High Food Costs Have Chefs Cooking up New Menus

Meat, fish and produce prices in recent weeks have sent local chefs scrambling to reconfigure menus and even consider making additions where certain items have hit rock bottom.

Lobster prices have reached such an all-time low that fishermen in Canada are mulling a protest over the sinking market value.

“We don’t serve lobsters, but because of the prices, we’ve considered serving it,” said Red Sky owner Ed Brooks.

While lobster has bottomed out, the price of avocados and other produce has skyrocketed, and certain meats such as domestic lamb have been cut from menus because it’s simply too expensive.

“In general, avocados have always been expensive, but usually the winter time is bad,” said Zocalo Cocina Mexicana owner Ricardo Ramos. “The problem for restaurateurs is that we can’t raise our prices at will or else we’ll lose clients. Groceries can charge differently for produce — we can’t.”

“From what I am experiencing and hearing, food commodities and raw products have been and continue to soar and in the next few months or so we are prepared to see anywhere from 10 percent to 30 percent price increases on a significant number of our raw or commercial products,” added Papagayo owner Chris Damien.

Chefs at some of the top restaurants in the area have also been adjusting menus due to exorbitant meat prices.

Lamb, which is one of Lydia Shire’s favorite things to cook, has disappeared from the menu at her Towne Stove and Spirits in Back Bay because the wholesale price has nearly doubled.

“I haven’t had lamb on my menu because of how expensive it is to buy my favorite Colorado variety. I would have to charge $50 or $60 at the very least, and no customer would want that,” said Shire.

Some restaurateurs see the trend as a lasting one that is due in part to purveyors who have raised prices.

“Prices are always sort of up and down, especially with higher-end restaurants buying from higher-end purveyors,” said Prezza owner and executive chef Anthony Caturano. “Food prices are so far out of whack where you are really beginning to see people cut corners.”