Menu Mix: The French Connection

French cuisine for the onsite market? Mais oui! Classical French dishes are often perceived as too fancy or too complicated for onsite menus, but that’s simply not the case.

A recent article in Business Insider, titled “The World’s Most Renowned Cuisine Can’t Gain Mainstream Traction in America,” examined the fact that while adventurous global cuisines like Mexican, Asian and Mediterranean have a strong foothold with diners, the “glaring omission” in the U.S. restaurant market is French cuisine.

But why?

“French food…is a tradition best enjoyed slowly,” the author Hollis Johnson theorizes. “The tastes are mellow, rich and luxuriant—savored languidly and cozied up to over time. Bouillabaisse and duck confit are meals that require time and attention that can’t be properly served or enjoyed in a fast casual setting.”

Not so, says Francois de Melogue, chef and author of the cookbook “Cuisine of the Sun: A Ray of Sunshine on Your Plate.”

“People have the idea that it’s this food that takes a long time and is snobby and upscale, but if you look at any good bistro menu—the word itself means quick—in reality, French food can be done extremely quickly and casually.”

Ian Ramirez, executive chef at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., is quick to agree.

“It’s not just for white tablecloth establishments,” Ramirez says. “French food is so versatile it can be easily translated into food courts or fast casual. I’m no Paul Bocuse, Daniel Boulud or Julia Child, and I don’t know it all about French food, but I’m a chef and French food will always have a welcomed spot at my table.”

Serving French food on your menu, especially rustic dishes that simmer, fresh takes on seafood and flavor-forward veggies, can make it easy to start to parlez Français with your customers.

Translating French Food for Your Setting

Think duck confit would be a nonstarter on your lunch line? With the right prep work, certain French dishes can come together to order, and be ready tout de suite.

“Almost any classic French dish can be scaled up; it’s all how you approach your mise en place, your prep,” de Melogue says. “I worked at a very busy restaurant that did 600 or 800 covers of bouillabaisse a night. We made the broth base and portioned the fish out ahead of time and then scooped out the hot broth into a smaller pot with the seafood, heating it up in minutes per order.”

Here are some other French dishes that won’t be lost in translation in a big-volume setting:

Duck leg confit, sage butter and squash puree. Photo: Ian Ramirez

“Duck confit is actually a perfect dish for a busy operation,” de Melogue says. “Yeah, you braise the duck leg slowly for three hours, but once it’s done, you’re just throwing it into a pan to crisp the skin. Because it’s a confit it’s preserved and stays moist. Portion ahead and then when we want to eat them all you do is throw it in the pan.”

Cassoulet: “To me, it’s French soul food at its best,” de Melogue says, describing this slow-cooked, humble and hearty bean and meat casserole. “It’s a comforting food. Every culture has a bean and meat dish. There’s no law that says it has to be this or that. Make it with stuff that’s local to your region. Go to your local smokehouse for sausages or make the sausages yourself if you want.” Cassoulet is also famously economical because lesser cuts like pork shoulder become melt-in-your-mouth tender in recipes like this.

“Do not try to make my pistou recipe listed here in the wintertime, it won’t work,” de Melogue writes in his cookbook. “Instead, follow the spirit of the dish and use winter-friendly ingredients. You will be amazed at how much better it will taste.”

Essentially a “French minestrone,” pistou is a vegetable soup that can—and should—change with the seasons. De Melogue stresses seasonality and the quality of ingredients, both hallmarks of French cooking.

“Don’t feel obligated that pistou is a fixed set of ingredients,” he says. “If you make it in the winter, use kale and root vegetables…carrots, potatoes, onions, celery root, beans…and then you can add roast chicken or pork.”

Beef Bourguignon or Daube of Lamb: Daube is a classic Provencal stew made with inexpensive cuts of meat named for a daubiere, or braising pan. “Any dish that’s braised and stewed is a great dish for a larger operation,” de Melogue says. “The flavor only gets better the second day. You can make it ahead.”

Coq au vin: The iconic French dish of chicken with wine is another make-ahead miracle. “You can heat up a hotel pan of coq au vin and keep it warm. It’s true that you don’t want the chicken to overcook, but it’s a dish that profits from time,” de Melogue says.

Don’t Forget a French Dessert: Sweets are Mais Importante!

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Young pastry chefs often dream of the bakeries in Paris, with their rows of delicate fruit tartes and chocolaty tortes. This dream took shape recently in the countryside of Indiana. Purdue University Dining’s holidays around the world dessert event at the end of the year showcased sweets from several nations, including France.

“The goal is that residents will get to taste something different,” says Kari Glebe, director of residential dining at Purdue. “Last year, we didn’t have an official French group for this event, but a group of French students spontaneously found each other, and they got involved this year.”

One of the most popular French desserts was the gluten-free raspberry clafoutis, a baked dessert with a custardy, flanlike texture. Get the recipe >>

Contact Tara Fitzpatrick at [email protected].
Follow her on Twitter @tara_fitzie