We’re always chuffed to see one of our mates getting quoted in the media, especially when the topic is lamb! So double the pleasure in this recent article in FSR Magazine about the rise in popularity of lamb at full-service restaurants featuring the talented Chef Janine Booth, proprietress of a mini-empire of restaurants across Miami, Puerto Rico and NYC. Janine was also part of the delegation of chefs representing Australia at Dubai Expo (more on that here, and coming soon) so good onya Chef for finding the time to chat!
Chef Janine Booth
Here are two keys we took away from the piece:
Key Takeaway #1: The pandemic led consumers to cook more lamb at home, increasing their familiarity with -- and appetite for -- lamb overall and on the menu. Both Janine and another chef quoted in the article referenced the growth in popularity of lamb they are seeing in their markets and in their restaurants. Lamb LTOs are coming back at multi-unit restaurants, too, from steakhouse concepts like J. Gilberts and Longhorn, to fast casuals like Cosi and RASA. Nordstrom's recently had a very successful lamb LTO on their menu that sold over 20,000 dishes in November! Check out the delicious 5 Alarm Vegetable Grain Bowl below from Chef Adriana Olson.
FACT: Lamb sales at retail outgrew the rest of the meat case by nearly 2x in 2021
Key Takeaway #2: Lamb shines in the context of the hottest ethnic cuisines and flavors: think Mediterranean, Indian, Caribbean, and Japanese; but also established favorites like Italian. Janine featured a Barbequed Lamb Rack with Carrot Glaze at Root n Bone in NYC, and a lamb pizza with romesco is on rotation at her Italian spot, Mi’Talia. Guest interest in exploring these cuisines that authentically feature lamb just leads to more trial, familiarity and craving.
Taken together, there’s a lot of reason to expect lamb to be in the catbird seat as the foodservice recovery continues and innovation ramps back up. Cheers to that!