The Dishcourse

On Episode 6 of The Dishcourse, we dive headfirst into one foodservice segment’s most high-stakes season: back-to-school for K-12, colleges and universities. We unpack why August is the most crucial reset of the year—from navigating new federal sugar and sodium regulations on the K-12 side to treating on-campus dining as the ultimate student retention strategy on campus. Plus, we explore the wild,...

Episode 6 dives into a question that's more contested than it used to be, who actually gets credit when a trend hits, foodservice or retail? (Dirty sodas now come in a can, for the record.) The old playbook was a one-way street: fine dining innovated, casual chains simplified, and grocery got the watered-down version years later, back when the full adoption cycle took 12+ years. Social media has c...

Finally! The Dishcourse is back, and getting sticky about a seriously sweet topic: dessert. Cali, Chef Cam, and Chef Renee sit down with Rick Petralia, Senior Director of Menu Strategy & Innovation at Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, to unpack one of the industry's most beloved (and fibbed about) dayparts: desserts. Did you know that while only 25% of consumers admit to eating a swe...

All You Can Eat: Total Protein Domination is so meaty, it counts as 25g of lean protein. Jk, but you're invited to snack on your favorite protein-packed treat while watching, which digs into all the ways extra protein is showing up in CPG (along with the weirdest ways), and how commercial foodservice is tackling this megatrend with a completely different approach. No hints, proteinmaxxers, just a...

All of a sudden, beans are sexy, and this episode Fiber to the Maxxx: Functional Food’s Final Frontier, Cali, Chef Renee, and Chef Cam explore this new rising trend that stems from people everywhere just trying to eat better, focus on gut health, and wrangle their body’s microbiomes. Hear all about fiber, beans, and how consumers are seeking out more roughage in their diets. And before we forget,...

Calling all menu innovators! Now airing Swing Low, Sweet Carrier: How the Right Bun, Bread, or Wrap Brings Sandwiches Home with Chef Gregg Brickman from Zaxby's. Sandwiches and sandwich carriers are today's topics, and the conversation is rich with hot takes and bold ideas for where sammies and handhelds could go...especially since today, so many consumers are grabbing and going. The chemistry bet...

The Dishcourse is BACK, which means second helpings of invaluable foodservice trends and insights, hot takes, impromptu chef riffs, and so much more, all washed down with a refreshing glass of wit and laughter. Chef Cam, Cali, and Chef Renee are dishing up more special guests, and you won't want to miss a moment. First up: 2026 trends! What to look for, what's in and what's out, and how to make it...

The Dishcourse is here to celebrate the winter season and wish you a Happy New Year with a wish list of CPG, restaurant favorites and the best flavors to celebrate the season!

The Dishcourse is back with a special Thanksgiving Episode to dish all the Hot (and Cold) Food Takes! The team will help you decide if you are a Butterball Hotline caller or a Popeye's order aficionado!

Sum, Sum, Summertime Sips & Snacks is our last episode before we take a few weeks off and hit the ground running for season two. Cam, Cali, and Renee talk about blue food and beverages, the return of a classic McD's offering, and the annual reboot of nostalgia when school is OUT and vacations are IN. Thanks for a great first season, and we'll see you soon with fresh trends and even hotter take...

Is there anything better than feeling like you're actually on top of all the biggest food crazes? We're right there with ya. Cam, Renee, special guest Renee, and Cali talk about emerging food trends, overhyped trends, food that they want to see trending, and what whitespace there is on the horizon. With this year's delicious Dot Innovations show in the rearview mirror, this recap is filled with th...

Our very own culinary alum Jessica Bograd is this week's special guest; she's the Senior Director of Culinary at City Barbeque in Plain City, Ohio. Does Chef Jess have thoughts on what it takes to make the best brisket? She sure does, and she's not afraid to spill the sauce. Barbecue is showing up on menus everywhere, so this epi is a must-see for any operator.

There's no denying that potatoes are heading up a little bit of a carb renaissance in foodservice, so Chef Cam, Cali, and Chef Renee unearth some surprising ways they're showing up on menus of all kinds, including tallow-fried fries. Then plates fly when Chef Renee shares a Very Strong Opinion with her colleagues, something she's been keeping to herself for way too long. But Chef Cam and Cali are...

Love chicken? Join the club. Our latest episode features special guest Bryan Fisherkeller, Culinary Innovation Manager at Popeye's. Chef Renee, Chef Cam (aka "Poultry Prince") and Cali have a blast trying to get all the top-secret, chickeny intel out of Chef Bryan. Will he crack? One thing's for sure: you have to hear his description of the OG Popeye's chicken sandwich; it is *chef's kiss*. At the...

Love sauce? You're definitely not alone; it's a delicious way to introduce new flavors and cater to the latest foodservice trends, too (looking at you, customization). This episode is overflowing with answers to your burning questions, like: how does K-pop influence flavors? What makes a sauce “premium" to consumers? What sauce would you actually bathe in? What's next for hot honey? And what exact...

QSR, PDQ digs deep into the delicious, craveable world of quick-serve restaurants (aka "fast food"). We also welcome our first guest, Brian Brindza, Director of Culinary and Menu Innovation at Toppers Pizza, who graciously answers every one of our burning questions, like: Which fast food chain's mascot would you have dinner with, and why? What's going on between QSRs and fine dining trends? Which...

In Episode 2, The Dishcourse will explore all the ways beloved dairy and non-dairy products show up across trends and on menus in exciting new ways. 

The Dishcourse is LIVE. This inaugural episode is all about 2025 TRENDS, including kidulting (yes, that's a word), taking "high-brow" food down a notch or two, and a few other delicious surprises. Chef Renée, Chef Cam, and Trendologist Cali are waiting for you! 

Craving some food industry insights? Three of our savviest (and chattiest) industry experts gotchu. Join Chef Renée, Associate Director of Culinary, Chef Cam, Culinary R&D Manager, and Cali, Nutritionist and Trendologist, as they dish and debate on the latest food crazes. It's fun, informative, and quite possibly the tastiest way to spend your commute. And spoiler alert: no plates were broken...