8 delicious food service recipes to try

Cool Recipe Alert: Crazy healthy salmon-quinoa burger

Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute

This superfood-powered patty takes the “good fats” in salmon and combines that with the “complete protein” of quinoa for a burger that’s downright virtuous. Created by Bucknell University’s Executive Sous Chef for Retail Heather Sherwood, the burger’s base is roasted salmon sides skinned and flaked and ground, combined overnight with quinoa and aromatics. Try this big-batch recipe when your customers are fishing for a healthier option.

Cool Recipe Alert: Deconstructed crab cake in a jar

Looking for a way to wow your seafood-loving catering guests? This deconstructed crab cake by Centerplate Chef Josh Distenfeld at the Baltimore Convention Center could be the way. Taking the city’s beloved crab cake, Distenfeld skips the heavy-breading part and uses fresh, flaky crabmeat and accents it with a drizzle of aioli and a dash of Old Bay seasoning, all in an adorable jar. The eco-friendly edible cracker spoon finishes off the “whoa, that’s cool” factor.

Cool Recipe Alert: Smoked guajillo brisket

A marinade followed by a dry rub before hours in the smoker takes flavor to the max on this smoked guajillo brisket. Guajillo is a type of Mexican chili pepper. Created by the Aladdin culinary team at West Virginia Wesleyan College, this brisket was the smoky-spicy-sweet star at an end-of-year barbecue. Sides included jicama slaw and jalapeno cheddar buns to make brisket sandwiches.

Cool recipe alert: California Tart

Plateia is an al fresco, full-service restaurant and lounge at the University of California-Los Angeles’ Luskin Conference Center. Cali-centric small plates, wine and cocktails are all on the menu, along with desserts and pastries like this California Tart, a berry-forward taste of spring in SoCal. This recipe uses gelatin, but it’s not your grandma’s Jell-O mold!

Cool Recipe Alert: Baja verde shrimp tacos

Spectrum Health

These Baja verde shrimp tacos are made memorable with not just succulent, spicy shrimp, but also vibrant toppings—pickled onions, lime slaw and avocado crème fraiche. The tacos, and lots of other fresh new menu items, are found at Spectrum Health’s sustainability focused Michigan Street Market at Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Cool recipe alert: Beef barley soup

Senior residents at Phoebe Terrace in Allentown, Pa., got a winter warmup with a twist—they were tasked with judging a lineup of winter soups by the Cura chefs who serve the community through all the seasons. The winner was this hearty, down-home, classic beef barley soup by Mike Vargo, Cura foodservice director at Phoebe Terrace.

Cool Recipe Alert: Summer berry ice cream do’wich

The Centerplate culinary team at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in Orlando is beating the heat this summer with some cool new treats, including this super fun mashup of an ice cream sandwich and doughnuts (do’wich!) The donuts are jelly filled, which truly takes this to the next level of gooey summer goodness.

Cool recipe alert: Hickory-smoked BBQ flatbread

At Maryville College in Tennessee, the Metz culinary team holds onto the spirit of summer just a little bit longer with this easy to assemble (and even easier to eat) flatbread.