Even Dunkin' Donuts Wants to Ferment Things Now

Who says Momofuku empire builder David Chang is the only chef who can play with fermentation? The "executive chef" of coffee-and-doughnut mega-chain Dunkin' Donuts tells Bloomberg Businessweek that fermentation is the next trend the chain may adopt from fine-dining chefs. Executive chef Jeff Miller hints that house-made pickles may soon end up on the Dunkin' food menu, with plans to push Dunkin's lineup of non-breakfast sandwiches.

Chains have long looked to fine-dining trends in an attempt to draw in millennial diners: In recent months, Pizza Hut added maybe-trendy garlic sauce and barbecue to its menus, while the Olive Garden found inspiration from "hipper" ingredients like kale, capers, and pistachios in its millennial-friendly small plates. Businessweek points out that overseas Dunkin' markets have experimented with kimchi-topped doughnuts (in Korea, naturally), though Miller is doubtful a similar product will be made available in the U.S. "You never know," he says. "We try a lot of things in the lab." Fingers crossed for a miso-flavored Munchkin sometime in the near future.