October Blog - Culinary Chaos

Food Mashups: No matter the concept, fusion restaurants always generate excitement. Social media has only taken the thrill of combining unexpected ingredients to the next level. The hashtag #ChaosCooking has over 1.6 million views on TikTok and thousands on Instagram. Dive into the chaos cooking trend and you’ll discover recipes like cheeseburger arancini, masala cheesesteaks, and big mac pizza. “Chaos” is an interesting choice of words to describe a chef’s cooking, but it is cooking without rules, essentially, embracing odd yet delicious combinations with a focus on beautiful, messy individualism. The idea itself is captivating chefs across the world and adding more unique flavors to the metaphorical food industry table.???

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Taco Bell – Baja Blast Gelato: When you think of rich, creamy gelato, Taco Bell might not be the first to come to mind. However, the famous taco QSR is testing a Mountain Dew Baja Blast Gelato . It’s the chain’s first-ever gelato and only available at one restaurant in California: Irvine’s Campus Drive location, for two weeks or while supplies last. “This is the first time we are releasing a gelato, and we are so excited to hear how fans enjoy the sweet and creamy indulgence,” said Liz Matthews, Taco Bell’s global chief food innovation officer, in a press release. “Baja Blast is iconic to Taco Bell and has its own strong fandom, so introducing it in gelato form feels right.” But this is not the only special treat in store—once the new and very blue treat is gone, another Baja Blast-based innovation will be released this fall. And you can Baja bet people will be having a blast with the new craze on social.??

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Little Caesars – Pizza Calzone: It’s football season and Little Caesars is coming in hot and ready with the 4-Quarter Calzony . Whether you’re a pizza or football fan, all cravings will be satisfied. Little Caesars is putting its signature Crazy Calzony?, a pizza-calzone combo, back in the game for everyone to draft the ultimate game-time meal. The 4-Quarter Calzony features four different meats: pepperoni, bacon, ham, and Italian sausage. Its calzone-like crust is topped with a buttery flavored spread and is filled with mozzarella and one meat from the center. To top it all off, Crazy Sauce? has been added for dipping. "The 4-Quarter Calzony ensures everyone at the pregame or watch party has something to eat," said Greg Hamilton, chief marketing officer at Little Caesars. "You can satisfy cravings with just one product instead of getting four different pizzas. Combined with the calzone crust, this innovative menu item is a victory for any get-together." And that’s why Little Caesars is the Official Pizza Sponsor of the NFL and our stomachs.???

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Wendy’s – Loaded Nacho Cheeseburger: For too long, Taco Bell’s nachos have been unrivaled. Until now. The unexpected and expectedly sassy Wendy’s is trying their hand at satisfying our nacho cheese cravings. Recently added to the menu: a Loaded Nacho Cheeseburger and Queso Fries. We all know Wendy’s beef is always fresh and never frozen. The same principle applies to the Loaded Nacho Cheeseburger and its an “unbeatable experience of a fully loaded nacho platter in every mouthwatering, unforgettable bite.” The square patty is topped with melty cheese, roasted poblano pepper queso, spicy corn and tortilla strips, and a “tantalizing” spicy chipotle sauce, lettuce, and tomato. And that’s why Wendy’s will always be deliciously different.???

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White Castle – French Toast Breakfast Sliders: At any time of day, you can count on White Castle, America's beloved fast-food restaurant and CPG brand, to have a warm array of delicious sliders, sides, and more. Today, White Castle is fulfilling a new craving with the all-new French Toast Slider. Though this slider is a new addition, it’s sure to become an instant classic. "As a culinary team, we believe innovation can start by looking at something people love and considering how to deliver it in a new way," said Chef Phillip Bach, Director of Product Innovation at White Castle. "In this instance, we started with a slider-sized version of French Toast and worked on re-imagining it as a complete breakfast slider sandwich. After testing first with internal team members and then customers, we returned to the kitchen to refine the sandwich to ensure we were serving up a Craveable Slider that people can't get anywhere else!" No matter what you crave or when you crave it, White Castle has your craving covered.???

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Arby’s – Big Game Elk Burger: Though tofu, beans, and lab-grown meat have tried to replace beef, Arby’s newest menu offering is having none of that and doubling down on having all the meats. How? By taking their burger game up a notch and blending three different types of meat—beef, elk, and venison—into one burger patty. And the Big Game Burger is not playing around. There are two different types of game meat in this burger, topped with Swiss cheese, pickles, crispy onions, and a dark cherry steak sauce. If you remember the venison and duck sandwiches in years past, you’ll know this isn’t the first time Arby’s added game meat into their sandwich lineup. Don’t sit on the sidelines for this Big Game Burger, it’s sure to be gone before football season is over.???

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As QSRs are busy tapping into chaos cooking and fun food mashups, Huhtamaki is focusing on a more sustainable future. Our 2030 sustainability ambitions focus on two key topics: transitioning to a circular economy and taking climate action, while not forgetting other environmental and social aspects of sustainability. Huhtamaki is a trusted innovation partner, and we work with customers to properly package all creative culinary creations. We can help you make the most sustainable food packaging choices for your business and more importantly, your consumers. Learn how we can make a difference together at https://www.huhtamaki.com/en-us/north-america/foodservice/ .?