Sponsored by the National Watermelon Promotion Board.
As labor costs increase and restaurant kitchens are tasked with doing more with less, it’s critical that brands not only capture every possible sale, but also that they boost back-of-house efficiency. One simple way restaurants can attract guest attention and reduce strain in the kitchen is to find ingredients, like watermelons, that can be used year-round.
If quick-service restaurants can incorporate watermelon—12 months out of the year—on menus all year, not only will they open up operations to run more efficiently since employees won’t need to be taught how to process a new fruit or vegetable, but they can get creative with the fresh ingredient, too. Chefs can also replace higher-price products, like tuna or tempeh, to keep budgets in check regardless of season.
Additionally, watermelons are a beloved fruit, ranking 24th among the most popular fruits according to 2017 Datassential MenuTrends Research. Presenting watermelon outside of the nostalgic, already popular summertime bite will help guests fall even more in love with the versatility of the fruit, as well as differentiate menus and attract diners.
CD Culinary Approach’s Chef Dave Woolley, who consults with the National Watermelon Promotion Board, shared his favorite ways to use the versatile fruit for year-round menu appeal and operational efficiency.
1. Beverages
Beverage programs offer some of the best profit margins in the foodservice industry. Using unexpected ingredients in refreshing beverages throughout the year can help restaurants drive sales. Bookending summertime, which is traditionally believed to be “watermelon season,” Woolley recommends serving up watermelon in smoothies in the spring and fall, thinking of the fruit as a flavor more than a fresh side. Beverages also provide a great opportunity to get more life out of watermelon and reduce expenses. Fresh cut product that is approaching its expiration date can be frozen, and those frozen chunks can be used in a smoothie.
2. Glazes
In winter, Woolley recommends, the juice of the watermelon can be reduced down into lacquers and concentrates to rub on proteins. “I love watermelon reduction on any kind of grilled protein or vegetables,” Woolley says. “It just makes them all taste beautiful.” By further transforming the fruit into a bright-tasting glaze, guests see more of a high-end, unique protein dish than the triangled watermelon of summer, and restaurants can easily explore new ways to add variety to their existing menus without adding more stress or ingredients to the kitchen.
3. Out-of-season produce replacement
Let’s face it—most out of season produce just isn’t as good as it is in season. Delicate tomatoes, for example, do not travel well, and refrigeration makes them mealy, which can leave customers dissatisfied. Because watermelon grows both domestically and internationally, fresh product is always available. Additionally, its hearty rind doesn’t falter during transport where tomatoes can. To offer a fresh caprese salad on the menu all year round, Woolley recommends replacing tomatoes with watermelon. Everything tastes better with mozzarella, he jokes, and the flavor of watermelon pairs really nicely with basil.
4. Vegan dishes
As the popularity of vegan, vegetarian, and flexitarian diets grows, restaurants that can offer animal-free twists on trendy dishes can attract new diners year-round. Take poke, for example. Though this dish traditionally features fish, Woolley offers watermelon as a replacement for tuna or more traditional protein replacements. “I was thinking, how can you do a vegan poke version without it using tofu or tempeh?” he says. The answer? Watermelon. “It actually kind of looks like tuna,” Woolley says, as opposed to tofu or tempeh, which—in this traditionally uncooked dish—seem bland and unpleasing. “Watermelon is great because it has a versatile quality to it,” he says. “It has an inherent sweetness and flavor to it, but it also is adept to other flavors being added.”
5. Inventory control
When possible, restaurants can use ingredients that serve multiple purposes in place of ordering separate ingredients to save space in storage and reduce expenses. Woolley suggests using the rind of the watermelon in place of cucumber in pickled and fermented products. This not only adds a unique dimension to dishes, but it also allows restaurants to use every part of an ingredient, reducing waste and expenses. “There are a lot of similarities between cucumber and watermelon,” Woolley says. “If you have relish on your menu, you can have pickled watermelon rind and replace it one-for-one with a sweet pickle relish. Watermelons are in the same family as cucumber.” Serving up pickled watermelon relish instead of sweet pickle relish is sure to pique the interest of guests, and restaurants won’t need to purchase another whole set of vegetables to do it.
