Lightly Dusted Calamari: A Post COVID Reset Super Star

As restaurants begin to reopen from the pandemic shutdown, they are facing unprecedented challenges. These hurdles range from winning back customers amid continued indoor dining restrictions, labor shortages and determining how much food to order in these uncertain dining times.

Eager to help restaurant owners reset and recover their business, seafood suppliers are coming up with innovative products that boost menu offerings, productivity and training efficiencies. One new product that is gaining traction is the new frozen-to-final-in-90-seconds, lightly dusted calamari. 

This new option features a fresh-from-the-sea consistency and taste while providing a host of advantages for restaurant owners and kitchen staff. Below are just a few reasons this relatively new seafood star has already earned a following.

Labor savings. Delivered in consistent, pre-portioned servings and easy-slip out packaging that requires no knife or scissors to open, the calamari goes from freezer to fryer in 90 seconds. There is no prep time required. Just 90 seconds later, the calamari rings and tentacles are fried to a delicate golden brown and ready to plate with a wide range of sauces and presentations. In addition to reducing kitchen prep time, the absence of pots, plates, and utensils lightens the load of cleaning and prepping.

Training. With some staff hesitant to return to work and others having found new vocations, many restaurants are experiencing unprecedented turnover. The ease of freezer to fryer with a result that looks like a scratch-made, back of the house meal, significantly lessens the training time traditionally required with new hires. Budgets get a break and staff can be deployed to more productive tasks to help with the reset.

Consistency. Pre-portioned calamari from a high-quality supplier consistently comes with the right balance of rings and tentacles and guarantees the same great taste and texture every time.

Versatility. Ready in 90 seconds and with only a 20 percent dusting, the fast-fixin’ calamari can be used to create a wide variety of dishes from a simple calamari with marinara or aioli sauce appetizer to a refreshing calamari on bib lettuce with a spritz of vinaigrette salad to a bold variation of a traditional main dish, such as calamari linguine or alfredo. 

Waste reduction. Diners do not like to go to a restaurant and discover their favorite dish is sold out. However, restaurants are just now getting a better picture of how many diners are venturing out right now, so ordering the right supply has never been trickier. An item that is suited to an array of dishes that can be kept frozen allows kitchens to be well-stocked while reducing waste. 

Ready on demand.  Similar to being stocked without waste, freezer-to-fryer calamari is the perfect solution to those large, unexpected parties that come in hungry and late on a Tuesday night (yes, they will again!). In 90 seconds, lightly dusted calamari can hit the table as an appetizer, while a calamari entrée can instantly become a delicious Tuesday night special.   

Health benefits. Quality, lightly dusted calamari arrives dusted lightly in only 20 percent breading, allowing it to still pack a healthy punch and a great alternative to more heavily coated rings and tentacles. These benefits include being high in protein and vitamins (including antioxidants) and relatively low in calories. It is also gluten-free to appeal to a broader range of diners and diets.

Products like this are contributing to a faster reset for restaurants across the country and seafood suppliers are just getting started. Stay tuned as more innovative dishes hit the market giving food operators and diners new and better options as they venture out from under COVID lockdown.