National Culinary Review

we are now seeing breads offered as part of toast platters featured in the casual-dining segment, often accompanied by a variety of jams, preserves, butters and even syrups.” He also notes the rise of breakfast sandwiches across every segment of the industry, and an increase in ethnic offerings. The company’s telera roll was designed to meet these trends and is promoted as perfect for torta sandwiches.

“We constantly get requests from our customers for breakfast ideas,” says Aliza Katz, a corporate executive chef at Kraft Foodservice, Glenview, Ill. One breakfast suggestion is creamy-cheesecake-filled crêpes made with purchased crêpes and Kraft’s cheesecake batter. Topped with strawberry preserves, the crêpes can be on the table in 10 minutes. Savory muffins made with stuffing mix, spinach and feta cheese are another quick option. They can be customized, made ahead, then heated and served.

“Another fun idea is to top French fries with corned beef hash and a fried egg,” says Katz. And one of her recent projects is working with Kraft’s A1 sauce to reinvent steak and eggs and create other breakfast dishes.

“What chefs don’t have at breakfast is time,” says Philip
Jones, president of Jones Dairy Farm, Fort Atkinson, Wis.
That’s where the company’s fully cooked smoked ham and
Canadian bacon and precooked sausage products come in
handy. They are quick, economical and provide portion
control and built-in food safety. Pork is the main meat
for these products, but, Jones notes, chicken and turkey
sausage are increasingly popular.

While precooked products are good sellers, Jones is seeing chefs move back toward using raw bacon. “It can be partially blanched in the oven in advance and offers better taste and satisfaction,” he says.

Jones adds, “Chefs and cooks want clean ingredient statements, dynamic and enhanced flavors and products that are more interesting, better for you, convenient and economical.”