IBIE to host three baking competitions

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The 2010 International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) will host three renowned baking competitions on the show floor: the Louis Lesaffre Baking Competition, the 10th annual Pillsbury Bakers Plus Grand Champion Creative Decorating Competition and the World Chocolate Masters Regional Qualifier.

In the Louis Lesaffre Baking Competition, eight artisan baking teams from North and South America will vie for a spot in the 2012 Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie (Bakery World Cup) by producing bread, a Viennese pastry and an artistic piece.

In the 10th annual Pillsbury Bakers Plus Grand Champion Creative Decorating Competition, contestants will compete over three days in five categories for $14,000 in prize money and the Pillsbury Baker's Plus Trophy. The categories include wedding cake, rolled fondant, sculpted, creative design and floral design.

Chocolatiers, pastry chefs and other chocolate professionals will compete against each other to advance to the World Finals in the World Chocolate Masters regional qualifier during IBIE. The contestants must make a large chocolate showpiece, a chocolate pastry, two different pralines and a gastronomic chocolate dessert.

IBIE 2010 will take place Sept. 26 to 29 in Las Vegas. For more information, visit www.ibie2010.com.
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AHF announces winners of culinary competition

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The Association for Healthcare Foodservice (AHF) named two foodservice professionals at Saint Mary's Health Care in Grand Rapids, Mich., the winners of the 2010 Culinary Competition held June 7 during its inaugural conference in Austin, Texas. Mary Jaskowski, Saint Mary's director of nutrition services, and William Read, executive chef at Saint Mary's, won first place, a set of engraved plates and knives and $500 in Tyson reward points with their dish of pecan goat cheese chicken and cinnamon bread pudding.

(l to r) Executive chef Eric Eisenberg of the Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, Mary Jaskowski and William Read from Saint Mary's Health Care and Doris Davis of Tyson Food Service

Jaskowski and Read competed against five other teams to create innovative entrées using sponsor Tyson Food Service's True Chicken Breast Fillets and Natural Hardwood Smoked Center-Cut Bacon. Taking second place were nutrition services director Deborah Jones and chef Karea Anderson from St. Peter's Hospital in Helena, Mont. with their chicken and bacon empanadas with grilled corn salsa, avocado crema and pomegranate cherry reduction. The third place award went to director of nutrition and foodservice Angelo Mojica and executive chef Shawn Dolan from UNC Healthcare in Chapel Hill, N.C. for their tobacco road chicken.
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RATIONAL is paying foodservice operators to replace outdated equipment

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SPONSORED POST

Operators can receive up to $1,000 in cash or $2,000 in RATIONAL accessories for purchasing SelfCooking Center® units

With no government bailout pending for foodservice operators looking to upgrade to more efficient cooking equipment, RATIONAL is stepping in with a new rebate program: Cash for Trash. The RATIONAL Cash for Trash promotion offers foodservice operators rebates of up to $1,000 for the purchase of a SelfCooking Center or up to $2,000 in RATIONAL accessories. The program began May 1 and runs through December 31, 2010.

The RATIONAL SelfCooking Center is an advanced piece of cooking equipment capable of baking, roasting, poaching, frying, grilling and steaming. Each unit comes equipped with nine automated cooking modes and 57 cooking processes for turnkey operation. It is available in six different model sizes and in gas or electric configurations.

Foodservice operators who are eligible for the Cash for Trash program include those replacing any brand of commercial combi steamer or heavy conventional cooking equipment, such as convection ovens, steamers, grills and tilt skillets. Also eligible are current customers replacing a RATIONAL unit or adding additional units to replace older, conventional equipment.

The rebate structure for purchases by model is:
  • SelfCooking Center 61 & 101 - $500.00 Buy-back rebate
  • SelfCooking Center 62 & 102 - $750.00 Buy-back rebate
  • SelfCooking Center 201 & 202 - $1,000.00 Buy-back rebate
The rebate amount can be doubled if the customer opts to receive the rebate in RATIONAL accessories such as the CombiFry Basket, Combi Grill & Pizza Tray, Multibaker or cleaning chemicals for the self cleaning and descaling feature. RATIONAL accessories can further customize the SelfCooking Center unit for foodservice operations. Accessory packages are as follows:
  • SelfCooking Center 61 & 101 - $1,000.00 Accessory Package
  • SelfCooking Center 62 & 102 - $1,500.00 Accessory Package
  • SelfCooking Center 201 & 202 - $2,000.00 Accessory Package
"We started the Cash for Trash program to make the advanced SelfCooking Center technology more accessible for operations that want to grow or are in need of an equipment makeover," said Vinod Jotwani, director of marketing, RATIONAL USA and Canada.

To take advantage of the rebate program, operators must attend a TeamCooking Live event where they can test drive the SelfCooking Center. In order to receive the rebate, the end customer must remove and send back the Serial Identification Tag for the equipment they are replacing and send it to RATIONAL along with a RATIONAL rebate form and purchase documentation. RATIONAL does not take ownership of the old appliance at any time during the program. Rebates are sent directly to the end user.

Acceptance of rebates issued through RATIONAL's Cash for Trash program does not preclude operators from applying for and receiving state-level, energy efficiency rebates. Operators are encouraged to check with their equipment dealer for specific guidance on state program eligibility.

Operators can find out more about the rebate program by contacting a RATIONAL representative or by calling (888) 320-7274. Registration for TeamCooking Live is available online at www.rational-online.com/US_en/events/.
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June 2010 Chef digital edition is now available

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The digital edition of the June 2010 issue of Chef Magazine is now online through the Chef Web site. This digital edition features all the same great content as the print edition, plus online exclusives on healthy recipes, icy-cold drinks and to-go beverage supplies. To access the issue, click the icon below. You can also register on the Chef Web site to receive e-mail notification when each new digital magazine is available for viewing.
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Industry Voices

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"I'm probably as well known as a philanthropist as I am a chef in my hometown of Fort Worth, Texas, even though I couldn't really pull off the philanthropic side without my culinary background. What I've managed to do for my business is take an economic and personal approach to charitable involvement. It's an approach that began for personal reasons, but has evolved into an economic strategy for success in the fine-dining industry."
--Jon Bonnell, chef/owner, Bonnell's Restaurant, Fort Worth, Texas, "Industry Voices," June 2010, Chef Magazine

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Restaurateur François Haeringer dies

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François Haeringer, founder and owner of L'Auberge Chez François in Great Falls, Va., died June 3 from complications due to a hip fracture. He was 91 years old.

Haeringer (pictured) was born Jan. 6, 1919, in the Alsatian town of Obernai, France, and started cooking at age 16. He opened the original Chez François in Washington, D.C., in 1954. When the Claridge Hotel, which housed Chez François, was sold in 1975, the 57-year-old Haeringer decided to open an auberge, or family inn, much like those prevalent in his native Alsace. He opened L'Auberge Chez François in 1976, and made his oldest son Jacques chef de cuisine. The Haeringer family will continue running L'Auberge Chez François, according to a statement.

François Haeringer is survived by his wife Marie-Antoinette; their sons Jacques, Robert and Paul; and four grandchildren. Funeral services will be held Thursday, June 10, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Catherine's Church in Great Falls. For more information about his life, visit www.laubergechezfrancois.com.
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Hillshire Farm celeb chef cooks for Chicago families
in need

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On May 25 Hillshire Farm celebrity spokesperson and chef/author Delilah Winder visited West Englewood United Organization's Clara House in Chicago, a transitional shelter for mothers with children. Winder shared her signature 7-Cheese Macaroni & Cheese recipe along with tips for summertime meals using Hillshire Farm products.

(l to r) Hillshire Farm chef Delilah Winder; Clara Kirk, CEO of Clara's House; and Billy Hayes, CEO of Fresh Start D.L.B.

Clara's House aims to improve the quality of life for families and community residents through programs designed to meet basic needs for employment, housing, healthcare and education. For more information, visit www.clarashouse-weuo.org.
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