Food & Food Equipment News

French's Mustard Wins Gold Medal in National Mustard Competition

Every year, a world-wide mustard competition takes place, giving mustards from all around the globe a chance to compete for an award in one of 16 flavor categories!  The competition, sponsored by the National Mustard Museum, based in Midddleton, WI, spotlights a variety of flavor profiles from Sweet-Hot to Spirit-infused to Exotic, but perhaps the most competitive of categories is “American Yellow.” This year’s gold medal in the category went to French's Classic Yellow Mustard.   

“For over 100 years, French’s Mustard has been made from the highest quality natural ingredients including #1 grade, stone ground mustard seed,” said Ukonwa Ojo, Senior Brand Manager for French’s Mustard. “We’re excited to learn that our unrelenting commitment to making the very best mustard has resulted in gold medal recognition in the competition. French’s has been America’s favorite mustard for over 100 years, and we are glad to hear that it was the judges’ favorite, too!”  

The prestigious judging panel for the National Mustard Competition consisted of chefs, food professionals, and food writers who judged the entrants on the following criteria per category: mustard quality, category fidelity, and overall flavor and appearance. The ideal “American Yellow” mustard was described in competition literature as having the following profile: “a taste that is not too hot, with more spice on the tongue than in the nose.” All entries were tasted “blind,” meaning judges did not know the identity of the brands being tasted. French’s was a standout in this national competition that vetted nearly 300 different mustards.

French’s® Mustard, the 100-plus year-old iconic mustard brand, has helped bring people together for good food and good times ever since it was first introduced in 1904 at the St. Louis World’s Fair. Despite all of the changes in corporate names and structures, the people behind French’s continue to expand the mustard category through an ongoing commitment to innovation and new product development. In 1974, French’s introduced the squeeze bottle, and soon after a family of other flavor varieties. Today, the French’s brand and pennant remain America’s Favorite® mustard.

FRENCH’S® Foods, a division of Reckitt Benckiser Inc., the maker of FRENCH’S®  mustards, is a leading manufacturer, marketer, and distributor of food and household products. Some other well known, trusted household names in the Reckitt Benckiser Inc. family of food products include FRANK’S^® REDHOT^® Cayenne Pepper Sauce, FRENCH’S® French Fried Onions and FRENCH’S® Worcestershire sauce.

Auguste Escoffier Schools Of Culinary Arts Announce Winners Of Short Film Scholarships

The Auguste Escoffier Schools of Culinary Arts will award $30,000 in scholarships to the winners of the "The Next Escoffier Student" short film competition.

Numerous video entries from across the nation were received from prospective and currently enrolled future students featuring students preparing, cooking or baking, and plating their favorite dishes. In addition to video entries, contestants submitted a 500 word essay explaining why they selected their featured dishes. Entries were judged by a committee of chef instructors and school staff who took into consideration the preparation, cooking, and plating skills demonstrated in the videos as well as the content essays and the number of votes each video received on the school's Facebook page.

"We congratulate the winners of the Next Escoffier Student film competition and look forward to working with them when they begin classes. The levels of enthusiasm and professionalism our winners demonstrated are highly impressive," said Wendy Johnston, Regional Director of Admissions for the Auguste Escoffier Schools of Culinary Arts.

Scholarships will be awarded to 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place winners for students to attend both the Austin and Boulder campuses. Winning students include:

1^st Place - $10,000 Scholarship for Each Winner
Austin Campus - Gwyndolyn Wilkerson from Kyle, TX – winning video link:  http://youtu.be/89C_WhcOpTI 
Boulder Campus – Ashley Jones from Morgantown, WV – winning video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ss95ECFR28Y

2^nd Place - $3,000 Scholarship for Each Winner
Austin Campus – Daniel Cho from Troy, MI
Boulder Campus – Carlos Deal from Cameron, AZ

3^rd Place - $2,000 Scholarship for Each Winner
Austin Campus – Emily Walden from Weatherford, TX
Boulder Campus – Stephanie Franz from Longmont, CO

Braswell’s Select Red Pepper Jelly Named sofi Award Finalist

Braswell’s Select Red Pepper Jelly has been named a Finalist for Outstanding Classic in the 2013 sofi™ Awards from the Specialty Food Association.A sofi™ Award is the top honor in the $86 billion specialty food industry. “sofi” stands for Specialty Outstanding Food Innovation.

 

“Having our Red Pepper Jelly selected as a finalist in the Outstanding Classic category is one of the greatest recognitions that a 67-year-old specialty food company can ever hope to receive,” says Andrew Oliver, president of Braswell Food Company. “Red Pepper Jelly was one of the first products that Braswell’s developed in the 1940s. It was one of those family recipes that tasted absolutely amazing, but initially, jelly made from red bell peppers wasn’t the easiest thing to sell,” says Oliver, who also owns the company with three other partners. “When you think of “classic,” you think of something that never goes out of style, and our Red Pepper Jelly clearly meets that standard.”

The sofi Awards are open to members of the Specialty Food Association, a not-for-profit trade association established in 1952 for food artisans, importers and entrepreneurs with more than 3,000 members in the U.S. and abroad. For more information on the association and its Fancy Food Shows, go to http://www.specialtyfood.com. Learn more about the 2013 sofi Awards at specialtyfood.com/sofi.

 

Read more at Gourmet News.

2013 James Beard Foundation Awards Winners Announced

 Winners were announced last night,Monday, May 6, 2013, at the 2013 James Beard Foundation Awards, the nation's most prestigious recognition program honoring professionals in the food and beverage industries. During a ceremony hosted by popular American actor Oliver Platt at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall, awards in the Restaurant and Chef and the Design categories were presented, as well as a number of special achievement awards including Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America, Lifetime Achievement, Humanitarian of the Year, and America's Classics. Winners of the Foundation's annual Book, Broadcast, and Journalism Awards were presented on May 3, 2013, at the ceremony and dinner at Gotham Hall in New York City, hosted by multiple James Beard television personality, writer, and cookbook author Ted Allen. A complete list of all award winners can be found at jamesbeard.org/awards.

Highlights from this year's list of winners include:

• Outstanding Chef: (tie)David Chang, Momofuku Noodle Bar, NYC, and Paul Kahan, Blackbird, Chicago
• Outstanding Restaurant: Blue Hill, NYC
• Rising Star Chef: Danny Bowien, Mission Chinese Food, San Francisco and NYC
• Best New Restaurant: State Bird Provisions, San Francisco

In addition, special achievement award honorees included:

• Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America: Eric Asimov (Journalist and Author, NYC); Dorothy Kalins (Editor, NYC); Barbara Lynch (Chef and Restaurateur, Boston); Zarela Martinez (Chef and Restaurateur, NYC); Michael Mina (Chef and Restaurateur, San Francisco); Bill Yosses (Pastry Chef and Author, Washington, D.C.)
• America's Classics: Kramarczuk's, Minneapolis (Owner: Orest Kramarczuk); Frank Fat 's, Sacramento, CA (Owners: The Fat family); Prince's Hot Chicken Shack, Nashville (Owner: Andre Prince Jeffries); C.F. Folks, Washington, D.C. (Owner:Art Carlson); Keens Steakhouse, NYC (Owner: George Schwarz)
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Cecilia Chiang (Chef and Restaurateur, San Francisco)
• Humanitarian of the Year: Emeril Lagasse (James Beard Award–Winning Chef and Restaurateur, New Orleans)

Industry leaders from across the country attended the highly anticipated festivities, which celebrated this year's Awards theme of "Lights! Camera! Taste! Spotlight on Food & Film" in tribute to the role that food has played on the silver screen in America. The annual James Beard Foundation Awards honor the best and the brightest talents in the food and beverage industries, celebrating outstanding achievement in each of the following categories: Restaurant and Chef; Restaurant Design; Books; Broadcast and New Media; and Journalism; as well as several special achievement awards. Each category has an individual Awards Committee made up of industry professionals who volunteer their time to oversee the policies, procedures, and selection of judges for their respective Awards programs. All award winners receive a certificate and a medallion engraved with the James Beard Foundation Awards insignia. There are no cash prizes.

The 2013 James Beard Foundation Awards are presented with support by the following partners: Premier Sponsors: All-Clad Metalcrafters, Lenox Tableware and Gifts; Supporting Sponsors: Acqua Panna® Natural Spring Water, Celebrity Cruises®, The Coca-Cola Company, Delta Air Lines, Lavazza, S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water, Stella Artois®, Valrhona; Gala Reception Sponsors: Breville, Ecolab, Food Network & Cooking Channel, Pernod Ricard USA, Rums of Puerto Rico; and with additional support from BB&T Charleston Wine + Food Festival®, Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Chefwear.

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Alain Ducasse Honored for Lifetime Achievement

Canal House Cooks Every Day Wins James Beard Foundation Cookbook Award

Canal House Cooks Every Day, by Melissa Hamilton and Christopher Hirsheimer, (Andrews McMeel Publishing) won the 2013 James Beard Cookbook Award in the General Cooking category at the James Beard Foundation Book, Broadcast & Journalism awards ceremony Friday evening in New York, NY.

Established in 1990, the James Beard Foundation Awards honor excellence across the food and beverage industry, including chefs, restaurants, journalism, and a wide range of cookbooks. The Book Awards recognize books published in English in 2012.

“We are thrilled for Christopher and Melissa that their fine work has been recognized by the James Beard Foundation,” said Kirsty Melville, publisher and president of AMP’s book division. “Well deserved acclaim for a beautiful book.”

Canal House Cooks Every Day is a handsome, red cloth-covered, 384-page book with nearly 250 recipes and more than 130 lush photographs and illustrations. The book was inspired by Hamilton and Hirsheimer’s popular daily blog, Canal House Cooks Lunch, and offers a year of seasonal recipes. It’s home cooking at its best—by home cooks, for home cooks.

Other semi-finalists in the General Cooking cookbook category were Modernist Cuisine at Home by Nathan Myhrvold and Maxime Bilet (The Cooking Lab) and What Katie Ate by Katie Quinn Davies (Viking Studio).

The entire list of the 2013 James Beard Foundation’s Book, Broadcast & Journalism award recipients can be viewed at http://www.jamesbeard.org/sites/default/files/static/pdf/2013-BBJ-winners-website.pdf.

Bento Rolls up Another Iron Chef Champion

As Canada's largest sushi company, Bento is continuing to lead the way in innovative food. Wrapping up its second annual Iron Chef competition, Bento has demonstrated its focus and support on finding the next best recipes for its guests.

Bento chefs from all over North America were called on to develop their own sushi roll, fusing together favorite flavours and inspirations. Regional competitions were held to send the top chef to Toronto for the national competition. To heat things up, the chefs were given a black box of ingredients with which they were asked to develop a sushi roll within 60 minutes.

Toronto's top chefs and food industry leaders, Executive Chef Thomas Heitz C.C.C ., Chef Shonah Chambers C.C.C ., Kristen Eppich and Bento Executive Vice President, Glenn Brown filled the judge's panel.

From 1,300 chefs and 120 submissions, six chefs fought their way to the top and impressed everyone with their unique and tasty recipes!

Iron Chef Winners:
1^st Place:  Hao Vu Mai, Winnipeg, MB
Pineapple Express Roll
$5,000

2st Place: Yasuhiro Hoizumi, Manhattan, NY
Spring Has Come Roll 
$2,500

3^rd Place: Moon He Na , Toronto, ON
Lion King Roll
$1000

Black Box Winner:
Hao Vu Mai , Winnipeg, MB
$1,000

National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation Announces ProStart Winners

The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) announced today the winners of its 12^th annual National ProStart Invitational, which took place in Baltimore, Md., April 19-22. More than 350 top ProStart students from 43 states, territories and Department of Defense bases, competed for their share of $1.4 million in scholarships by demonstrating their mastery of restaurant leadership skills — culinary and management — in a fast-paced competition.

Simon Sanchez High School from Guam and Badger High School from Wisconsin were crowned winners in the culinary and management competitions, respectively, beating other ProStart high school teams from 41 states and territories to win first place. All of the teams at the National ProStart Invitational had earned spots to compete by winning their state competitions. NRAEF awarded scholarships to students from the top 10 winning teams.

"Seeing hundreds of students apply what they've learned during their two-year ProStart program not only is an inspiring experience, but also confirms our belief that there is a bright future ahead for the restaurant industry with this young talent at the helm," said Denise Marie Fugo, Chairman of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.  "We're honored to recognize this year's winners for their accomplishments and to give them the opportunity to showcase their skills and passion at the national level."

In the culinary competition, teams prepared a starter, entree and dessert within 60 minutes using only two butane burners and were judged on categories including taste, knife skills, safety, sanitation and teamwork. The team from Simon Sanchez High School in Guam took home first place in the culinary competition. Technology Center of DuPage in Illinois earned second place honors, and Howard High School of Maryland came in third place. Fourth place honors were awarded to Olathe Public Schools in Kansas and Oak Harbor High School of Washington took home fifth place.

In the management competition, teams developed an original restaurant concept and applied critical thinking skills to challenges restaurant managers face in day-to-day operations. Badger High School in Wisconsin took top honors above second place Sauk Rapids-Rice High School of Minnesota. The team from Bergen County Academies in New Jersey won third place. Fourth and fifth places were awarded to Brookings High School of South Dakota and Mark Twain High School in Missouri, respectively. 

Maneet Chauhan, James Beard award-winning celebrity chef and judge on Food Network's hit show Chopped, was also on-site to cheer on students as part of a national tour for her new book, Flavors of My World: A Culinary Tour Through 25 Countries (Favorite Recipes Press: May 1, 2013), co-authored by Doug Singer.  

"Students were thrilled to have Chef Chauhan as our special guest at this year's National ProStart Invitational," said Rob Gifford, Executive Vice President of philanthropic initiatives for the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.  "Having the opportunity to interact with her and receive insight and guidance was an extraordinary experience for students and provided additional motivation to achieve great things as they prepare to enter the restaurant industry."

The National ProStart Invitational is the country's premier high school competition focused on restaurant management and culinary arts. More than 900 attendees, including industry and academic leaders, NRAEF board members, state restaurant association representatives, ProStart educators, friends and family members cheered on student competitors from across the U.S.

 

Bon Appétit Names Albuquerque's Los Poblanos a Top 10 Food Hotel

Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm, located in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, NM, has been selected as one of Bon Appétit’s “10 Best Hotels for Food Lovers” in 2013 for its focus on fresh, organic farm-to-fork dining.

The “10 Best Hotels for Food Lovers” list includes hotels that Bon Appétit editors not only love to go to, they want to return to again and again. Editors selected hotels that carefully thought out their menu and other aspects of a unique culinary experience for guests. The list is a celebration of the people who achieve an incredible combination of great accommodations and not just good “hotel food” – but downright delectable dishes.

Contributing authors and renowned food connoisseurs Christopher Hirsheimer and Melissa Hamiltonstayed at Los Poblanos and in their review said, “The talented cooks turn out what’s known as Rio Grande Valley cuisine, which means regionally inspired, seasonally driven, locally sourced, and almost completely organic.” In addition to being the founders of Canal House, Hirsheimer was a founder of Saveur and Hamilton’s photographs have appeared in Food & Wine, Country Home, Metropolitan Home and Town and Country.

The menu at Los Poblanos changes daily and always features fresh ingredients right off the farm, such as farm eggs, house-made bacon, honey from their bees, and fruits and vegetables from their fields. Los Poblanos strives to source ingredients within a 100 mile radius of their site and harvests food that is at the peak of its season and flavor. To experience this culinary voyage yourself, book a room with complimentary breakfast or make dinner reservations Wednesday-Saturday, 5-9pm. To make a reservation, call (505) 344-9297, also check out Los Poblanos’event calendar for La Merienda dining dates.

Read the full article online at bonappetit.com, or pick up a copy of the publication hitting stands April 23, 2013.

Alain Ducasse Honored for Lifetime Achievement

 Alain Ducasse has pushed the boundaries of excellence in cooking and the dining experience throughout his 30-year career in gastronomy. The Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by Diners Club International®, part of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards 2013, acknowledges not only Ducasse’s reputation for innovative French cuisine but also his indisputable influence over today’s generation of chefs and restaurateurs around the world.

Since being awarded three Michelin stars at the tender age of 33 for his 33-month old Le Louis XV at the Hôtel de Paris in Monaco, Ducasse has gone on to become one of the world’s most decorated chefs and the first to have been awarded three Michelin stars in three different cities. Since its inception, he has scored 14 positions on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, more than any other chef.

An international chef in every sense, his efforts to promote ‘glocal’ thinking - a global vision of what's going on globally but operating locally - sees each of Ducasse’s restaurants having a local sensibility with its own story. “In each of my restaurants the chef is the conduit between nature and culture. The question of the wise use of the planet’s resources is essential to me,” Alain Ducasse explains.

Alain Ducasse Entreprise, the group founded by Alain Ducasse, comprises more than 20 restaurants around the world, three inns in Europe, an independent hotel association, a culinary publishing house, an international education division with a cooking school for all in Paris as well as a pastry school for professionals and amateurs alike and a culinary training centre for chefs.

Though not all of the chefs on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, which is sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, have worked directly for Ducasse, they all acknowledge his impact. From Noma’s Rene Redzepi, who grew up reading Ducasse’s cookbooks to Massimo Bottura of Osteria Francescana, who paid homage to his former mentor in a now signature dish - Compression of Pasta and Beans. For those affectionately referred to as “Génération Ducasse”, his influence is omnipotent. For Alain Ducasse the future of cuisine lies in diversity. “Each chef has his own specific emotional territory of expression, different from the others. It is this difference that makes the wealth of the ensemble.“ Last year for the 25^th anniversary of the Le Louis XV in Monaco and probably the best illustration of how much Ducasse values cuisine’s multiple expressions today, he gathered together 240 chefs-among them more than 20 chefs featuring on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list- from 25 countries representing five ontinents and 300 Michelin stars. As French Academy chairperson for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, Andrea Petrini, commented, “He is the crown prince of French gastronomy. No other individual could have brought such a breathtaking array of culinary talent together in one place.” 

William Drew, Editor of Restaurant magazine, organisers of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, said: "We are delighted that this prestigious accolade is going to one of the greatest chefs in France, and indeed the world. The Lifetime Achievement Award is voted for by industry experts from across the globe - chefs, restaurateurs, food writers and critics and well-travelled gourmets - and as such this is an acknowledgement from the restaurant world itself of Chef Ducasse's achievements and positive influence.”

Alain Ducasse accepted the award with humility by paying credit to his forebears: “My first thought goes to Paul Bocuse, this award’s very first recipient. Through him, I also think of the generations of chefs who have preceded me and to whom I feel the heir and successor.  At the same time, I still feel like a young man and remain much more interested by the work to be done than by that already accomplished.”

Lifetime Achievement Award sponsored by Diners Club International® 

This prestigious award is voted for by the 936 strong international voting panel who comprise the The Diners Club® World’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy. Past winners include Thomas Keller, Juan Mari Arzak, Joël Robuchon, Gualtiero Marchesi, Paul Bocuse, Albert and Michel Roux, Eckart Witzigmann and Alice Waters.

Del Monte Fresh appeals to Aspiring Chefs with First-ever Find Your Inner Chef Contest

Del Monte Fresh Produce N.A. Inc. announced that it will hold its first-ever Find Your Inner Chef contest, which launched April 15 and runs through June 15.

The "Find Your Inner Chef" contest encourages consumers to submit their own favorite recipe, using Del Monte fresh fruits and vegetables, and gives participants a chance to win the "Del Monte Fresh Chef" title and a gastronomical retreat for two at a renowned culinary institute.

Daily winners will be selected as part of the contest, giving participants an opportunity to cash in on retailer gift cards, culinary kitchen tools and tabletop appliances. Additionally, four weekly finalists will be selected, one each week for four weeks, based on the number of recipe Facebook "likes" and re-tweets the entrant generates.

The four finalists will be flown to Miami, where they will participate in the Del Monte Fresh Produce Cook-Off Challenge and compete for the grand prize. Judges for the Cook-Off Challenge will include retailers, Produce for Better Health Foundation representatives and a local chef.

"Del Monte knows that several of our consumers are chefs in their own right, serving up delicious nutritious meals for their families and friends," Dennis Christou, Vice President of Marketing-North America for Del Monte, said in a press release. "So we created this contest specifically with them in mind. It's a perfect opportunity for consumers to tap their culinary creative juices, show off their cooking skills using Del Monte fresh produce, and share healthy new recipes. We are more than excited to meet our very first Del Monte Fresh Chef."

Before participants make a dash to the kitchen, they must first enter to win. To enter, participants simply have to "Like" and complete the pop-up registration form on Del Monte's Fresh Produce Facebook page: www.facebook.com/DelMonteFreshProduce, and submit a copy of their original, healthy recipe, using Del Monte fresh produce. Photo submissions are also encouraged but not necessary. Submissions will be accepted beginning April 15, and closing on June 15.

Consumers will be encouraged to purchase ingredients for their master chef creation from participating grocery stores - giving grocers an opportunity to participate locally.

To encourage traffic to their stores and alert shoppers about the promotion, retailers are encouraged to use the "Find Your Inner Chef" logo in their weekly printed and online advertising, e-newsletters, web sites, Facebook pages and Twitter feeds and POS to help promote their participation in the contest.

For more information about the Find Your Inner Chef contest, visit www.fruits.com, follow us on Facebook and Twitter or contact your local Del Monte Fresh Produce representative.