Elevating the Asian-Style Appetizer NEW
Asian-style starters gain new relevance through creative flavors, formats and fusion pairings
Published July 2025, Updated February 2026
Written in partnership with Flavor & The Menu
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Globally Inspired Appetizers Provide Low-Risk, High-Reward Menu Innovation Opportunities
Globally inspired appetizers are doing more than just whetting appetites—they’re fueling curiosity, driving engagement and refreshing menus at just the right moment. These small plates serve as entry points into new culinary territories, letting diners explore bold flavors without the commitment of a full entrée. For operators, they offer a low-risk, high-reward means of boosting check averages while tapping into the growing demand for shareable, interactive experiences. And as consumers lean into the thrill of food discovery, one region in particular is proving to be a standout—Asian-style appetizers are emerging as flavorful front-runners in this global grazing movement.
“People have a treasure hunt mentality when it comes to appetizers. They’re looking for something new and interesting to try and to share with friends and family,” says Chef Michael Gunn, Director of Culinary, Schwan’s Food Service, Inc., also noting the low-risk advantages of appetizers for exploring unfamiliar flavors with a less-expensive investment.
Market research affirms ever-growing interest in global flavors across the menu.
Resonant data points from different studies include:
- Datassential reports that two in five consumers eat global foods at least monthly (“Authenticity: The Consumer Perspective,” January 2024)
- 70 percent of operators see increased customer demand for globally inspired foods (“Global Flavors Keynote Report, 2021).
- 65 percent of consumers like to explore different cultures through food according to The 2023 Schwan’s Food Service, Inc., Morning Consult Trends Survey
Chef Michael Gunn attributes diner interest specifically in Asian dishes to a combination of the embrace of longstanding favorites with occasions for unfamiliar culinary experiences. “Asian cuisine is so diverse that we’ve only just begun to scratch the surface of what it has to offer in the U.S.”
Applying this interest to the appetizer category is ripe with opportunities
Familiarity Allows for Bold Flavor Innovation
Familiar formats provide a strategic bridge for consumers who desire manageable flavor experimentation without the risk of a full entrée. Because Asian-style appetizers from Schwan’s Food Service, specifically MINH® and CHEF ONE® products, are easily recognized by customers, they warrant a greater menu presence and provide a unique opportunity to experiment with more adventurous fillings.
Versatile Applications Multiply Your Menuing Possibilities
Operational reinvention is simple when you apply familiar favorites to new categories, such as adding dumplings to salads for a fresh entrée or tossing chicken-and-vegetable pot stickers in wing sauce for a unique twist on a classic appetizer. This inherent flexibility allows for exceptional menuing versatility beyond traditional dipping sauce applications.
Back-of-House Efficiency Protects Your Bottom Line
Mitigating labor and cost struggles is a core benefit of MINH® and CHEF ONE® products, which are designed specifically to deliver maximum value. Most items transition directly from the freezer to the fryer, pan, or oven, helping culinary teams reduce prep steps, minimize ingredient waste, and respond quickly to sudden spikes in business volume.
Rigorous Development Ensures Long-Term Customer Confidence
Rigorous testing and development underpin every item to ensure it appeals to modern consumers while remaining operator-friendly and highly profitable to menu. Maintaining customer confidence is a top priority for Schwan’s Foodservice, and consistent, high-value food ensures that every guest visit meets expectations.
How To Elevate Asian-Style Appetizers
Dumplings are having a particular moment right now.
They were included in Flavor & The Menu’s Top 10 Trends for 2025. Dough-encased morsels of savory chicken or pork with cabbage and onions, like CHEF ONE® Chicken & Vegetable and Pork & Vegetable Dumplings aren’t going anywhere, but it is fresh flavors and new translations that are driving the trend.
In response, the brand has added a Korean-influenced variety: CHEF ONE® Beef & Vegetable Mandu. “Korean cuisine is on trend, making it obvious that we need Korean flavors in our product mix,” says Gunn. “Also, our parent company is Korean, so we have a depth of knowledge in Korean cuisine that’s hard to match.” For this item, the mandu wrapper is thinner-than-thin, accommodating more filling as a result, with a texture that is crispy when pan-fried and soft when steamed. “The dumplings deliver on bulgogi beef, with smoky grill notes, savory beef and soy sauce flavors with a bit of sweetness to round it out,” says Gunn, adding, “These dumplings are larger than average, with a 73 percent filling-to-wrapper ratio, making them juicy and flavorful—and one of my personal favorites.”
Other flavors in the CHEF ONE® Dumpling lineup include:
- Chicken Teriyaki Dumplings have a classic savory, soy, umami note that is nicely balanced with a little sweetness
- Chicken Lemongrass Dumplings have a citrus note of the lemongrass that comes through nicely, without being overpowering, allowing the flavors of the chicken, green onions and sweet corn to shine.
- Edamame Dumplings are very popular because they deliver a big flavor while being vegetarian. Their complex, savory profile comes from the combination of edamame, cabbage, carrots, green onions, Chinese chives, garlic and shiitake mushrooms.
CHEF ONE® Beef & Vegetable Mandu taps into rising interest in Korean flavors, featuring a savory, juicy, bulgogi profile.
Leverage a street food vibe by threading pieces of fried egg rolls or dumplings on skewers for a kabob mash-up.
Classic Egg Rolls Can Take on Contemporary Roles.
The successful line-up of MINH® Egg Rolls and Spring Rolls includes conventional offerings such as chicken, vegetable and pork and vegetable egg rolls, plus a vegetable spring roll. But there are a few varieties that promise to be foodservice game-changers, particularly fusions like the Buffalo Chicken Egg Roll and the Philly Cheesesteak Egg Roll. The merger of classic flavor systems in an unusual carrier is a genius move.
“We know that with variable consumer traffic patterns, operators need to provide exciting menus that are on-trend, in-demand and provide opportunities for increased revenue through increased check averages,” says Gunn. “These two items are doing that.”
- Buffalo Chicken Egg Roll has a nice kick from the Buffalo sauce, with chicken, cheese and celery nicely balanced, making it very craveable
- The Philly Cheesesteak Egg Roll has a rich and savory beef flavor, complemented by onion and green pepper and tied together with cheddar and mozzarella cheeses. The crispy wrapper is the differentiating factor.
Next-level Menu Applications Rely on Inventive Takes
Menuing (and marketing) brand-new flavors of iconic Asian-style favorites like egg rolls and dumplings is only part of the equation when it comes to taking best advantage of their potential to score big with diners. Next-level menu applications—in the appetizer and other categories—rely on inventive takes in both concept and presentation.
- Pairing crispy rolls and dumplings with a dipping sauce allows menu developers to tap into customer needs for flavor intrigue, customization and interactivity by offering the fried items with a flight of different sauces.
- Stick with the Asian theme and feature a Thai chile sauce with sweet and sour sauces like our new-to-foodservice bibigo™ Gochujang Hot & Sweet sauce
- Take a broader approach to the sauce mix in your flight, with options like gochujang-spiked ranch, Sriracha hot honey and Korean barbecue.
- Crispy fried egg rolls can be cut on a diagonal and threaded onto skewers with veggies for a unique kabob, lending a street food vibe.
- Add sliced egg rolls to a Caesar salad for an alternate protein with a distinctive crunch.
- Mini spring rolls give a boost to a rice noodle salad with bean sprouts, bell pepper, cucumber and carrot and dressed with nuoc cham.
- Create a charcuterie-style appetizer board that features a range of egg roll, spring roll and dumpling varieties along with accompanying veggies, fruit and cheese.
- Step up your bar menu by using Asian-style appetizers in unexpected menu innovations. Use egg rolls and dumplings to garnish Bloody Mary’s and add a little gochujang to the Bloody Mary mix for an Asian flair.”
- Prep a line-up of egg roll shooters. Use spirits that are less sweet, like whisky, vodka, beer, sake or soju.
A charcuterie-style board featuring crispy egg rolls, spring rolls and dumplings is an unconventional presentation for a coveted shareable dining experience.
Asian-style appetizers have an impressive capacity for menu reinventions that will generate all-important buzz. Dumplings served with a flight of varied dipping sauces or savory egg roll shooters demonstrate the range of easy-to-implement innovations operators can try.
Limited Time Offers Provide a Low-Lift Way to Stand Out
As today’s consumers seek bold, discovery-driven bites, craveable classics like dumplings, egg rolls and spring rolls can serve up solutions that meet their interests and your needs. Use the LTO process to lean into boundary-pushing flavors and fun new menu interpretations. According to Datassential research, more than three-quarters of consumers are interested in LTOs that offer a new twist on a familiar dish (Limited Time Offers: Keynote Report 2022). Asian-style Appetizers from Schwan’s Food Service, Inc., are well-positioned for this low-lift, high-impact way to stand out, validate premium pricing and affirm your reputation for trend-forward fare.