Tiger tiger shining bright

caterers may wait ages for a good themed menu opportunity to come along so Chinese New Year combined with St Valentine's Day offers profitable expectations. John Porter reports

Caterers planning their 2010 programme may well have already spotted that a culture clash between the western and Asian calendars means that February 14 2010 is not only St Valentine's Day but also marks the Chinese New Year and the start of the Year of the Tiger.

St Valentine's Day is already well established as an opportunity for caterers to attract extra trade, and the fact that it falls on a Sunday in 2010 should be good news for businesses looking for a boost on the quietest night of weekend trading.

Equally, over recent years Chinese New Year has also moved beyond the ethnic restaurant sector to become an important occasion for many caterers. The popularity of the flavours used in Chinese cuisine, as well as the wide availability of oriental sauces and products from suppliers can make putting Chinese dishes on the menu a profitable option.

Even so, in any poll of the nationalities considered the most romantic, it's unlikely that the Chinese would come out as high as the French or Italians. So does this coming together of cultures present a rare opportunity for the Chinese to step into the spotlight and stake their claim to be a passionate people?

In Chinese culture, the New Year is far more of a family occasion than an opportunity for mum and dad to slip away for a meal alone. But the Chinese do have their romantic traditions.The most romantic Chinese festival is Qixi – pronounced 'chee shuh' – that actually takes place in August by the western calendar but is sometimes referred to as the Chinese Valentine's Day.

One tradition of Qixi is melon carving undertaken by young women to demonstrate their domestic skills to potential suitors.

Cynics might argue that in western culture knowing how to programme the microwave would be more of an attraction but, for caterers, a carved melon starter or dessert would add a flourish to a combined St Valentine's/Chinese New Year menu.

Food served during Qixi varies by region to region, with favourites such as dumplings, noodles, and wontons being featured. Chinese cuisine also has a well established tradition of using ingredients which will, so to speak, help to move a romantic evening along.

Sanjay Sighat, development chef with the Authentic Food Company, elaborates: "Ingredients such as ginger, garlic and asparagus used within oriental dishes can be classed as an aphrodisiac – making them the perfect St Valentine's Day dish." He adds that the company offers a Thai green curry that contains these ingredients.

One concern for outlets may be that by putting the focus on St Valentine's Day, they will attract table for two custom at the expense of bookings from larger parties. Sighat believes the right approach will attract customers to both celebratory occasions. "Many consumers will enjoy sharing meals from snacking platters to main courses and the ideal menu solution for pubs at this time of the year would be to introduce a Chinese banquet."

As a menu option, he suggests aromatic Thai king prawn curry made with king prawns cooked in an aromatic Thai sauce with choi sum, spring onions, red peppers and whole lime leaf.

The 'party' approach is also recommended by Heinz Foodservice, which holds the licence for the Amoy brand in the UK. "With two thirds of consumers wanting to see more oriental dishes on menus but across the board, this type of cuisine is underexploited," says brand manager Jennifer Harker. "This is a real missed opportunity that we believe comes down to chefs believing they need a lot of time and expertise to make these dishes work and perhaps don't realise there are foodservice suppliers that can support them."

She says that rather than just putting on the usual candlelit Valentine's affair, have something different by bringing in professional dragon dancers to accompany a three course set menu with traditional pork, duck and chicken dishes, followed by sweet delicacies for dessert.

"For a red hot finish to the evening, treat couples to traditional firecrackers in the courtyard or garden – a great way to combine a meal out together with entertainment that's not run of the mill," she adds.

Amoy's Straight to Wok medium noodles are a classic complement to eastern cuisine, while soy sauce in its many variants is the basic flavour enhancer to almost all Chinese dishes that will give dishes an extra celebratory kick, says the company.

Another way for caterers to make their offer stand out is to remember that the oriental New Year is celebrated well beyond the Great Wall.

Thai, Vietnamese, Singaporean and even Indian flavours are all just as relevant. By offering a pan Asian themed menu covering both St Valentine's and Chinese New Year, caterers can vary the theme for customers specifically.

Premier Foodservice's senior business development chef Mark Rigby recommends offering sharing plates made up of ready to use sauces and accompaniments. "Our Sharwood's range offers the opportunity to interact and share an intimate, flavoursome dining experience, which is perfect for St Valentine's Day and Chinese New Year," says Rigby.

"The products are easy to adapt for portion size, so you can do lots of small portions that can be shared between two and stretched across the menu, from snacks through to starters and main courses."

Within the range, he says, prawn and Thai crackers are ideal for dipping and the noodles can be served separately from the main dish and shared, while sauces can be used as dips on a starter platter to share.

Combining the two events needs to be approached with a certain amount of caution, remembering that they are important occasions to different groups. As one of the main focuses of both is people meeting and sharing meals together, caterers should look to offer something different to make the most of them.

Claire Sullivan, marketing director of Unilever Foodsolutions, says: "As St Valentine's Day is a special occasion, many diners are looking for a meal that offers them something different to their usual out of home dining experience.

"Caterers could create a Chinese New Year option as part of a selection of St Valentine's Day packages. For example, serving dim sum as a starter followed by the option of a traditional British main course offers a more subtle oriental option. Or, for an unusual dessert, sweet chilli dipping sauce can also be used to glaze pineapple pieces to serve with vanilla ice cream – creating a simple, tasty, and cost effective option."

Sullivan adds: "As St Valentine's Day is often one of the busiest occasions of the year, time is often limited in the kitchen to make sure the optimum number of covers are served. Because our Knorr oriental sauces are ready to use, they are great for saving time."

Sam Sangha, managing director of oriental food and drink specialist Asiana, also urges caterers to treat both occasions with respect.

"Non Chinese restaurants should be wary of going overboard with the oriental theme, as it must be remembered that traditional and highly authentic celebrations will be taking place at many specialist Chinese restaurants on the same night," he says.

"A subtle approach is key to avoid appearing like you are making a token or worse still, tacky, gesture."

Words by John Porter