A new generation of restaurant patrons is rediscovering the joy of sardines, anchovies and smelt.

Demands for bolder, fresher, spicier, more flavorful, natural and organic are just some of the challenges restaurant operators are meeting head-on.

As the economy continues to impact the way consumers think about discretionary spending, restaurant dining today is a buyers' market, and consumers are increasingly picky.

The foods consumers are demanding include ethnic, local, organic, comfort, healthier, variations on burgers and sandwiches, breakfast foods and upscale childrenís menu items.

The nominees for the 2009 Spirit of Innovation ran the gamut, from beverages to snacks, from breakfast items to dessert snacks. The innovative teamwork involved in creating these exemplary products managed to combine unique concepts with the latest trends and the underlying needs of the consumers.

Burger battleground; searching for authenticity.

Americans may only eat healthy when at home; and favorite restaurant snacks make it into the mainstream.

Chief editor Claudia O'Donnell weighs in with what was noteworthy at the 2009 IFT Show.

Good for the soul food; organic and "green" items are becoming more commonplace on menus; and kosher foods increase in popularity.

Sandwich chains find the magic number; grape new world; Cajun sandwiches emerge in popularity; and foodservice gains in c-stores.