The New French Revival

R&D chefs like to feel confident that their gold standards can be easily and consistently reproduced in their multi-unit establishments. French food sometimes seems intimidating, but just as Julia Child eased the fears of home cooks across the United States, foodservice suppliers can do the same for multi-unit chains.

“French-style soups like bisques and purées have simple flavors and textures that can be authentically reproduced for high volumes,” says Albert Celentano, director of R&D, Chefco Foods, Arlington, TX. The high acidity (pH lower than 4.6) in a tomato bisque will inhibit pathogen outgrowth, while hot filling at 165°F and above will inhibit the spoilage microorganisms, creating an economical, shelf-stable product. For a more-expensive low-acid product (pH higher than 4.6) with particulates, like beef bourguignon or cassoulet, the product would fare better if frozen after hot filling, allowing it to maintain optimal texture and authentic flavor.

An even less-expensive “in-house” foodservice option would be to use manufactured soup and stock concentrates like bouillabaisse, beef stock consommé, hollandaise and demi-glace. These concentrates can save multi-unit operations time and money, while ensuring consistency and reproducibility.

Other shortcuts, like filled puff-pastry pies, crêpes, potato gratins, quiches and soufflés, are available manufactured in frozen, ready-to-eat forms, in various degrees of approachability. “We can take a high-end French item and translate it into a more-acceptable casual-dining item that is delicious and affordable,” says Edwin Burleigh, regional sales manager, White Toque, Secaucus, NJ.