Once upon a time, truffles with their unique and complex flavoring, could only be found on menus in higher end establishments. This subterranean delicacy, distinct to France and Italy, was very hard to come by. But that has changed.
Now, thanks to Sabatino Tartufi’s wide-ranging products, truffle is no longer only a fine dining experience but is also showing up in QSRs, fast casual, midscale, and casual dining establishments. In fact, truffle is a trending flavor right now in the U. S. and has seen an increase on restaurant menus by 0.6% in the past year and by 10.9% over the past 4 years (Datassential, 2022).
This growing demand in the interest of this bold flavor is due in large part to, Millennials and Gen Zers said Sabatino Tartufi’s CEO Federico Balestra. “Our users are now between 18 and 40-years-old,” adding that, if your restaurant does not offer a truffle flavor, it means that customers will go to a place that uses that new flavor that has become a part of both their palette and culture.”
Balestra’s intention when he moved to the U.S. in 1999 was to expand the family-owned truffle business beyond the shores of Europe. Now, the over a Century old company has not only introduced its expanding line of products onto a new continent but also onto a diversity of new tables. “Our goal was how can we democratize truffles. Not everybody can afford truffles and its very different to cook with and so we began to invent products that made it a lot easier to use,” he said.
To take their products farther afield, his company has crafted an exceptional method to inspire the cautious who are looking to introduce items on their menu using truffles to test the products before taking the big leap. Sabatino Tartufi has created a test kitchen on Manhattan’s eastside at 54th and First Avenue, where chefs can work with the products to create new menu items. “Our goal for the facility is to [help them] truffle-ize their menu. They can work with the products and our chefs to find the right fit for their dining patrons. We know how to integrate and keep the cost down which is a good ROI for them, and they can come in and do the testing,” he explained.
Balestra also offered guidance on how a restaurant or chef that is new to truffles can add it to their menu. “I would start by adding it to a side dish like French fries or potatoes. Potatoes in general are real good carriers for the truffle flavor and then you can add it to meat.” The biggest crossover use that he said he has witnessed so far has been in pizzas.
“Pizza growth is huge. Every pizzeria now has some kind of truffles. We did a show in Las Vegas three weeks ago with success. Another big use is pasta. Pasta is pretty classic. Italian or not Italian – it makes some side dishes like mac and cheese a little bit fancier. Even if you don’t offer fresh truffles, it’s a flavor that you can offer year-round,” Balestra continued.
The truffle varieties that his company distributes are harvested primarily from the Umbria region, Italy’s green heart. “Ninety-five to ninety-eight percent of the business is done with three different truffles – white, black winter, and black summer truffles,” Balestra explained. Right now, it’s pretty easy with all the varieties of products that we offer.” Sabatino Tartufi’s distributes the truffle flavor in oils, salts, and sweeteners, to name a few. However, its product with the highest demand is the Truffle Zest®.
The idea for this revolutionary product, Balestra said, was born during a visit to Asia. “I was with a customer in Tokyo, Japan, and he asked, ‘Do you have something I could use in my rice?’ Oh yes. I have truffle salt. ‘Oh no, I can’t put salt in my rice. It’s not a spice,’ he said. So, I said, ‘what are you talking about? You don’t grind truffle for truffle flavor. It doesn’t work like that’.” On his final leg of that trip back in New York, Balestra said one of his company’s truck drivers told him: “I love truffles, but I cannot have salt, do you have a spice or product with no salt with a truffle flavor?”
According to Balestra, this New York encounter confirmed the market demand for such a product. “He was asking for the same product that the Japanese were asking for! I called my sister in Italy and told her we need to have this and that’s when we started to invent that product. It took almost a year to invent it, but it was a success from day one. Within three years, this became the number one selling product in the industry.”
Balestra concluded by inviting the nation’s chefs and restaurateurs to get more information on adding truffles to their menus on line at their website. The West Haven, CT based company will also be on hand in booth 10416 at the upcoming National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago, set for May 21st-24th in Chicago.
