Cheddar's Casual Cafe Offers Festive Holiday Entertaining Tips

IRVING, Texas, Nov. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The holidays are the season for savoring moments with loved ones shared over delicious foods. For everything from buffet get-togethers to intimate dinners, Cheddar's Casual Cafe, a leader in the high-value, American casual dining segment, has festive suggestions for making holiday parties memorable and beautiful.

• Think about presentation: Holiday favorites seem new again with a different presentation. Pre-plate meals in the kitchen, carefully arranging foods before serving. Take a cue from the unique way Cheddar's serves its famous Homemade Onion Rings, artfully stacked high and garnished with chopped parsley and sea salt.
• Vary colors and textures: Add bright colors to the plate, perhaps with fresh, steamed vegetables in bright green or orange. Robert Pesch, Cheddar's executive chef and director of culinary R&D, does this with Cheddar's Asian Salad using fresh greens and adds carrots and mango stacked between two fresh wonton crisps for color and texture.
• Create a signature cocktail or mocktail: A fun drink is memorable with or without alcohol. Think of colors or flavors of the season, and let your imagination run free. For example, Cheddar's creatively finishes off the Painkiller, its signature cocktail, with a toasted coconut rim.
• Get more mileage from your foods: A lovely continental breakfast featuring coffee and croissants can become a base for bread pudding. Cheddar's takes just this approach with its Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding, featuring croissants blended with chocolate chips and topped with vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce and almonds – a great option that reimagines a breakfast favorite as a sumptuous holiday dessert.
• Don't forget about healthy, lower-calorie options: Sure, roasted turkey is healthy, but make sure the sides aren't all heavy, starchy and covered in sauce or gravy. Offer steamed vegetables, salads with a light vinaigrette or baked squash to round out the meal.

"At Cheddar's, we focus on high-quality, handmade food and polished presentation at every restaurant, every day, so what better time to share some of our best tips than during the holiday season?" said Pesch. "People love their traditional holiday dishes, but with a little imagination you can offer something visually appealing and interesting that everyone will remember and savor."

As the fastest-growing player in its category, Cheddar's has repeatedly garnered top honors from Zagat, Consumer Reports and Nation's Restaurant News for food quality, customer experience, value and atmosphere.

About Cheddar's Casual Cafe
Irving, Texas-based Cheddar's Casual Cafe was founded in 1979 as an inviting neighborhood restaurant featuring handmade, quality food offered at a reasonable price. Cheddar's has grown to more than 140 company-owned and franchise locations in 28 states as of November 2013. Cheddar's differentiated position combines scratch-based, handmade, quality food and genuine, caring service in a polished atmosphere for a value price that is significantly below its competitors. In 2012, Zagat ranked Cheddar's the nation's No.1 full-service restaurant chain as well as Top Overall American Cuisine, the Top Rated Food and Top Rated Decor and Facilities. Consumer Reports named Cheddar's No.1 in the Pub Style or Grill Category in its two restaurant surveys in 2009 and 2012. In 2013, Cheddar's was recognized as a Golden Chain award winner by Nation's Restaurant News. The company also received the No. 1 ranking in Nation's Restaurant News/WD Partners' annual Consumer Picks Edition for Value and Likelihood to Recommend and Return in 2011-13 and Top in Value 2011-13. For more information visit www.Cheddars.com or www.facebook.com/CheddarsCasualCafe.

Media contact:
Sarah Langhorst, SPM Communications
214-379-7000
SarahL@spmcommunications.com

SOURCE Cheddar’s Casual Cafe