Chef Stephen A. Kalil - Flavor Design Studio

Open for Innovation!

Quorn To Beef Up U.S. Presence with Opening of New Culinary Development Center /PRNewswire/ -- Leading meat alternative food manufacturer Quorn is staking claim on the meat-free chicken category with the opening of its new culinary...

Hummus (spelled phonetically) is the Arabic name for chickpea, or garbanzo bean. Somewhere throughout the history of the inception and proliferation of the classic bean dip, "Hummus bi Tahini"—chickpeas with sesame paste—the word “Hummus” became synonymous with any plant based, pureed dip. Popular variations have included primary ingredients like white beans, edamame, beets and more.⁠
⁠
But should these dips really be considered hummus? Not if it was never hummus to begin with.⁠
⁠
You'll find recipes for both classic hummus and an indulgent, yogurt-infused hummus on my family's recipe blog: https://kalilsinthekitchen.com

Let's take a (virtual) trip to Italy, where ‘Nduja, dubbed the Italian version of chorizo, originates.⁠
⁠
A rich, spreadable blend of cured pork, pork fat, Calabrian chili peppers and spices, 'Nduja has all the makings of a breakout flavor star in the States. It is rich in heat, flavor, and umami...and restaurant chefs are taking note by incorporating it into their menus as appetizer spreads, condiments, and sauce stir-ins.⁠

10 to 15 years ago, restaurant chains were trying to crack the code on the magic and appeal of bowls. The problem was what to serve in them. Today, with a heavier focus on grains and pulses, as well as proliferation around broth-based noodle dishes, bowls are finding a dedicated placement in the pantheon of culinary categories. ⁠
⁠
Try this Korean favorite made meatless and lighter with Quorn Meatless Fillets: https://www.quorn.us/recipes/quorn-meatless-bibimbap
⁠
What's your favorite meal to dish up in a bowl?⁠

Umami mostly comes from ingredients high in naturally-occurring glutamic acid. They provide increased, sustained flavor and what is often described as a full-bodied flavor of the “meaty-mushroomy” variety. ⁠
⁠
With veganism/vegetarianism/meat analogs on a seemingly unending rise, product developers have increasingly shifted their attention to umami. The evidence is all around us: more liberal deployment of ingredients such as mushrooms, soy sauce, smoked poblano peppers, yeast extracts, cheese powders, tomato paste, and seaweed extracts.⁠
⁠
How would you describe the experience of umami?⁠

"Ugly produce” went viral in America in the late 2010s (swipe to take a look). But we weren't the first to recognize the opportunity less-than-perfect produce affords. ⁠
⁠
Europe has been at the front of this trend - and they're staying there. Diego Prado, executive chef for the Basque Culinary Center in Spain, has even experimented with ways to turn leftover baked goods into sake, vodka, and ethanol. ⁠
⁠
Misshapen vegetable were just the beginning. We're looking at a future where vodka is distilled from a donut. "Like" if you'd give it a taste.

With so many options for adding seasoning to food and beverage products, developers are freer than ever to experiment with new and exciting flavor combinations. Increased availability of once-rare spices and support from more engaged spice and flavor companies are bringing prices of such experimentation within the reach of food companies that might have been more risk averse in the past.⁠
⁠
Black garlic, Nigella seeds, turmeric, fennel seeds, and black mustard seeds have been on the rise since the beginning of the 2020s.

Which of these trending flavors do you think will emerge as THE flavor of this well-seasoned decade?⁠

Kalils in the Kitchen “Syrian Spice” blend is now available for purchase.

Kalils in the Kitchen Featured Recipe Big Steve’s Tangy Hummus Big Steve’s tastes are trending as of late toward a creamier hummus with a bit of tang thanks to the addition of yogurt. Make This syrian spice now available! Popular Recipes Fatoosh Make This Zahtar Bread (Mana’eesh) Make This Kafta Make This Our Story...

You know and love and use salt. But what about smoked salt?⁠
⁠
Smoked salts allow for enhancing the flavor of grilled meats and vegetable without having to cook over wood. While smoked salts have grown in popularity, the recent development of new techniques that allow for “cold” smoking the salts via infusion has taken them to the next level, ridding them of any bitter notes or harsh, overwhelming flavor.⁠
⁠
According to a statistical report by the American Spice Trade Association (ASTA), other flavored salts accomplish this as well. ⁠
⁠
Chili pepper -flavored salts are the fastest growing in popularity, as well as salts combined with or flavored with other hot spices, such as black pepper and mustard. Other blends endeavor to amplify savory and umami notes. These include salts with truffle, porcini, and even black garlic.⁠
⁠
Which flavor would be first on your list to try?⁠

Part three of our look behind the curtain of the flavor design process. In this post we'll discuss Chicken and Waffles, the third flavor in the "Do Us A Flavor" launch by PepsiCo./Frito Lay. ⁠
⁠
Chicken and Waffles was devised as an artifact of the growing popularity of sweet and savory combinations, which was immediately preceded by salted caramel/salted chocolate. The sweet and savory profile, as well as the profile of sweet and spicy, presented specific seasoning challenges.⁠
⁠
In developing a flavored corn chip, and especially in the case of this flavor profile, traditional seasoning application systems are not always an option. A two-stage coating system proved to be the best choice to provide a consistent, uniform application of liquid and dry coatings.⁠
⁠
For a spicy, vegan version of Chicken and Waffles, try this recipe which utilizes Quorn Vegan Buffalo Dippers: quorn.us/recipes/mini-vegan-waffles-buffalo-dippers⁠
⁠
If you tried this winner, what were your thoughts? Were the efforts to produce a chicken and waffle flavored chip worth it? ⁠