Who would have thought pistachio and rose water would be a delicious combo for a pancake? I got a taste of the culinary innovation happening around the world as our international team gathered at our Pasadena HQ and prepared a fantastic lunch of unique Applebee’s and IHOP items found only outside of the U.S.
From the Applebee’s Messy Burger and IHOP Waffle Pops in Latin America to Korean Beef Back Ribs and Pistachio Pancakes in the Middle East, I was blown away by the delicious flavor combinations that are resonating with our international guests. It is a true testament to the creativity and passion our culinary teams bring to the table every day.
Thank you to Chefs Jéan van der Westhuizen, Liliana Rivera, and Jorge Eduardo G. for giving me a sneak peek of your tasting menu. Watching you and the entire international team at work, hustling out trays of perfectly executed items, was inspiring and I look forward to getting a taste of what’s coming next!
Dine Brands Global | Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar | IHOP
Hey, John here. This is a very exciting day because our international chefs from around the world are here in Pasadena at our headquarters and they are doing a food show later today and I am getting a sneak preview of some of what all of our team members are going to try. So come on into our kitchen here and let's see what they have. Hello chefs, this is very exciting. So Chef Lili, you're from Mexico City and what are we going to try today? You're going to start with sweet. you're gonna start with dessert. I love starting with dessert. Yesterday, we were talking about kids menu. Yes. And the kids are the ones that drive traffic because they tell their parents, Hey, mommy, I want to go to IHOP because I want waffle pops. So that's why we create this item. It's one of our most popular items on the kids menu four different toppings. Yeah. And honestly, the kid can tell I only want the Nutella with bananas. They only want Nutella with strawberries. We serve it like this. Yeah, they can. They can customize it. I'm going for birthday cake because that's always my favorite. OK, go ahead, try birthday cake. It's so good. The waffle's perfect. It's so sweet. And I love... do you call those sprinkles. Sprinkles or jimmies? Sprinkles. So where I grew up in Philadelphia. We called those Jimmies. I never heard about that name. Yeah, for me. And I'm gonna try sprinkles. I'm gonna try banana and chocolate also. Yeah. Honestly, banana Nutella, for me, it's a perfect match. And all the kids love Nutella. So that's why we use Nutella with combination of the fresh banana, chocolaty Nutella. And the waffles, of course, are our special batter. Right. And they're fantastic. Chef Jorge. Also from Mexico City. What is your creation? It's the the messy burger, the messy burger. And before I mess myself, what makes it messy? So you have to put Cheese sauce on top of the burger. OK 'cause it didn't look particularly messy. However, you have to get messy. On top of the fries as well? On top of the fries, yeah. And you have gloves over there. OK, that is now and so. You serve your guests the gloves. Yeah. So you wanted you said I want to create a burger so messy your guest has to put on gloves. We wanted to create a burger that has all the experience for the guests. This is an experience. Yeah, I only have one shirt here today. So this is... this is highly risky chef. I've got gloves and going all in. They get creative. That is so good. And so messy. And by the way. I'm looking at these ribs. We don't have anything like this here in the US. What are we looking at here? So these are Chef Jean from Dubai. I have a mouthful of messy burger, I'm sorry. It looks like you enjoyed that. I did. So these these ribs are very important for us in the Middle East. We don't serve pork, so we really focus on our beef ribs. So this is a beef rib, correct? We're also a region that likes our spicy food. So this has got a nice spicy garlic, ginger and Asian inspired marinade to it. Yeah, it's got a little bit of a Korean paste in there. The meat falls right off the bone. That's exactly what I'm going to use my fingers. So we play a lot with flavors and you know, we want try to keep, you know, sweet, sour, umami, all those kinds of flavors. It is so tender. The sauce and seasoning... Exactly. You said it's spicy and a little bit sweet in it also I love the combination. And so let's finish you off with a pistachio and rose pancake. It's used in a lot of Middle Eastern desserts and pastries. It adds a second layer of flavor to the pistachio. Pistachio gives you the nuttiness and the sweetness, but then you have this rose in the back of the palette that just adds more dimension and depth to the pancakes. Now in this entire range, we've also developed a saffron pancake, a date and almond pancake. So real focus on regional flavors. Yes, fantastic. It's so. Obvious. The great work that you guys are doing around the world to really take the the classic Applebee's and IHOP menus that our guests here in the US have known for decades and what you're doing to creatively and innovatively regionalize them and make them so special. Prepare them here in Pasadena, our headquarters, so that our domestic culinary teams can see them as well. Fantastic. I'm so impressed. Thank you. I'm going to go take a nap and a shower after this and hope you all enjoyed seeing a taste of our international cuisine.
Pistachio and rose water? Sounds like a Persian pancake flavor!! And Raffi's Place (Persian restaurant) is nearby in Glendale, CA to immerse the pistachio and rosewater flavors. Wow! I love reading about the Dine Brands Global musings in the test kitchen! Keep up the great teamwork! #diningout #IHOP #Applebee's
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The pistachio pancake looked delicious, so did the Nutella w/bananas and strawberries. Kind of thinking about visiting an IHOP with you guys. Thanks Carol
Harvard MBA.Executive Leadership Coach. Helping high performing women elevate their career. 25+ years in global companies and 4 countries. Successfully pivoted careers 4 times-Finance, Hospitality, Consulting, Coaching.
Ready, set, grow! The IHOP Global Franchise Conference in Indianapolis was an incredible week of connection and celebration. Team members, vendor partners, and franchisees from all corners of the world gathered to strengthen foundations, learn from each other, and honor the resilience of IHOP’s franchise community.
From the inspiring Women of IHOP sessions to the lively sport-themed welcome reception, the energy was unreal. A standout moment was IHOP’s keynote speaker, boxing champ Sugar Ray Leonard, who not only shared his powerful insights on determination but also got pancake certified live with Chef Arthur Carl!
We also took a moment to honor Jay Johns as he announced his retirement and welcomed Lawrence Kim as our new President. Congratulations to all the award-winning franchisees and kudos to Jay, Kieran Donahue, Candice Jacobson Graham, Chef Art, Ryan Bartell, Nathan Casey, Adrian Grubb, Gordan Rowan, Jacob Barden, Chris Padilla and the entire IHOP team for a great event.
Here’s to working together and bringing more joy to guests around the globe!
#dinebrands#dinetogether#lifeatdine#IHOP#conference
Get ready to dive into the latest edition of The Dine Dish! Discover the freshest updates and exciting happenings across Dine Brands.
Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar:
Ready for game day? Applebee’s is kicking off the season with 50 cent Boneless Wings and $10 NFL Bucket Cocktails! Dive into America’s Favorite Boneless Wings, available for dine-in and To Go. Plus, don’t miss your chance to win a trip for two to Super Bowl LIX and other awesome prizes with our Club Applebee’s Super Bowl Sweepstakes! Cheers with our $10 Captain’s Kickoff or M.V.Tea Bucket cocktails, each served in a 32 oz. bucket featuring all 32 National Football League (NFL) team logos.
IHOP:
IHOP just unveiled a delicious menu refresh! Dive into their NEW Anytime Tacos—Bacon, Egg & Cheese, Chicken Fajitas, and Spicy Shredded Beef—ideal for any time of day. Plus, check out the new Big Breakfast Burrito and tasty additions like Bacon Avocado Eggs Benedict and Chicken Florentine Crepes.
Fuzzy's Taco Shop:
Join Fuzzy’s No Kid Hungry Campaign now through September 29, 2024! Donate $2 or more and receive a bounce-back coupon for a FREE TACO on your next visit. With one in five children in the U.S. facing hunger, your support makes a big difference. Dish Out & Give Back!
There’s more to come, so stay tuned for all that’s happening across Dine Brands!
#dinebrands#dinetogether#lifeatdine#thedinedish#applebees#ihop#fuzzys
How well do you know your technology history? Let’s find out! To celebrate National IT Professionals Day, we put our team’s tech-trivia knowledge to the test!
Thank you to all of our incredible IT team members that keep everything from restaurants to our support centers running smoothly. And to Jason Dequis, Vince Avery, Shelley Groves, Michael Salmon, Mark Ayoub, Mary Charles, Lakshmikanth C. and Justin E. Skelton, MBA – right or wrong, everyone's a winner in our books! Thanks for playing!
#dinebrands#dinetogether#lifeatdine#IT
Founder & Principal Advisor
3moPistachio and rose water? Sounds like a Persian pancake flavor!! And Raffi's Place (Persian restaurant) is nearby in Glendale, CA to immerse the pistachio and rosewater flavors. Wow! I love reading about the Dine Brands Global musings in the test kitchen! Keep up the great teamwork! #diningout #IHOP #Applebee's