Describe your establishment, Polo Grill? Established in 1983, Polo Grill has developed a long tradition of serving "traditions." We like to say that the food we serve is food that our guests will recognize. People are most comfortable with what they know and Polo Grill keeps them comfortable by serving them foods they know. They can trust us and we won't misuse that trust. The restaurant has been a AAA "Four Diamond" winner for the past five years, DiRoNA restaurant (Distinguished Restaurants of North America) since 2003, and a Wine Spectator "Best of the Award" winner since 1997. How does turkey fit in with the scheme of your operation? After 22 years in the same location, this restaurant is continuously looking for new "menu speak" and dishes. The underutilization of turkey as a center-of-the-plate protein has given us an opportunity that some restaurants have seemingly missed. Staying traditional and being creative at the same time has its challenges. Using turkey in recipes that were "reserved" for other proteins makes the process a lot easier. How do you currently menu turkey? We have found that if we attach turkey to an ethnic recipe title it sells better. With the southern influence on our menu, turkey is an easy fit. The area of Mississippi that my family is from has strong influence from four different cultures: Creole, African American, Chinese and Italian. We use a little of all to express our cuisine. What made you decide to use turkey in these items? Within the structure of the many diet themes, we found that turkey fits into just about them all, and still allows us to be creative with the recipe. Seeing that turkey works so well on your menu, are there any tips you can offer other chefs who want to menu turkey? I refer to turkey as being a part of the protein trinity: turkey, chicken and pork. Consider turkey anytime your recipe calls for one of the other two. As a well-known chef and restaurant owner, you are looked to by other chefs for more innovative menu items. How does turkey allow you to be innovative? I appreciate the "well-known" part. I use turkey to balance the protein mix beyond the expected. Using turkey catches my guests off guard. I think the unexpected positioning of turkey on our traditional menu makes our guests take pause at its presence. Having them stop and focus on the dishes utilizing turkey is half the battle of getting them to order it. What attributes of the Polo Grill do you think ranked it among Food Beat's "Top 50 Trendspotters?" I remember the saying: "...True refinement seeks simplicity." I see a lot of chefs today trying too hard. They sometimes don't know when to stop on a dish. We have never attempted to be a trendsetter, but keep those things that are tried and true. Reliving old foods with a new twist is just as challenging as a totally new creation. We enjoy seeing a new generation that hasn't experienced the food of the past. Those who have...enjoy seeing them again. If this ranks us among Food Beat's "Top 50 Trendspotters," then I am grateful to be included. What are the compelling points that make turkey adaptable for lunch and dinner dishes? No protein beats turkey for its value. Add its health benefits and it can't be surpassed. Lunch or dinner, turkey is an unexpected center-of-the-plate protein. Chefs should go beyond the turkey sandwich and not miss the unique opportunity this protein offers. Why do you think your patrons order these turkey items? With our reputation of being traditional in our menu theme, our guests come to us knowing what to expect. That allows us to be somewhat creative on our daily specials menu, but not so far out that we are "no earthly good." Our patrons look for new items on that specials list knowing they can trust us. Turkey is a trustworthy protein and fits well with our reputation. From a business standpoint, why do you include turkey on your menu (food cost, versatility, consumer demand, nutritional aspects, etc.)? When looking for an easy way to offer guests nutrition and low cost items, turkey is one of the very best. Our market is very cost sensitive, and we have to respect our guests' dining desires. Turkey allows us to be versatile, nutritional and economical. What more could we ask? When thinking about other proteins you serve, why did you choose turkey for this menu item as opposed to chicken, beef or pork? Turkey was the choice over other proteins because of the nutritional value and I felt it was an unexpected choice. It's easy and expected to use other proteins. Turkey is an unexpected protein, and gets guests' attention when used outside the box. With the recent push in the industry for healthy menu options, how does turkey help you meet this growing consumer demand? Because I adhere to the concept of "fat is flavor," I choose turkey to help balance rich foods and sauces. Reaching a balance while still retaining flavor is difficult. Turkey is an easy fit and makes that thought process easier. Have you noticed consumers ordering more healthfully now than two years ago? If so, how have you adapted your menu to meet these demands? We have made slight adjustments for healthy food selections. We have selected turkey and fish as the direction for menu adjustments for healthy diners. How does including turkey on your menu fit in with the revised Government Food Guidelines released in January 2005 and the newly released "My Pyramid Plan"? The next generation is much more interested in healthy eating and I believe this trend will continue. Turkey is a natural choice to be included in one's personal pyramid and I'm not surprised to see the acceptance of our turkey offerings. How do you use the web as a tool in your work? We constantly search the web for updated menu items and recipes. The web has proved to be a shortcut for getting results in the recipe area. Current "menu speak" and new products as well as new uses for currently used products are all things we search out while researching the web. Do you use the NTF web site as a resource? If so, how do you use it in your operation? Please describe other benefits of visiting Eatturkey.com. I use the NTF web site for any current "menu speak" and new turkey menu ideas. I'm a big fan of Susan Goss, Michael Foley, Todd English, Jimmy Sneed and others on the NTF web site... I look forward to new and adventurous turkey recipes... "Keep 'em comin'!!" Back to top of page