The French term hors d’oeuvre translates literally as “outside the work”—that is, something separate and apart from the plated meal. But now—as meals and meal occasions are being rethought and redefined—chefs, caterers, restaurateurs, event planners and diners themselves are taking another look at these tasty little morsels and radically changing the rules.

There's a lot going on in the realm of appetizers today. Generally speaking, sales for starters and sides have suffered as consumers try to trim their overall check - and sometimes their calorie count - for their restaurant meal. On the other hand, operators have had quite a bit of success tempting diners with deals, combos, sampler platters and bar menus that highlight appealing new and classic appetizers. Appetizers always are among the newsmakers on menus, and that's truer today than ever.

The secret to great spicy appetizer solutions start with quality products.

We’ve taken chicken con queso to a new level! This extraordinary soup starts with a golden base of Cheddar, Monterey Jack, asadero and queso blanco cheeses, embellished with tender chunks of chicken, tomatoes, onions and jalapeño peppers.

Appetizers, soups and hors d’oeuvres are among the most intrinsically creative parts of the menu. They also tend to be where culinary trends hit fastest and most frequently. Based on primary and secondary research gathered by Technomic, here are some of 2010’s hottest trends in these hot menu segments.

Soup is a perennial favorite and a menu classic. Indeed, consumer surveys have shown that soup served with a meal can increase your customers’ satisfaction with the meal by an astounding 55%-67%. Especially during the fall and winter seasons, soup sells itself. However, restaurants that make the effort to build excitement with a variety of on-trend soups, attention-getting presentations and creative bundling ideas can gain significant competitive advantage.

“Small plates” started out as a fancy name for appetizers in fine-dining restaurants, but now they’re something bigger: a whole new way of looking at meals. American consumers are abandoning the three-square-meals-a-day paradigm and instead snacking or grazing throughout the day.

OUR HERITAGE Created in response to requests from customers, Classic Tureen® soups, sauces and bases quickly became known for their high quality and fresh, homemade flavor.  Foodservice operators looking for time and labor saving solutions found that Classic Tureen mirrored their own scratch preparation.

Since 1982, Presentations® has the strong heritage of delivering the highest quality frozen prepared appetizers, hors d’oeuvres and frozen and canned entrees.  Convenient and easy to use, Presentations utilizes only the best ingredients to offer operators attractive menu varieties while keeping labor costs low.

Consumers are more demanding than ever. The competition is tougher than ever.  But challenges are just opportunities in disguise.  Embrace the trends and see how soup can help you profit from them.

No need to “wing it” when the craving for Buffalo-style flavor hits! This zesty soup offers the classic combination of tender chicken and real hot sauce, finished with American cheese, potatoes, carrots, celery, and parsley.

A medley of peppers jazzes up this creamy crab soup! Roasted red bell peppers are blended with Poblano and black pepper and combined with sweet crab meat, cream, and tomato, accented with garlic to make this soup sing.

Seasoned red beans, roasted beef, Spanish onions and diced tomatoes slowly simmered in an authentic tomato-chili broth finished with chili powder, garlic, cayenne and paprika.

At Presentations, we give you a variety of different coatings to choose from. Many of our  signature appetizers are available breaded, battered and beer-battered to give each its own unique flavor and texture with the holding times you need to serve them fresh and hot every time.

Each item in our Presentations Hors d’oeuvres selection is carefully handcrafted and beautifully presented, so that all you need to do is “Heat and Serve”. They can easily become signature items when you add your own customized touches like house-made salsas, chutneys, and dipping sauces.