Cuisin'easy: When Convenience Meets Flavour

The innovation in the frozen food sector has come on leaps and bounds in the last five years, with Darta, a Belgian frozen food company, leading from the front with their game changing range of frozen thaw and serve salads. We spoke to Chris Saddington, the Food and Beverage Manager at the Iconic Yorkshire attraction The Deep Aquarium in Hull, to find out how he has embraced this innovative range and utilised the products to elevate his menu.

When did you first discover Darta’s Cuisin’easy Frozen Salads?

I first saw the product at a wholesaler trade show. We were looking to upscale our salad offering; however, we struggled to find a product that would match our budget without compromising on quality, as well as suit our serving method. I saw some very bright salad mixes and, assuming they were ready to serve, was surprised when I found out they came frozen! I was blown away by the taste and variety, and believe I’ve found my “unicorn” product.

How do you utilise the range within The Deep’s menu and what are the key benefits of the products?

We currently use them as an addition to our pre-made and boxed salads. The freshness and variety of ingredients easily allow us to upscale any ingredient or salad, as well as assisting in our skills mix. As an environmental charity, another key benefit is that this product helps us to reduce waste by allowing us to only take out what we need and keep the rest frozen. In addition, as the product is portion controlled, this allows us to monitor costs; with other ingredient hikes arising, particularly in salads, this is a huge helping factor in keeping costs low.

How many of the products within the range do you use?

We currently use five mixes: Spartacus, Mambonito (which we pair with a fishcake for a different slant), Green Valley (which goes great with chicken), Sunny Vibes (which really complements our falafel mixes) and Sultan of Swing. We also use diced peppers and onions, which helps to save The Deep’s chefs a lot of time.

These ranges allow us to tweak or add special ingredients and not be faced with huge costs. The Deep’s café is showcasing far more seasonal products, and the different ranges create additional flexibility. The Deep welcomes a diverse audience and this range helps make us more accessible and inclusive to visitors.

What would you say to someone who is considering using the Cuisin’easy Salads but maybe has reservations about such a frozen product?

Don’t think – just try it! They are intuitive to use, cost-saving, flavourful and will uplift any dish they are added to. Also, these salads provide easy portion control and help minimise waste, creating a more sustainable option for your café – win-win!

Which salad is your favourite and why?

I love the Spartacus because Greek salads are a favourite, however the Green Valley with a chicken breast has become my go-to meal for a healthy lunch when training. It is enough to feel substantial without weighing me down for the afternoon!