In 2000, the folks at PF Chang’s launched Pei Wei Asian Diner, drawing inspiration not just from Chinese cuisine but also Japanese and Southeast Asian food traditions, all served in a fast casual setting. This dedication to authentically inspired cuisine has helped drive Pei Wei’s ongoing growth and success.

CHALLENGE

Pei Wei’s leadership recognized the importance of keeping the restaurant’s menu relevant and fresh. With the goal of maintaining a consistent pipeline of creative menu items, Pei Wei hired The Culinary Edge to develop a series of recipe platforms, keeping in mind the chain’s strong culinary standards as well as the operational constraints of their stores and cooking staff.

SOLUTION

On a quarterly basis, The Culinary Edge provided showings of 10+ innovative menu items to the Pei Wei team. Drawing from its strong background in Asian cuisine coupled with knowledge of the hot food trends circulating the US food culture, The Culinary Edge was able to deliver quick to market creative solutions that were operationally feasible and delivered Pei Wei’s core brand strategies.

RESULTS

While many of The Culinary Edge’s menu concepts continue to wait in the vaults at Pei Wei headquarters, our Vietnamese caramel chicken has been launched system-wide, with several others currently in commercialization phase for launch in the near future.

PRESS

National Restaurant News announces the introduction of Pei Wei’s caramel chicken
YouTube:  Pei Wei previews & demos its new caramel chicken