Plan a Standout Menu: Top Specialty Produce Trends

Many chefs and operators are using specialty vegetables to differentiate their menus. But what specialties are they currently sourcing and what trends are coming down the pike?

Many chefs and operators are using specialty vegetables to differentiate their menus. But what specialties are they currently sourcing and what trends are coming down the pike? Melissa’s, a specialty produce supplier based in Los Angeles, offers two top 10 lists:

Top Specialty Vegetables in 2007

1. Pencil green onions
2. Red bell peppers
3. Basil
4. Italian parsley
5. Cilantro
6. Jalapeno chiles
7. Russian banana fingerling potatoes
8. Rainbow microgreens
9. Tomatillos
10. Shallots

Specialty Vegetables on the Rise

1. Baby arugula
2. Taro root
3. Ginger
4. Edible flowers
5. French beans
6. Gold beets
7. Parsnips
8. Leeks
9. Yellow wax beans
10. Baby bok choy

Excerpt from Restaurant Business Magazine’s June 2007 article, “Sourcing Specialties.” Reprinted with permission of Ideal Media, LLC.