Maple Leaf Farms $5000 Chef Recipe Contest

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The Maple Leaf Farms 2011 Chef Recipe Contest kicks off May 2. Now professional and student chefs' recipes will be judged in two separate categories, each with their own grand prize (see below for details).
 
Innovative, easy recipes using Maple Leaf Farms duck will be judged using these criteria:
  • Simplicity 
  • Originality
  • Accuracy of recipe
  • Flavor
Chefs may enter up to 3 recipes in one category. Entries will be accepted online or by mail beginning May 2. Read official contest rules here. 

Prizes will be offered in these two categories:  
  • Professional Chefs: Grand prize - $5,000; Second place prize - $3,000; and Third place prize - $1,500
  • Student Chefs: Grand Prize - $3000; and Student Second Prize - $1500
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23rd Annual Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation® Atlanta raises $756,000

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The 23rd anniversary celebration of Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation® Atlanta raised $756,000 to end childhood hunger in Atlanta and across America. More than 1,000 people gathered at the Georgia Aquarium on Thursday, April 14, for the gourmet food and wine event that featured specialty food samplings from over 40 of the city’s top chefs, as well as live, silent and beverage auctions, wine tastings and live entertainment.

All of the net proceeds from Taste of the Nation Atlanta will help fund Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry® campaign to end childhood hunger in America by 2015 and, as part of that campaign, continue supporting local organizations including the Atlanta Community Food Bank and Genesis, A New Life and Share Our Strength’s Cooking Matters™ Georgia. 
 
Pano Karatassos, founder of the Buckhead Life Restaurant Group, started the Taste of the Nation Atlanta event in 1988 and has chaired the event each year since. He was joined this year by George McKerrow, President/CEO of Ted’s Montana Grill. Danny Meyer, CEO of New York City-based Union Square Hospitality Group, served as the events honorary chairperson. Meyer’s restaurants and their chefs have earned an unprecedented 21 James Beard Awards and perennially rank among New York City’s favorite restaurants in the Zagat survey.

This year, Share Our Strength honored Atlanta’s Five-Star Taste of the Nation Chefs, those who have supported and participated in the Atlanta event for more than 10 years. These chefs included Jamie Adams, Gary Donlick, Robert Holley, Pano I. Karatassos, Gerry Klaskala, Gary Mennie, Nan Niyomkul, Kevin Rathbun, Joey Riley, Scott Serpas, Jay Swift, Hilary White and Ian Winslade. 

Visit www.TasteOfTheNation.org.
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ITW Food Equipment Group accepts 2011 ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award

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ITW Food Equipment Group–North America (ITW FEG) recently accepted the 2011 ENERGY STAR® Sustained Excellence award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This is the second consecutive year for ITW FEG to receive ENERGY STAR’s highest honor, after earning back-to-back ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year awards in 2008 and 2009.

(L to R): Jenni Bair, LEED-AP, marketing manager, ITW Food Equipment Group; Bob Perciasepe, deputy administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and Sarah Puls, vice president, brand marketing, ITW Food Equipment Group, accept award.
Hobart, Traulsen, Stero, Vulcan, Wittco and Wolf are among the ITW FEG companies that support the sustainable initiatives of customers and end-users. ITW FEG is the first and only commercial foodservice equipment manufacturer that has received the Sustained Excellence award.

Visit www.hobartcorp.com.
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Barry Callebaut's Chocolate Academy Director, Jérôme Landrieu, named Top Ten Pastry Chef in America

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Jérôme Landrieu, head of the Barry Callebaut’s Chocolate Academy in Chicago, has been named one of the “Top 10 Pastry Chefs in America” for 2011 by Dessert Professional magazine. Landrieu will formally be recognized at an awards ceremony at The Institute for Culinary Education in New York on June 6.

The prestigious award recognizes outstanding chefs who elevate the industry as a whole with their contributions in talent, innovation, and community service, and who also embody a spirit of excellence and hospitality.

 After receiving his certification in pastry and chocolate, Landrieu worked at multiple highly esteemed pastry shops and restaurants in France. In these positions, he managed large kitchen teams putting out decadent desserts and studied under three chefs who won the prestigious Meilleur Ouvrier de France (M.O.F.) competition. Landrieu’s passion for excellence led him to begin teaching at the Superior National School of Confectionery and Pastry in Yssingeaux, France, and just before coming to the United States, he completed his fourth year at The Bellouet Conseils School, an acclaimed Parisian school for the art of desserts.

While teaching at The Bellouet Conseils School, Chef Landrieu began traveling around the world to conduct pastry and chocolate demonstrations.  It was during this time that his interest and passion for international food and culture was born.

In 2008, Chef Landrieu joined Barry Callebaut’s Chicago Chocolate Academy, where he is in charge of guiding the school towards meeting its goals of sharing knowledge about chocolate and desserts with both professionals and non-professionals alike. He manages the Academy’s staff, develops classes and recipes, and is constantly seeking out talented guest chefs for specialty classes.

Visit www.chocolate-academy.com.



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Brett Smith named executive chef, The Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village, St. Augustine, Fla.

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Chef Brett Smith has been appointed executive chef at The Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Florida. In his new position, he is responsible for overseeing the culinary team at the 301-room Northeast Florida resort, which includes overseeing cuisine for banquets, receptions and meetings at the resort. Together with the adjoining St. Johns County Convention Center and the adjacent World Golf Hall of Fame, The Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village is the largest combination hotel and conference center between Atlanta and Orlando, with 86,000 square feet of meeting and event space.

Prior to joining The Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village, Smith served as the executive chef de cuisine at Sawgrass Marriott in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida for the past seven years. Prior to that, he was the executive chef for the San Francisco Marriott Fisherman’s Wharf for three years. He also has served as banquet chef at the Sawgrass Marriott, and as chef de cuisine at the Boca Raton Marriott. He graduated with honors from the Culinary Institute of America. Among the many honors bestowed on him was the “American Culinary Federation Chef of the Year Award” by the Pacific Coast Chef’s Association in San Francisco, California. He also was one of an elite group of chefs selected to participate in the “Taste of the NFL,” an honor that he received for four consecutive years.
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Lehn named director of food and beverage at New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center

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Rose Lehn has been named director of food and beverage for the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – the sixth largest convention center in the nation. She previously served as the Center’s house manager for two years. 
In her new role, Lehn will oversee operations between the facility and Centerplate, the Center’s exclusive food service contractor, to ensure a team-driven approach that will ensure that clients’ and attendees’ experiences exceed expectations. Lehn will be responsible for enhancing F & B operations by developing an overall food and beverage strategy, evaluating day to day operations, crafting a new capital program and contract compliance. 
 This newly created director underscores the Convention Center’s commitment to creating compelling hospitality solutions for clients and reflective of New Orleans’s unique culture. In its 2010 search for a new food service contractor, the Center tried a unique approach to attract bidders who understood the essence of New Orleans food and would be able to successfully help the Center distinguish itself as a venue with the highest culinary standards, as befits a city that is known for exceptional food and dining experiences. 
A native of Cincinnati, Lehn graduated from Ohio State University with a degree in Restaurant Management. Prior to joining the New Orleans Convention Center, she was the food & beverage manager over retail outlets at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex for ten years.  Her career in the food service field also includes twelve years for Sportservice Corporation in many different venues, such as convention centers, horse and dog tracks, baseball parks, zoos, parks and beaches.
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Jill Conklin honored as SNA 2010 Individual Industry Member of the Year

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Winston Industries' domestic sales manager Jill Conklin is the 8th recipient of the 2010 School Nutrition Association (SNA) Individual Industry Member of the Year Award. Conklin was honored at the Global Child Nutrition Foundation’s A Possible Dream Gala in Washington, DC, on Monday, March 7, 2011. The award itself was presented during the SNA 64th Annual National Conference in Dallas, Texas, in June, 2010.

 SNA nutrition committee chair Julia Bauscher, SNS, nominated Conklin for her “dedication to the school nutrition profession” and her “special passion to support members in serving children worldwide.” Bauscher went on to note that Conklin is “a catalyst and leader who immediately asks, ‘What can I do to help?’” 
(L to R): Gene White, president, Global Child Nutrition Foundation; Indiana State Senator Richard Lugar; Jill Conklin; Barbara Belmont, executive director, School Nutrition Association
Conklin has worked tirelessly in support of school nutrition professionals worldwide, both as an individual and in her position with Winston Industries. She has more than nine years experience in professional foodservice, including seven years as a chef. She devotes time to Kid’s First, a Team Nutrition program, teaching nutrition and culinary skills to school foodservice personnel, teachers, administrators, and kids K-12. In addition to the boards and committees on which she serves, she is a very active supporter of the Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF), SNA’s International arm. She also volunteers with Sustainable Farms and local farm cooperatives, and is active with the USDA - Thermy Campaign, the National Coalition for Food Safe Schools.

Visit www.winstonind.com for more information.
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Hobart Center for Foodservice Sustainability accepting applications for $5,000 grant

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For the fifth year, the Hobart Center for Foodservice Sustainability (HCFS) plans to award a $5,000 grant to the organization judged to have the best-executed foodservice or grocery sustainability project. Applications are currently being accepted, and the recipient is to be announced at the 2012 National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago.

Applicants can enter by submitting a case study of 10 or fewer pages explaining how their program addresses one of more of the following foodservice sustainability challenges:

·   How the operation reduced energy/water use
·   How the operation reduced creation of wastewater or solid waste
·   How the operation implemented Farm-to-Fork programs or other combined programs

Applications must include a financial analysis of the sustainability program including the cost of implementation, continuing costs and the return on investment with a summary of the cumulative cost saving. Descriptions of specific foodservice equipment used to achieve sustainability goals, including ENERGY STAR® qualified equipment, are also encouraged.

All submissions must be received by 5 p.m. ET on Jan. 31, 2012, for the HCFS Fellows to judge. The grant recipient must use the proceeds to invest in additional sustainability efforts. The individual and/or company honored is invited to join the HCFS Fellows and to assist with future initiatives. 

Georgia Tech Dining Services (Sodexo) was the 2010 HCFS grant recipient in recognition of its comprehensive, cost-neutral approach to foodservice sustainability.  Programs include energy- and water-saving initiatives, intensive composting and recycling, and the introduction of more local and organic produce in campus foodservice operations. Over the next five years, these programs are expected to generate a cost saving of $807,200 and to help achieve aggressive goals of 26 percent energy-usage reduction and zero waste by August 2015.

To learn more about the grant and download the official application, visit the Hobart Center for Foodservice Sustainability. 
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Women Chefs & Restaurateurs' 2011 conference dates and theme, "An Educated Palate"

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Women Chefs & Restaurateurs' (WCR) 2011 national conference will take place at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge in Boston November 5-7.
 
This year’s conference theme—“An Educated Palate: Teaching, Tasting, Trading Stories”—will take full advantage of the rich tapestry of food and hospitality history unique to the Boston area and surrounding New England, says Jamie Leeds, president of WCR and chef/owner of two Hank’s Oyster Bars in greater Washington, D.C. “We invite all culinarians and hospitality professionals—representing every industry segment and role—to join us as we share the experiences and knowledge that have the power to enrich and edify us all.”


Among popular annual events, the conference will host The 2011 Women Who Inspire Awards and Gala, emceed by Carla Hall, chef/owner of Alchemy by Carla Hall in Washington, D.C., and a finalist in the fifth season of Bravo TV’s “Top Chef.”

For more information, visit womenchefs.org/displayconvention.cfm.
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