During 2020, due to the health events that have affected the whole world, many businesses, including the restaurant industry, took a hard hit. In an effort to maintain their businesses, several restaurants have reached out to their regular clients in a new model. With a subscription, people can receive chef-made dishes delivered to their homes on a regular basis!

The Benefits of a Restaurant Subscription Plan

As a method of helping their businesses survive the difficulties that occurred during 2020, several restaurant owners contemplated offering subscriptions to their regular customers. This would provide regular income to the restaurants and minimize unnecessary spending as there would be a precise number of meals that need to be prepared. A couple of tech companies came out with online services that were specifically designed for this purpose.

People can sign up for provision boxes that would feature local produce and products made by the restaurant in question, such as pasta, jams, or complete meals. Chefs would be able to get direct feedback from the clients on the platform and send out prepared meals to their homes according to the subscription plan. Customers can subscribe for deliveries weekly, monthly, or other schedules depending on what the restaurant in question decides to offer. This creates convenience for people who miss the taste of the dishes from their favorite restaurants.

Is This a Turning Point for the Restaurant Industry?

Although the idea was for subscriptions to be one of the ways of pulling the industry through this critical period, it might be a step towards revolutionizing it. It creates an opportunity for chefs who aren’t interested in working in a classic restaurant setting to continue practicing their craft in a different business model. Through the chat rooms that these new platforms offer, it’s possible to establish a more personal relationship with customers, which is something most chefs in traditional restaurants don’t get to experience.

If you love experimenting in the kitchen and stirfries have a special place in your heart, then you simply must try this delicious Chinese garlic sauce. The healthy homemade brown stirfry is the perfect blend of salty, sweet, and spicy flavors. You can make it vegan-friendly by using vegetable broth instead of beef or chicken broth. Here’s the rundown of everything you’ll need and how to prepare it!

Ingredients

For the Sauce

• ½ cup beef, chicken, or vegetable broth
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• ½ tsp sesame oil
• ¼ tsp smoked paprika
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tsp Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry) – optional
• ½ tsp Szechuan peppercorns – optional

For the Pan

• 4 tsp fresh garlic, minced (about 4 garlic cloves)
• ½ tsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp fresh ginger, minced

How to Make the Chinese Garlic Stirfry Sauce

Step 1

Grab a medium-sized bowl and add all ingredients for the sauce. Stir them together with a whisk and set them aside.

Step 2

Put a saucepan or skillet over medium heat and heat the vegetable oil. Once it’s heated, add the ginger and garlic and saute them for about 30 to 60 seconds, stirring constantly.

Step 3

Give the sauce another whisk before pouring it into the pan. Bring it to a boil and then let it simmer for a few minutes until it thickens. Stir occasionally.

Step 4

Use your Chinese stirfry sauce immediately as a dip or dressing, or let it cool completely and pour it into a clean container. You can store the leftovers in the fridge for up to five days. Enjoy!

Notes

Instead of maple syrup, you can use another sweetener of your choice, even plain sugar. As for cornstarch, you can substitute it with potato starch, tapioca flour, arrowroot flour, and other similar ingredients. Feel free to experiment with the stirfry recipe until you find the perfect combination for your taste. You got this!