Olive Garden Media
Relations Contact

Mark Jaronski
Director, Public Relations
(407) 245-4391

Please direct all non-media inquiries to:
Guest Relations
olivegarden@olivegarden.com
(800) 331-2729

ORLANDO, Fla. – From appetizers to desserts, Olive Garden is introducing new permanent menu items crafted from fresh, simple ingredients and rooted in Italian culinary tradition. The new dishes include a Pork Milanese entrée, Lasagna Fritta appetizer and Zeppoli dessert, each inspired by the Olive Garden executive chefs’ annual trip to Italy.  Cheese Ravioli joins the children’s menu as a kid-friendly, Garden Fare option.  To be included on the Garden Fare menu, less than 30% of the dish’s calories come from fat.  To top off a meal with something lightly sweet and effervescent, Olive Garden has also added Castello del Poggio Moscato to its extensive list of wines.

At www.olivegardennewfavorites.com, guests can learn more about the new dishes, inspiration behind Olive Garden’s menu, and the traditional scaloppini technique of preparing meat.  Interviews with Olive Garden’s culinary chef team also provide site visitors with a glimpse of the culinary journey from Italy to the restaurant.  As part of the Olive Garden ideation process, the culinary team journeys to Italy once a year in search of new tastes, unique preparation methods and innovative ideas to bring back to guests in America. 

Pork Milanese is a rustic dish prepared with the traditional scaloppini technique used in Italy.  A pork loin is pounded until fork tender, then dredged in a blend of panko, herbed breadcrumbs, fresh parsley and parmesan cheese and pan seared until the crust becomes golden brown.  Accompanied by asiago-filled tortelloni tossed with fresh spinach in a garlic cream sauce, the dish is finished tableside with a squeeze of lemon as is classically done in Italy.  To complement the rich flavors of the dish and enhance the fresh acidity of the lemon, a crisp white wine with citrus overtones and ripe tropical fruit aromas is recommended, such as MandraRossa Fiano from Sicily.

Zeppoli, similar to beignets or doughnuts, are airy puffs of fried dough popular throughout Italy, with techniques and ingredients varying by region. The Olive Garden
version of Zeppoli is inspired by the pâte à choux yeast dough used in the northern part of the country.  Once fried, the pillowy dough balls are gently tossed in superfine, vanilla-infused sugar and served with a decadent milk-dark chocolate dipping sauce.

The Olive Garden chef team first encountered Lasagna Fritta, bite-sized portions of fried lasagna, as a street food while touring the Veneto region of Northern Italy.  Here it was served as the perfect accompaniment to a glass of wine.  Olive Garden’s version of the appetizer is parmesan-crusted and served over creamy alfredo sauce, topped with marinara sauce and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese. Lasagna Fritta is best accompanied with a bold red wine such as Principato Rosso.

Children’s Cheese Ravioli is the latest addition to the kids’ Garden Fare menu, which also includes Grilled Chicken with Pasta and Broccoli and Spaghetti and Tomato Sauce.  The Cheese Ravioli are served with a fresh, light, puréed marinara sauce to accommodate even the pickiest eaters.  Also new at Olive Garden are several gluten-free dishes created to fit guests’ lifestyle and dietary preferences.
Castello del Poggio Moscato is made from the muscat grape and originates from the Piedmont region of Italy.  This lightly sparkling wine, which means “Castle on a Hill,” is lightly sparkling, with lush notes of apricot and honey.  On its own or paired with a dessert, the wine offers a sweet finish to any meal.

Last year’s extensive travels to Central and Northern Italy served as inspiration for the new menu items; upon return, the chefs developed each dish taking care to distill the regional recipes they experienced into approachable, flavorful menu offerings created to delight guests seeking fresh, simple, delicious Italian food.

In addition to the chef team trip, every year Olive Garden sends more than 100 restaurant managers to Olive Garden’s Culinary Institute of Tuscany to enhance their culinary skills.  This experience is designed to bring the genuine Italian dining experience alive for managers, and upon their return, to their restaurant teams and guests.  Located in a restored 11th-century village in Castellina in Chianti, the Olive Garden Culinary Institute of Tuscany also provides inspiration for Olive Garden’s menu.

Olive Garden is the leading restaurant in the Italian dining segment with 691 restaurants, more than 87,000 employees and $3.3 billion in annual sales. Olive Garden is a division of Darden Restaurants Inc. (NYSE:DRI), the world’s largest company-owned and operated full-service restaurant company.  For more information, visit Olive Garden’s Web site at www.olivegarden.com.