Welcome to Chef's Stirrings, Chef Magazine's monthly news highlights of what's going on in the foodservice industry and chef world. For daily news and online exclusives, please visit Chef's Stirrings blog.
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In this issue of Chef's Stirrings:Got a news item? Send it to us for consideration.• NRA Show 2014 - Chef Magazine's Product Showcase
• Alto-Shaam Receives Product of The Year Award
• Kendall College and WÜSTHOF Collaborate to Bring High-Quality Knives to Culinary Students
• InHarvest Debuts Cooking Video Series on YouTube
• The Culinary Institute of America's Eighth Annual Augie Awards Celebrate Industry Leaders and "The Power of Food"
• Master-Bilt Releases Vertical and Horizontal Open Air Display Merchandisers
Sincerely,
The Editors, Chef Magazine
NRA Show 2014 - Chef Magazine's Product Showcase
Over the course of four days, more than 18,000 suppliers and tens of thousands of buyers will visit the booths at the National Restaurant Association, Hotel-Motel Show taking place May 17-20 at McCormick Place in Chicago.
Trends and topics highlighted at the almost 100-year-old show include operational issues, menu development, sustainability, marketing, technology, special dietary needs, health and nutrition. More than 70 educational sessions will be led by industry experts. Guests can experience what's possible in sustainable horticulture and urban farming at the McCormick Place Rooftop Garden Tour taking placeon Sunday and Tuesday. In addition the International Wine, Spirits and Beer Event will coincide with the show May 18-19.
Stop by our May advertisers' must-see booths CLICK HERE to learn about new products and see how they can be used in your restaurant.
Alto-Shaam has received the Product of the Year Award by Foodservice Consultants Society International (FCSI). The award is for the innovative technology in the new CT PROformance Combitherm oven launched earlier this year.
CT PROformance Combitherm oven
The Product of the Year Award honors a manufacturer whose commitment to research and development has resulted in a truly innovative product that is a clear leap forward for the foodservice industry. The winner is chosen from ten finalists in the FCSI Educational Foundation's Innovation Showcase. The finalists are selected by a distinguished panel of FCSI Fellows and ICONs, and the winner is selected by majority vote of FCSI Consultant members attending the annual conference.
The new CT PROformance Combitherm oven from Alto-Shaam features a zero clearance design, allowing equipment to be placed anywhere on the line, even next to open flame. Also, the PROpower(tm) setting allows for accelerated preheat and recovery times resulting in 20% faster cooking times than competitive models.
Alto-Shaam was chosen in part because of its ability to address today's leading commercial kitchen equipment challenges with advancements in speed, energy efficiency, and versatility to conform to diverse restaurant layouts and numerous applications. Also available with an integrated smoking feature, enhanced cleaning system and menu capacity, Absolute Humidity Control and more, the CT PROformance Combitherm Oven is the most innovative oven on the market. For more information on features and benefits, please visit ct-proformance.com.
Kendall College, the No. 1 school in Chicago in preparing students for careers in culinary arts and hospitality management (TNS Global – 2013 Survey), is proud to collaborate with state-of-the-art premium cutlery company, WÜSTHOF, as it celebrates 200 years. WÜSTHOF, headquartered in Solingen, Germany, has a long and rich heritage crafting the finest precision-forged full-tang cutlery, and as part of this new partnership, will provide all Kendall culinary students with a forged GRAND PRIX II 8-inch Cook's Knife and several knives from the laser-stamped PRO series in the student knife kit.
"Part of what makes Kendall's educational experience so rich is the outstanding partnerships we have created with top-quality, high-standard culinary organizations and companies," said Kendall College President Emily Williams Knight. "Being able to use and learn with industry-leading equipment provides our students with a competitive edge as they prepare to enter their chosen field. Working with WÜSTHOF is an honor for both our students and the faculty."
In addition to the prestigious knives becoming part of the curriculum, Kendall College will be dedicating one of the teaching kitchens to the company. This honor is provided to chefs and companies that go above and beyond to help the college in offering top educational opportunities, equipment and facilities.
"We're extremely proud and honored to partner with Kendall College and work together in cultivating the next generation of culinary professionals," said Bill Colwin, Vice President of Sales, Food Service & Hospitality at WÜSTHOF-TRIDENT OF AMERICA, INC. "In the process of developing this exciting partnership, which provides immense value to both faculty and the students, it became very obvious to all of us at WÜSTHOF that we share and adhere to the same high standards of excellence and dedication to challenging the status quo."
GRAND PRIX II and PRO knives are specifically designed for foodservice professionals who demand high-performance cutlery that can withstand heavy daily use. Crafted in Germany, both GRAND PRIX II and PRO knives are made of signature metal alloy of high-carbon, stain-free steel to meet all key criteria called for in commercial kitchens—sharpness straight out of the box, edge retention, ease in re-sharpening and prevention of rusting and staining.
To kick off the partnership, Kendall College will co-host WÜSTHOF's 200th anniversary party to be held at the college in the iconic Skyline Room, which boosts outstanding city views. The invite-only party will take place on Monday, May 19, where Kendall culinary-arts students will be working at various action stations demonstrating the quality of the WÜSTHOF knives.
For more information about Kendall College's School of Culinary Arts, visitwww.culinary.kendall.edu or for more information on WÜSTHOF, visitwusthof.com.
Which whole grains are enjoying rock-star fame among chefs and consumers? For that matter, what is a whole grain? And when a grain is touted as "ancient," what does that mean?
In answer to these and many other questions posed by foodservice employees, InHarvest is proud to announce its new professional-development channel on YouTube at youtube.com/user/inharvestfoodservice.
The 11 videos in the series are between 1:30 and 10 minutes long and feature InHarvest's Culinary Team: Michael Holleman, director of culinary development; Chris Bybee, executive chef, Western Region; Coleen Donnelly, executive chef, K-12; and Jason Ziobrowski, CEC, executive chef, Eastern Region. Video instruction embraces the following culinary training in whole-grain information and applications:
• What Is a Whole Grain?
• Whole Grain Tips and Tricks
• Ancient Grains, Modern Nutrition
• Rice Bowl Concepts
• Whole Grains at Every Station
• Black Pearl Medley® Jambalaya
• Menu Solutions with Greenwheat Freekeh™
• Recipe: Building a Salad with Golden Jewel Blend®
• Bringing Whole Grains to K-12
• Recipe: K-12 Deep-Dish Beef Chili
• Recipe: Greenwheat Freekeh™ and Massaged Kale Salad
According to Holleman, while many of the videos feature InHarvest products to facilitate learning, the valuable messaging is applicable to a wealth of whole grains served in multiple segments throughout the foodservice spectrum. More videos to help industry professionals offer delicious and nutritious whole-grain menu solutions will populate the channel in 2014, he adds.
The Culinary Institute of America's Eighth Annual Augie Awards Celebrate Industry Leaders and "The Power of Food"
At the eighth annual Leadership Awards of The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), "Augie" Awards were presented to four outstanding individuals who exemplify the innovation and leadership in the food and foodservice industry that were personified by Auguste Escoffier, for whom the award is named. Captured by the event's theme, The Power of Food, these leaders were honored for their accomplishments in four areas of thought leadership and action that are both critical to the future of the industry and of great importance to the CIA:
- Honored for his dedication to professional excellence and innovation: Jean-Georges Vongerichten, chef/owner of Jean-Georges Restaurants.
- Honored for creating a product that promotes health and wellness along with philanthropic dedication in that area: Hamdi Ulukaya, founder and CEO of Chobani, Inc.
- Honored for his contribution to the understanding of world cuisines and cultures: Masaharu Morimoto, chef/owner of Morimoto Restaurants.
- Honored for his and his company's commitment to sustainability and food ethics: Leo Oosterveer, CEO of Unilever Food Solutions.
The 2014 awards took place at the Grand Hyatt in New York City, where the ballroom was filled with 500 attendees--including CIA graduates Charlie Palmer, Steve Ells, David Burke, Johnny Iuzzini, and others. The Power of Food was explored through videos of the honorees and CIA students, and a presentation from CIA President Dr. Tim Ryan, who highlighted the contributions of the college.
Master-Bilt Releases Vertical and Horizontal Open Air Display Merchandisers
Master-Bilt is proud to announce the latest development in their line of merchandising display equipment - the VOAM series vertical and HOAM series horizontal open air display merchandisers. These new "grab and go" merchandisers offer easy access and attention-grabbing aesthetics all at a competitive price and are on display at the 2014 National Restaurant Show May 17-20 at Chicago's McCormick Place, booth #4257.
The VOAM models offer merchandising flexibility with two-position cantilever shelving and price tag molding. The HOAM series also features an adjustable shelf and has a full length 10'' wide metal top. All models exhibit standard LED canopy lighting for optimum efficiency and product display. Durable stainless steel corrosion-resistant floor pans are also standard. The contemporary-styled HOAM/VOAM series feature sloping glass sides that easily and effectively showcase salads, sandwiches, beverages and many other products.
The two new series are both constructed of textured finishes on the interior and exterior and feature an electronic controller system that allows the user to monitor defrost functions from a front panel interface. Additionally, the system provides audible and visible alarms and offers increased temperature control reliability. Merchandisers are complete with Master-Bilt's standard limited three year parts and labor warranty with additional two year coverage on the compressor.
