H2O Road Test: Mondarella

We’re back and at it in the Road Test kitchen, with chef Glenn Evans taking Mondarella’s Cheddar and Mozzarella products for a spin

Here we are with another top-notch taster fresh from the Road Test kitchen, having successfully put two innovative ingredients through their paces.

Devised by Dine Out’s parent company H2O Publishing, the Road Test series allows suppliers to put their products straight into the hands of professional chefs, providing a platform where they can experiment and unleash their full potential.

Every instalment sees our chosen participant put a specific ingredient (or in this case, ingredients) to the test, before we gather their insights and put them into a concise and informative guide on how best to put it to use. In a business as fast-paced as hospitality, it can be hard to find the time to test new products, so we thought we’d do the heavy lifting so you don’t have to, freeing you up to spend more time where it matters – with your team and guests.

Our most recent stint saw The Food Workshop’s Glenn Evans get to grips with plant-based expert Mondarella’s Cheddar and Mozzarella.

“There is a real need for plant-based cheese that delivers on taste, functionality and sustainability,” says Jake Schneider, CEO at Mondarella UK and Nordics. “Firstly, taste is essential, and with a base of potato starch and rapeseed oil, our cheeses have a great neutral flavour that works well in both classic and innovative dishes. Our cheese allows chefs to create comfort food favourites like mac ‘n’ cheese while also enabling on-trend, flavourful recipes.”

Inclusivity is another key factor, chimes Schneider. The allergen-free status of these Mondarella products streamlines the menu planning process for busy commercial kitchens, while broadening the scope of diners who are able to enjoy their food.

“We put our grated mozzarella and cheddar through the Road Test because we know that plant-based cheese needs to do better,” he adds. “Many chefs and businesses have struggled to find a plant-based cheese that truly performs like dairy, so we set out to change that. They were developed with three key goals in mind: to melt beautifully like traditional cheese, to be completely allergen-free and to offer significant carbon savings compared to both dairy cheese and other plant-based alternatives.

“By testing them in real dishes, we wanted to showcase their versatility and prove that plant-based cheese can deliver on taste, texture and functionality. Our aim was to show that sustainable choices can also be great for menus.”

Following the Road Test filming, we caught up with Glenn to find out what he thought.

Dine Out (DO): How did you prepare for the Road Test?
Glenn Evans (GE): I tested the Mondarella products as a basic pizza/flatbread topping and this helped me understand the flavour and texture profile of the products. Having done this first, I knew how far I could push the boundaries in slightly more complex plant-based recipes where it would replicate its dairy equivalent.

DO: How did you find participating in the Road Test?
GE: I really enjoy participating in these sessions as I get to play around with new ingredients/products I might not have used before. I like experimenting with them in recipes I’m already developing for my clients, or creating new ones based on trending recipes/dishes I’m seeing for any future projects.

DO: What were your overall impressions of the products, and how did you make the most of it in your recipe?
GE: As plant-based cheeses, I found they performed very well. I liked the meltability vs their dairy equivalent and they worked well in a simple cheese sauce recipe I created. Overall, I found the products quite versatile. Their texture and flavour vs other plant-based cheeses on the market were probably the best I’ve seen.

DO: If you were to advise a restaurant chef on using this product, what would you say to them?
GE: The Mondarella products perform well in like-for-like circumstances vs their dairy equivalents and other plant-based competitors, so they’re definitely worth trialling.
I appreciated how easy they were to use and the neutral flavour allowed me to enhance them further, especially when used in a sauce. There were also additional benefits of the products being allergen-free and lower in unsaturated fats, so this will tick a lot of boxes for chefs.

DO: To what extent is it necessary for restaurant chefs to keep trying new things in the kitchen?
GE: It’s vital for any restaurant/food outlet to continue innovating. It’s a very competitive market and if you’re not seen to be keeping up with trends and creating new dishes that attract old and new consumers, you can easily fall behind in the marketplace.

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