Restaurant Recipes: How to Develop Restaurant Recipes [2024]

Developing new recipes for your restaurant can be challenging, but it’s crucial for keeping up with the competition and meeting customer expectations.

In fact, Datassential reports that 90% of restaurant operators update their menus at least once a year. At the same time, two in three make major menu changes at least quarterly, and half of them launch new limited-time offers at least once a month.

Meanwhile, data from Statista indicates that only 6.9% of consumers never try new menu items at restaurants. 62.4% say they occasionally try new dishes, while 30.7% say they try new items often.

Clearly, if you want your restaurant to be successful, it’s vital to regularly update your menu with new offerings. So, in this article we’ll provide a step-by-step guide to developing restaurant recipes.

Key takeaways

• To develop the right recipes, it’s key that you first define your restaurant concept by understanding your target customers, style of cuisine, and what makes you unique.

• Research potential recipe ideas by exploring culinary trends, visiting local restaurants, attending food festivals, and following food influencers.

• As you develop your ideas, start with basic versions of each dish and then experiment with different ingredients, cooking techniques, flavors, textures, and presentations.

• To perfect your restaurant recipes, be sure to test them, gather feedback, make adjustments, and retest them.

• It’s key to find the right balance between cost and quality as you find ingredient suppliers and scale up your recipes.

1. Define your restaurant concept

Before you can start developing new recipes, it’s crucial to have your restaurant concept pinned down. This will allow you to create dishes that align with your brand and appeal to the right customers.

Below, we explore some tips for defining your concept so you can build a cohesive menu.

Identify your target market

The first step in designing your restaurant concept is determining your target market demographics. For example, they might be:

• Families looking for comfort food

• Food enthusiasts craving authentic international cuisine

• Young professionals seeking trendy brunch spots

Ultimately, understanding your audience will help you tailor your menu to their tastes and preferences.

Choose a style of cuisine

Once you have your target customer in mind, you should decide what type of cuisine your restaurant will emphasize. For example, you might focus on:

• French

• Mexican

• American

You can also choose to focus on a fusion of styles. For instance, you might consider blending Italian techniques with California-inspired ingredients. From there, you could develop a unique menu including dishes like avocado gnocchi with locally-sourced veggies.

Determine your unique selling proposition (USP)

Identifying what sets your restaurant apart is vital for standing out from the competition. For example, your unique selling proposition (USP) could be a:

• Signature dish

• Unique cooking technique

• Particular ingredient sourcing method

Overall, your USP should resonate with your target market and be reflected in your recipes. 

For example, a restaurant might be known for its artisanal BBQ sauce, farm-to-table ingredients, or slow cook techniques.

Consider dietary restrictions and preferences

One more thing to consider as you develop your restaurant concept is dietary restrictions and preferences. After all, it’s key to cater to these needs in order to appeal to a broader customer base. 

These restrictions and preferences may include:

• Vegetarian

• Vegan

• Gluten-free

• Low-carb

Ultimately, offering a variety of options ensures that all customers feel welcome and can find something they enjoy. 

For instance, imagine a group of friends is deciding where to eat and one friend is vegan. If you don’t provide vegan options, the entire group will likely choose to eat somewhere that does provide options for that dietary restriction.

2. Research restaurant recipes

Once you have a good understanding of your target customers, style of cuisine, and how you’ll set your restaurant apart, it’s time to start researching recipe ideas.

So, let’s explore some of the best ways to find inspiration for unique menu items.

Explore culinary trends and popular cuisines

One of the best ways to find recipe inspiration for your restaurant is by staying up to date on current food trends and popular cuisines. 

So, consider subscribing to culinary industry reports and publications. This can help you discover trends that you can adapt to classic restaurant recipes.

Visit local restaurants and markets

It’s also a good idea to spend time at local restaurants to understand what makes them successful and how you can set yourself apart. Additionally, this can help you find gaps in the local market that you can fill with your own unique recipe ideas.

As you visit other dining establishments, be sure to observe things like:

• Best-selling menu items

• Customer preferences

• Unique twists on traditional recipes

• Dish presentations

• Portion sizes

• Interesting flavor combinations

Lastly, think about visiting food markets to discover fresh, local ingredients that can inspire new dishes and seasonal specials.

Follow restaurant influencers and chefs

Another great source of inspiration is food blogs and experts specializing in restaurant-style cooking.

For example, platforms like Instagram and Pinterest can provide visual inspiration and highlight emerging trends in restaurant dishes.

So, be sure to look for innovative takes on classic meals, such as gourmet tacos or creative Italian-American fusion dishes.

Attend culinary events and festivals

One more great way to research new restaurant recipe ideas is to attend food festivals and culinary events showcasing innovative takes on classic dishes. Better yet, these events provide networking opportunities with chefs and food enthusiasts.

Ultimately, by attending events, you can gather new ideas and insights into potential menu items for your restaurant.

For example, a California-style food festival might inspire new appetizer ideas or unique takes on Mexican-American fusion recipes.

3. Brainstorm recipe ideas

After performing research to find some inspiration, you’re now ready to start brainstorming recipes that might fit your restaurant concept.

As you begin figuring out potential recipes, be sure to keep the following advice in mind.

Make a list of potential dishes

To begin the brainstorming process, start by creating a list of dishes that align with your restaurant’s theme.

For instance, a restaurant focusing on American-Mexican fusion might offer a BBQ chicken quesadilla or a ground beef taco with a unique coleslaw topping.

Overall, it’s key to think about classic staples like fried chicken, burritos, and quesadillas, and consider how you can put a unique twist on them. 

Keep menu diversity in mind

One more thing to think about as you brainstorm recipe ideas is menu diversity. A well-rounded restaurant menu should include a variety of options, including:

• Appetizers

• Main courses

• Side dishes

• Desserts

Remember, your menu should cater to different tastes and occasions, ensuring that you have options for different meal times. This includes weeknight dinners, weekend brunches, and takeout-friendly dishes.

4. Develop new recipes

Now that you have a list of initial ideas that fit your concept, you’re ready to start developing new recipes for your restaurant!

So, be sure to keep the following things in mind as you think about how to put your own twist on classic dishes.

Start with basic versions of every recipe

It’s important to begin with simple, basic versions of your dishes. Focusing on nailing the fundamental flavors and techniques before trying out more complex variations will set a solid foundation for further experimentation. 

For example, start with a classic crispy fried chicken recipe before adding unique spice blends or cooking methods.

Try out different ingredients and cooking techniques

Once you have the basic versions of your recipes down, you can start testing different ingredients and cooking techniques to enhance your dishes. 

For example, try various types of cheese for your quesadillas, or different marinades for your BBQ dishes. Likewise, consider experimenting with cooking methods like slow-roasting, grilling, or air-frying to find the best approach for each recipe.

As you begin this process, keep this advice from Andrea Lynn, a professional recipe developer, in mind:

“I type up an outline of what I want to do with a recipe before going into the kitchen to experiment usually. Then I document everything with pen and paper as I’m cooking. Some things work, some don’t—so you have to retest but it usually goes smoother the second (or third) time around. Or, sometimes I have an idea in my head and just begin by experimenting with ingredients to start.”

Balance flavors, textures, and presentation

It’s key to strive for a balance of flavors (sweet, salty, sour, umami), textures (crispy, tender, creamy), and presentation. 

After all, a visually-appealing dish with a well-rounded taste profile will leave a lasting impression. Additionally, a strong visual appeal is great for enticing new customers on Instagram, while unique flavors and textures will keep patrons coming back for more.

For instance, a well-crafted burrito should have a perfect balance of seasoned ground beef, colorful fresh veggies, and complementary sauces, all wrapped in a soft tortilla.

Think about portion sizes and pricing

Lastly, it’s vital to ensure that your portion sizes are appropriate and your pricing is competitive. 

While creating awesome recipes is important, it won’t matter much if customers can’t afford it. Likewise, if customers aren’t happy with the portion sizes, they won’t be likely to return in the future.

So, be sure to analyze your costs and set prices that ensure profitability while providing value to customers.

5. Test and refine your restaurant recipes

At this point, you should have some unique recipes ready to go. However, before you share your creations with the public, it’s important to test and refine them.

To achieve perfection with your dishes, consider the following advice so you can gather feedback and make adjustments.

Perform taste tests

The first thing you’ll want to do is invite staff members, loyal customers, and even friends and family members to taste your recipes. After all, their feedback can provide valuable insights into what works and what needs improvement.

So, organize a taste test and create a feedback form to gather specific comments on aspects of your dishes, such as:

• Flavor

• Texture

• Presentation

• Overall satisfaction

Remember, collecting detailed feedback is essential for making adjustments to your recipes. Additionally, it’s key that you pay attention to recurring comments and that you’re willing to make changes based on those comments.

Make adjustments and retest

Once you’ve collected some feedback, be sure to use the comments to refine your recipes. Then, be sure to retest them.

This process of testing and retesting will help you achieve the perfect balance of taste and quality.

For example, if testers find a pasta dish too heavy, adjust the sauce-to-pasta ratio and retest until it reaches the right flavor and texture profile.

Aim for consistency

Of course, consistency is key to building a loyal customer base. So, it’s crucial to ensure that every serving of your dish meets the same high standards.

To accomplish this, you should develop standardized recipes that you can train your staff to follow precisely.

Ultimately, this will ensure your restaurant is able to prepare and present your recipes at a high standard consistently.

6. Source your ingredients

High-quality ingredients are the backbone of great restaurant recipes. So, it’s vital that you take the time to source the right ingredients from great suppliers.

As you think about how to source your ingredients so you can scale up your recipes, keep the following advice in mind.

Find reliable suppliers

Firstly, it’s important to establish relationships with reliable suppliers who can provide fresh and high-quality ingredients consistently. 

So, be sure to look for suppliers who share your commitment to quality and can deliver on time. This is particularly important for perishable and/or key ingredients like:

• Meats

• Produce

• Specialty items

Lastly, consider using an inventory management system so you can easily track ingredient stock levels and automate reordering.

Consider building relationships with local suppliers

Supporting local farmers and markets not only ensures fresh produce, but also fosters community connections and sustainability. 

This can be especially beneficial for sourcing unique, locally-grown ingredients that can set your dishes apart.

Additionally, it can be a great strategy for attracting customers looking to support their local community.

Think about cost-effective ingredients

While quality is paramount, it's important to find cost-effective options. For example, bulk purchasing and negotiating with suppliers can help manage costs. 

You might also consider working with multiple suppliers to find the best prices without compromising on quality.

Plan for ingredient availability and seasonality

Finally, be sure to plan your menu around the availability and seasonality of ingredients to maintain quality and keep costs manageable. This is especially important if you plan to work with mostly local suppliers.

By creating a seasonal menu that highlights the freshest ingredients available, you can ensure your dishes are always at their best.

7. Scale your restaurant recipes

You’ve now developed an awesome concept, perfected your recipes, and sourced your ingredients. Finally, it’s time to scale up your recipes so you can serve all of your customers!

So, be sure to think about the following tips to effectively scale up the production of your dishes.

Adjust recipe quantities for high-volume service

It’s key that you modify your recipes to accommodate high-volume service, ensuring that the taste and quality remain consistent. 

To accomplish this, use precise measurements and scaling techniques to maintain the integrity of each dish. This is particularly important for popular menu items and signature dishes.

Ensure consistency for each dish

You’ll also need to develop a standardized process for preparing and presenting each dish to maintain consistency in taste and appearance. 

So, be sure to create detailed recipe cards and training materials for your kitchen staff to follow. This might include specific instructions on plating or garnishing techniques.

Develop an efficient prep and cooking system

Creating an efficient prep and cooking system that allows for quick service without compromising quality is another key consideration. For example, this might include:

• Pre-prepping ingredients

• Organizing your kitchen layout for optimal workflow

• Streamlining cooking processes to handle peak times effectively

Additionally, it’s a good idea to implement a robust point of sale (POS) system to ensure efficient order management and simple communication between the front and back of the house.

Keep equipment and space limitations in mind

Finally, you should be mindful of equipment and space limitations. To make the most of your space, be sure to optimize your kitchen layout to ensure smooth operations and efficient service. 

Additionally, consider investing in versatile equipment that can handle multiple cooking techniques and dish preparations.

Make the most of your new restaurant recipes

Developing restaurant recipes is an art that combines culinary creativity, business acumen, and an understanding of customer preferences. 

By following the steps in this guide, you can create a menu of delicious, innovative dishes that delight your customers and set your establishment apart. 

However, great recipes aren’t the only thing that makes a great restaurant. It’s also vital to provide an excellent customer experience and streamline your operations. Fortunately, Toast can help you do both these things. 

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