In today's Chicago Tribune there is an article on the "most powerful chef in America" and arguably the world. The man in question is Naperville resident, former actor, C.I.A. (mise en place not espionage) graduate and current McDonald's USA Director of Culinary Innovation Dan Coudreaut. This is the man we have to thank for the "Asian" salad and the Chicken Snack Wrap currently gracing the menus at the Golden Arches. Now don't get me wrong...I love a Big Mac every couple of years and I have a weakness for the vanilla frozen dairy dessert cone (only 150 calories!) but what exactly is this man doing. Take for instance the Snack Wrap. According to the article it took one year of development from idea to launch.
you read that correctly...one year...
Never mind the fact that the ingredients, basically a chicken select wrapped in a tortilla with vegetables and sauce, were already in use at the restaurant. Mr. Coudreaut somehow had the foresight to mix them all up to create an entirely new dish!
Why is McDonald's so unwilling to challenge its customers? Much like Food Network they are in a position of great power with which comes great responsibility (I know, I know...very Spider-Man). Given the choice between developing a McGriddle (strange) or a Thai curry the McGriddle wins out. This company has the ability to introduce new foods and flavors into mainstream culture and they choose instead to create Frankensteins of the same old crap. Ultimately the decision comes down to money. The majority of consumers prefer to continue forward with no new options, afraid of anything too new or outrageous, the recent flop of the Spicy Chicken Sandwich being a perfect example. McDonald's will obviously only create things they think are going to make money. They aren't willing, but probably able, to take risks and challenge the American palate.
Mr. Coudreaut has developed ideas for tuna, salmon, a pineapple salsa and many more "chefy" dishes that obviously never made it onto the menu. I had a discussion with a friend today about this article and she told me you just have to not think of it as food. I'd like to think that maybe it won't come to this. I'm still holding out hope that while feeding millions o
f people around the globe every week, McDonald's will one day wake up and say...this is sort of irresponsible. Then again, with comments like these from Deborah McDaniel, Coudreaut's boss, regarding adding edamame to the Asian salad..."Wow, here we go with the chef ideas again. It was a little bit out there,"
...there may not be any hope.
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