Editor’s note: As menu labeling begins to take shape on a national level and sodium takes center stage as the next battleground, restaurants are forced to pay attention to menu and nutrition more than ever.
Seasons 52, a 14-unit chain owned by Darden Restaurants Inc., is one of the industry's pioneering brands when it comes to offering healthful and flavorful options with a menu of dishes that each contain no more than 475 calories. Anita Jones-Mueller, M.P.H., president and founder of Healthy Dining, a nutrition-related marketing and consulting firm, interviews the chain's senior director of culinary, Cliff Pleau, about how he develops dishes for the menu.
Anita Jones-Mueller: What are your secrets to creating delicious menu items that weigh in at 475 calories or less?”
Cliff Pleau: Well, there are several secrets to our success. First, we start each plate with healthful, flavorful ingredients. When you’re thinking "healthy," it’s easy to think about what to take away. But we think about how to add high-nutrient, flavorful ingredients to the plate. We want to amplify the flavor without adding unneeded calories. Then, we make sure the portion is right-sized, meaning not too much, not too little. Our protein portions are generally 4 to 6 ounces, and then we start incorporating fruits, vegetables and whole grains. We don’t sauté or fry, but instead we bring out the natural flavors by roasting, grilling and braising.
But it’s not that easy, right? How do you amplify the flavor?
My secret is to start with an inspiration or theme for the dish. Then, perfectly fuse sweet with sour ingredients and aromatic with spicy ingredients. Then I add crunch.
Give me an example. What is one of your personal favorites served at Seasons 52?
I love our Asian-inspired Curry Soup. We start with lean chicken breast. We fuse sour lime with sweet apples to thicken the soup. We blend aromatic ginger, lemongrass and cilantro with spicy chiles. The crunch and texture are provided through the apples and rice. It’s a fabulous soup and only 290 calories and 3 grams of fat for a 10-ounce bowl.
How about another example?
Our guests really like our Spicy Chipotle Shrimp Flatbread. Our inspiration is Mayan or Mexican Coastal. We sprinkle feta cheese as the sour taste to complement the sweet grilled pineapple. We blend aromatic cilantro leaves with spicy grilled poblanos. The chipotle tamarind barbecue sauce adds tang. The shrimp and flatbread provide the crunch.
What about salt?
I do use salt when needed. But only when needed. And if one of our dishes seems to require a bit of salt, I usually first try to use ingredients that add a salty flavor but also add another dimension to the dish, such as feta, capers, olives, seeds or nuts.
You’re probably familiar with the phrase “fat adds flavor.” If you are limiting your items to 475 calories, you can’t add much extra fat.
You’re right. And I disagree with the idea of fat adding flavor. I think fat masks flavor. It desensitizes the taste buds so they are not fully able to experience the natural flavors. We don’t use butter and we don’t use fryers. We use a spray bottle of extra virgin olive oil, and one squirt equals one calorie.”
What do your guests expect at Seasons 52?
“Our guests feel safe at Seasons 52. They know they can trust us to excite and surprise their palates. They like our ambiance. They like to explore new tastes and flavors, and yet they also like the consistency we offer. Our guests like that everything is healthy and yet tastes indulgent.
Speaking of indulgent, you do serve mini sizes of indulgent desserts, right? Do your guests generally order dessert?
Yes, our desserts are the real thing. But they are right-sized. Seasons 52 was the first to offer the mini portions of desserts. They are perfect after a great meal. And do guests generally order dessert? Yes! Almost nobody says no to dessert at Seasons 52.”
About Anita Jones-Mueller, M.P.H.
Anita founded Healthy Dining with a vision and dedication to contribute to a healthier America by “bringing together the culinary brilliance of the restaurant industry with America’s growing quest for great-tasting, healthier cuisine.” She is a nationally recognized authority bringing to market innovative nutrition-related strategies and solutions to enable the restaurant industry to prosper while helping to educate and empower Americans to enjoy healthier cuisine. Anita earned a Master’s Degree in Public Health from San Diego State University.
Anita@HealthyDiningFinder.com
