Happy Accidents: Kitchen Mistakes That Made the Menu

In every issue of Food Fanatics®, we hit our readers up with a hashtag (#) challenge to chime in on social media. Here’s one burning question: What’s a mistake that made your menu? What’s that oopsie in the kitchen that’s now a popular pick? Three US Foods® customers told us their stories. 

MAGIC FROM THE MESS

Doughnut-Shaped Hushpuppies

“We created these doughnut-shaped hushpuppies on accident playing in the kitchen, and now they’re so popular we can’t make them any other way,” says Joe Housand III, owner of BBQ Joe’s Country Cooking & Catering in High Point, North Carolina. 

Big Roni Pizza

“When I created our Big Roni pizza, it was kind of a joke,” says Josh Hedquist, chef/owner, of OG Zaza and OG Zaza Pizza Trailer in Minneapolis. “I was hungry, so I put two pounds of cheese and two pounds of pepperoni on a pizza and posted a picture of it online to be funny. Then I had a bunch of people asking if they could order it. I put it on the menu thinking no one was going to order this, and now people love it.”

Giant Twice-Baked Potato

"We got a giant, 40-count potato in our shipment by accident one time, so we started playing around with it,” says Benn Hamm, owner/operator of Lincoln Station Bar & Grill in Chicago. “We made a giant twice-baked potato with a crispy, salty crust and loaded it with butter, tons of fried bacon, cheese, sour cream and chives. It was an instant hit.”

Wanna be next? Share a pic of your favorite chef’s coat, hat, apron or style on our Facebook or Instagram pages and tag #usfoodschallenge.