Signature dishes that feature savory, delicious cheese can entice customers to keep coming back. Need proof?

Recent research confirms that consumers love cheese: nearly half (46%) say they look forward to signature cheese dishes when eating restaurant cuisine. Six in 10 operators believe adding cheese helps items sell better.

Tart, salty, and pleasantly mild, goat cheese is a winning addition in recipes across the culinary spectrum—from appetizers (like these tamales with pulled smoked chicken) to dessert (Fig and balsamic ice cream, anyone?).

It’s easy to overlook ricotta. Mild, fluffy and slightly sweet, the Italian cheese is most closely associated with lasagna, where it’s typically blended with mozzarella and Parmesan. (The same mixture figures prominently in ravioli, manicotti and cannoli as well.) Indeed, for both professional chefs and home cooks, ricotta often plays a supporting (rather than starring) role.

People are relishing normalcy wherever they can find it these days. For some, that means sipping a fruity drink under a patio umbrella at a restaurant that not very long ago wasn’t open for in-person dining. Although the signs of the coronavirus are ever-present—waiters wearing masks, tables spaced 6 feet apart—diners once again have the ability to eat a meal they didn’t cook themselves, surrounded by more than just the people they live with.

What does it take to transform a knowledgeable cheesemonger into a Certified Cheese Professional^® (or CCP™ for short)? Three hours, 150 questions—and a whole lot of commitment. Before the fateful day when cheese experts of all stripes sit for the formidable Certified Cheese Professional Exam^® offered by the American Cheese Society (ACS), they spend months—or even years—preparing.

Few industries have been hit as hard by the coronavirus pandemic as the foodservice industry. The statistics are staggering: the National Restaurant Association estimates that 8 million restaurant workers have been laid off or furloughed since the crisis began—and that the industry will lose $240 billion in revenue by year’s end.

Few appetizers or savory dessert choices yield as many oohs and aahs as a cheese board. Done well, a cheese board offers a veritable feast for the senses: the bold orange of a cheddar cheese block, the unmistakable scent of a veiny blue cheese, the glistening sparkle of a bunch of grapes, the briny aroma of an olive-filled ramekin.

Blue cheese is a bit of a scientific marvel. It transforms mold—the enemy of most cheeses—into an integral ally, resulting in a unique blend of smell, texture and taste sensations. Blue (or bleu) cheeses, along with other “stinky cheeses,” may have a polarizing reputation, but their popularity has increased steadily in recent years. 

In honor of National Pizza Party Day on May 15, we’re celebrating the female pizzaiolos diversifying and elevating the business.

Some foodservice segments are feeling the effects of the COVID-19 crisis more than others. QSRs and fast-casual operations, for instance, have experienced a smaller decline in business than fine dining establishments.