Metz Culinary Management, Inc. (Metz) is spicing up its menu options with Street Eats – an on-trend, pop-up promotion for independent schools, corporate dining, healthcare, higher education and senior dining partners. Street Eats is inspired by food-truck-style meals that resonate with today’s diners.
Noodle and Rice Bowls: Chicken Pad Thai Bowl
Originally launched in late 2022, Street Eats has featured Loaded Fries (September), Quesadillas (October) and Poutine (November). The new year kicked off with Wacky Waffles (January), Creative Spuds (February) and Noodle Bowls (March). Tacos are slated for April. Metz encourages its culinary partners to present Street Eats one week out of each month with imaginative spins on suggested menu items. Because of its success with diners, Metz is planning to bring back Street Eats in Fall 2023 through Spring 2024.
“Street Eats aims to build excitement around dining for our partners and their guests with festive meal offerings,” said Ed Knacke, Division Chef for Higher Education/Independent Schools for Metz. “While the central menus are driven by the culinary department, our chefs in the field love to come up with their own creative twists on recipes that are attractive to diners. We also recommend serving a new menu item every day of the promotion week that includes a vegetarian or vegan option.”
Recipes are based on ingredients already in-house and are available to Metz’s chefs via the company’s menu-building platform. Metz’s chefs are encouraged to share their most popular creations with each other and their guests’ reactions on social media.
“Our February Creative Spuds event focused on global food culture and included aloo chaat potatoes as well as a gnocchi, spinach and cannellini skillet dish,” said Alexis Kwon, Senior Marketing Manager for Metz. “Our international students in particular enjoyed seeing some of their favorite flavors, spices and tastes of home.”
Wacky Waffle: Loaded Turkey Sandwich with Crispy Stuffing Bread
“We did Wacky Waffles made from cornbread dressing topped with turkey and gravy in January and a Philly Steak and Cheese potato in February. Both were big hits with our diners,” said Josh Christopher, General Manager for King University in Bristol, Tennessee. “Every Street Eats menu has gone over well. We typically run out by the end of the week. It’s different, and our students love it.”