Recipe report: What’s cooking at the NRA Show?

The 2016 National Restaurant Association Show, which concluded in Chicago on May 24, offered up 2,200 exhibitors and many opportunities to taste, sip and sample. These five recipes, gathered from the booths and live demos on the show floor, represent several top trends that emerged at this year’s show.

Mint Chutney

Chef Aarti Sequeira
Author of "Aarti Party: An American Kitchen with an Indian Soul"

During the NRA’s World Culinary Showcase, which featured a rotating lineup of chefs, cookbook author and TV host Aarti Sequeira taught attendees how to make a quick mint chutney. She uses it to accompany Indian samosas, but this versatile recipe can be cross-utilized across the menu. It fits into the global saucing trend: one flavorful condiment can easily add an ethnic accent to simple items, like roast chicken, burgers, grilled vegetables and more.

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Strawberry Rhubarb Breakfast Sundae

Cruising around the NRA exhibits when the show first opens calls for a stop at a coffee company booth, as well as one offering a grab-and-go breakfast. This take on a breakfast parfait combines healthy fruit and yogurt with an indulgent pecan streusel—the kind of balance American consumers are craving.

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Avocado Edamame Wrap

Vegetarian wraps made with thin lavash bread tap into two top trends: healthy plant-based menu items, and Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. This wrap was sliced into pinwheels for sampling, creating a recipe that does double duty as a lunch item when cut in half or a passed appetizer at a catering event.

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Dark ’n Stormy Barbecued Chicken Thighs

BAR 16 is a show-within-a-show at the NRA Show, highlighting cocktails, wine and beer. While most of the demos and samples focused on alcoholic drinks and pairings, a couple of exhibitors passed out food samples made with products typically used in cocktails. This barbecue sauce is a riff on the Dark ’n Stormy, a drink made with ginger beer and rum that currently is trending on bar menus.

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Uber Tuber Smoothie

Uber Tuber Smoothie
Chef Leif Eric Benson

Millennials continue to be major smoothie purchasers, but they are constantly constantly seeking novel blends and nutritious ingredients. In the opinion of one NRA exhibitor, turmeric is trending upward for its anti-inflammatory properties, while another exhibitor is using a potato product to add texture and nutrients.

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