Menu Matters Monthly Minute | April 2025
Spring has sprung, and so has this edition of the Menu Matters Monthly Minute. As always, Maeve and Mike share the latest insights and analysis on trends, data, and developments shaping the food industry, plus news from Menu Matters and beyond.
Chef Massimo Bottura’s “Oops! I Dropped the Lemon Tart”
Stat to Know
71% of consumers would rather have an imperfect dish made by a chef than a perfect dish made by a robot.
Sometimes a little imperfection can be absolutely perfect, according to consumers. When we asked them if they would rather have a perfect dish created by a robot or an imperfect dish created by a human chef, they overwhelmingly chose the imperfect dish created by the human chef.
In a world of AI and robotics, that human touch matters all the more. There is more that goes into a dish or food product than the ingredients and preparation — the creativity, knowledge, story, craft, and connection matter, too. As we note in our 2025 Consumer Need States, 56% of consumers say seeing the face of the person behind a product makes them more likely to buy it.
So don’t get hung up on perfection — consumers certainly aren’t.
Best of LinkedIn
Do you follow Maeve and Mike on LinkedIn? From their #MondaySparks (three creative ideas to jumpstart the week) to their popular #FridayFive (five things they learned in the past week) and beyond, here are five posts that earned plenty of engagement last month:
Why we need to protect the “middle” of our industry. (Original post)
Why no name has reached the “Linda” boom of the 1940s. (Original post)
Do looks matter more than delicious food to some consumers? (Original post)
Why taste matters more than ever and consumers look for that intangible “aura” in something created by a human. (Original post)
How do the Japanese transform ideas that they borrow? (Original post)
You can catch every #FridayFive, #MondaySparks, and more from Maeve and Mike on LinkedIn. Follow Maeve here and Mike here.
The Lamb Lasagna at Walrus Rodeo in Miami
Try This! Maeve & Mike’s Hot List
Delicious meals, excellent hotels, favorite products, thought-provoking books, great TV shows and movies — these are some of Maeve and Mike’s favorite recent discoveries.
“While in Miami for F&B@Sea, I made it over to Walrus Rodeo because their lasagna had been on my list. Wow. Everything here is cooked in their wood-burning oven, from their tender pane bianco which they serve with salty anchovies and tangy cultured butter to the incredible lasagna, which features berbere-spiced lamb ragu between sheets of spinach pasta, but they cut the lasagna vertically so you get tons of crispy edges in that oven. It’s all served over a stracchino bechamel with fermented mustard green sauce that cuts through the richness. Amazing.” - Mike
"I recently gifted ourselves some Salt & Straw ice cream and while I've never tried an ice cream of theirs that hasn't been fantastic or surprising, the Panther Coffee Chocolate Tres Leches is my current favorite." - Maeve
“If you need to upgrade your flavor game ahead of grilling season, look at everything from Louisville’s Bourbon Barrel Foods. We had the chance to tour their facility a few years back and it’s a truly artisan operation. Some bourbon smoked salt and pepper on a steak, finished with their bourbon barrel-aged Worcestershire sauce? Nothing better. A few years back I made an American take on Bistrot Paul Bert’s steak au poivre using their smoked pepper and swapping bourbon for Cognac — I still think about it.” - Mike
“We've been subscribing to Butcher Box for a while now and have never had a bad experience with any of the products we've received. Everything is high quality, and it saves us time at the store particularly when availability and quality around us can be spotty.” - Maeve
“I’m a sucker for any ‘Planet Earth’-style shows, so I easily binged The Americas narrated by Tom Hanks. I still can’t get over the fact that nursing blue whale calves gain TEN POUNDS AN HOUR. And of course, if scientists are wondering why an animal exhibits some peculiar behavior, the answer always comes down to mating. A great watch for the whole family.” - Mike
“Ahead of Mike heading to Australia I've got two Australian book recommendations. The first is The Cook & Baker cookbook by Cherie Bevon and Tass Tauroa. I have loved everything I've ever made. The second is Homecoming by Kate Morton, a great mystery novel about Sydney and the Adelaide Hills." - Maeve
Have a recommendation for us? We love to hear them! Drop us a line.