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
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In this issue of Chef's Stirrings:
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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 Receives Product of The Year Award
 |
| CT PROformance Combitherm oven |
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.
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 and WÜSTHOF Collaborate to Bring High-Quality Knives to Culinary Students
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.
InHarvest Debuts Cooking Video Series on YouTube
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.
