood, you push suppliers to source more environmentally responsible products, driving significant improvements throughout the industry. Ultimately, your choices have an impact on the health of the ocean.

A Good Catch - Sustainable Seafood: How can you intentionally incorporate certified sustainable seafood ingredients from trusted sources.Well-managed wild-capture fisheries and environmentally responsible marine aquaculture play an increasingly important role in our food supply, our health, and the environment.

Keeping focus on food medicine , Chef Nitin shares his thoughts on 'how right paring or combination of food works well for digestion and healthy life'

Breakfast kick-starts your metabolism, helping you burn calories throughout the day. It also gives you the energy you need to get things done and helps you focus at work or at school. Those are just a few topics Chef Speranza touches on as he discusses why it’s the most important meal of the day.

From Mashup to Mainstream: Adding your touch to transform a mashup into a mainstream revenue driver.

Art has many forms of expression and one of them is undoubtedly food. In this episode of Cooking with Custom Culinary® Chef Hernandez discusses "El Arte del Ceviche", a message in honor of a dish typical of Latin American cuisine.

Listen to Custom Culinary Chef and Pitmaster David Russell give you some history, techniques and inspiration around BBQ, just in time for National BBQ Month

Comfort Food Goes Global Trend: Creating elevated and easy global comfort favorites to drive new revenue opportunity.

It's no surprise that in trying times, we turn to comfort foods.  Join Chef Mike Speranza as he talks about classic favorites and ethnic variations of comfort foods.

Farmers - usually local - deliver fresh, organic food to a growing number of the community. These shoppers or customers, if you will, want food that is both healthy and environmentally friendly. Join Chef Michael Hornback, as he discusses Farmers' Markets, and how they play a significant role in promoting sustainability and create a positive impact on our food system.

This week Chef Mike Speranza discussed the evolution of convenience in Foodservice and our customers expectations to keep up.

Convenience Evolved: How chef crafted convenience ingredients can be your trusted secret weapon for consistency and success.

Have ever wondered where the term Chef's Table evolved from, Chef Reilly gives a brief background on the Chef's Table and how you could build you brand with your own Chef's Table experience.

Layers of Flavors - Global Ingredients Fire Up Your Classics. Take your favorites to the next level and drive your local food culture.

You are what you eat. Listen in as Chef Smith discusses the importance of diet to your overall health, making good food choices and the responsibility we have a chef to offer health options on our menus”.

Chef Gilbert's discussion focuses on rethinking recipes by intentionally incorporating Nourishing Ingredients and the advantage of leveraging your culinary skills partnering with a Dietitian or Nutritionist to bring Nourishing recipes to your guests.

The Tomato History has origins traced back to the early Aztecs around 700 A.D; therefore it is believed that the tomato is native to the Americas. It was not until around the 16th century that Europeans were introduced to this fruit. Join Chef David Russell as he takes us through the many health benefits and cooking styles of the lovely tomato.

In our latest "Cooking with Custom Culinary® " podcast, Chef Michael Hornback poses the question, "Does what you eat influence your health?" Learn how plant-based dishes fit within the whole-food trend and discover the acceptance of plant-forward dining across generational groups.

Join Chef Berten Bos as he debunks many cooking myths, from the correct way to cook pasta to Maillard reaction to frozen vs fresh vegetable nutrients, and several other food myths in this exciting Podcast message.

“Listen in as Chef Smith talks about the beauty of menuing wild fish and game and some of the responsibility Chef have in its sustainability”

COVID-19 is the most single largest health event impacting the Food Service Industry in a century says the FDA. Join Chef Richard Reilly as he discusses mitigating risk, and solutions as we navigate through COVID-19.

Elevating Culinary in Healthcare

In any healthcare facility, mealtime is often the most anticipated event of the day.  Chef Mike Speranza shares some insights on bringing food quality and culinary skills to the forefront of healthcare foodservice.

In today’s PODCAST, Chef Smith offers some sound advice to all of the up and coming foodservice professionals about developing a strong foundation, honing your skills, reputation and determining your direction in our Industry.

Menu Development – Marketing, menu mix, and expressing your eatery’s personality –From startup to refresh, Chef Speranza will share his insights on writing menus to please a multitude of palates.

Join Chef Michael Hornback as he highlights the increased interest in Plant-Forward Cookery. Chef discusses how to showcase value with innovative menu creations, global-inspired cuisine, and healthy sustainable offerings.

Restaurant trends may come and go, but comfort foods are forever. Join Chef Michael Smith as he discusses a favorite cuisine for all, Comfort Food. As comfort food takes center stage this holiday season Chef has some great thoughts on this treasured food subject. 

Listen to Chef Russell as he discusses the popularity of Bourbon, A true American Spirit.

“Listen In as Chef Smith explores the power of harnessing Ghost Kitchens and Pop-Up Restaurants to increase your revenue and expand market research”.

From classical culinary reference to modern trends to celebrity chefs and more.  Chef Mike Speranza discusses some of his favorite cookbooks even in this electronic world.

 Take a virtual trip around the country with Chef Mike Speranza, as he describes the many styles of Pizza in America.

Food Service Operators are seeking a range of tactics to capture vegan, vegetarian, and omnivore diners. In this episode Chef, Michael Hornback discusses "Plant Forward Eating is Ripe for Innovation"

Chef Mike Speranza talks about the 3 components of the sandwich – Bread, Spread, and Filling.  You might be surprised by his favorites.