FLAVORS
TAKING Soy
S eriously
SunOpta Food and Grains
Soy is another tool in
the toolbox to help chefs
differentiate the menu.
By Jody Shee
Soy milk made from whole soybeans.
YOU COULD menu a garden-variety
hummus, or you could surprise guests with an
edamame hummus. Same with guacamole.
If you mix in puréed edamame with the
avocado, you land a unique texture with a
protein boost.
tempeh and even new soy products. Though
soy often is overlooked, left to vegetarian and
Japanese eateries, there are reasons for any
restaurant to add it to the culinary toolbox.
That’s just edamame. Chefs have found so
many other opportunities with soy milk, tofu,
For one, it provides a way to cut down on
fat while still serving protein. In fact, soy is a
complete protein, which is unusual in the plant
world, says Christopher Koetke, CEC, CCE,
executive director, Kendall College School of
Culinary Arts, Chicago, and vice president,
Laureate International Universities Center of
Excellence in Culinary Arts. He notes that soy
has all the necessary amino acids and fatty
acids needed to support life.
So, it’s worth a second look for restaurants
looking for a way to “healthy-up” the menu.
