By Brent T. Frei

The keynoter at the recent RCA Conference & Culinology Expo also said lowering sodium will be the next big health issue among Americans, mushrooms are a vitamin D “powerhouse,” and not every olive oil offers equal benefits.

More than 1,200 attendees at this year’s Research Chefs Association Conference & Culinology Expo in Phoenix, March 17-20, heard keynoter Clare M. Hasler, Ph.D., executive director of the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Environmental Services at the University of California-Davis, speak to prevailing food trends as they pertain to health and wellness.

Hasler launched her presentation by looking back at past decades and Americans’ attitudes toward nutrition and health. The 1950s approach was prayer; the 1960s were marked by support groups and cabbage soup to aid weight loss. Diet pills reigned in the 1970s, and the Scarsdale Diet in the 1980s. We watched our fat consumption in the 1990s, and switched to counting carbs in the early-2000s. Americans today, Hasler said, are interested in whole-health eating: moving away from highly processed foods in lieu of whole foods.

By Brent T. Frei

Successful operations today communicate flavor, attitude and spirit, and are using less-expensive ingredients far more than before. Say hello to serving lunch on the loading dock, and goodbye to the toque.

At ACF’s Central Regional Conference in Indianapolis, March 26, Chef Gerry Ludwig of Gordon Food Service based in Grand Rapids, Mich., presented on the “megatrend” of casualization, particularly “upscaled flavor with humble ingredients,” to a packed room.

Ludwig’s chief job is to analyze consumer dining trends. “It’s a huge misconception that half of all meals are in foodservice,” he said. “Nearly three-quarters of all meals are prepared at home.” In 2009, only 19% of meals were served in foodservice outlets, according to NPD Group. “If you’re a full-service restaurant, the number of times a diner chooses places like yours is very infrequent.”

By Jackie Schulz

Create protein combinations that are low in saturated fat, high in fiber and from a mix of sources to get a “complete” protein.

According to a 2008 “Vegetarianism in America” study collected by the Harris Interactive Service Bureau and published by the Vegetarian Times, 3.2% of U.S. adults, or 7.3 million people, follow a vegetarian-based diet. Another 10% described their diet as “mostly vegetarian,” making them, in today’s lexicon, a “flexitarian”—those who follow a vegetarian diet some of the time. That prevalence makes having vegetarian options a necessity in any foodservice venue.

By Lynn Schwartz

Not that long ago, the idea of menuing local, seasonal ingredients was regarded as “stupid.” Now, more and more chefs are following the lead of this pioneer.

As a celebrated chef, restaurateur, food scientist and innovator, Jimmy Schmidt is a culinary renaissance man. Throughout his 30-year career, Schmidt has received numerous awards including the prestigious James Beard award for “Best Chef Midwest.” Schmidt’s success has not been limited to the kitchen. He is a founding board member of Share Our Strength in Denver, organizing the first “Taste of the Nation” benefit in 1987. The event has become the largest national food-related fundraiser. He also founded Chefs Collaborative in 1991, the nation’s leading nonprofit chefs’ organization devoted to fostering a sustainable food system.

By Dr. Fred Mayo, CHE, CHT

Providing clear information about how students will be evaluated helps them demonstrate their knowledge and skills as well as to evaluate themselves and others.

Last month, we discussed accountability and its importance in helping students become better professionals. One of the ways that we can help them develop as professionals is to encourage their thinking about evaluation. This month and next month, we will discuss various aspects of evaluation, something probably on everyone’s mind these days while we are reading papers, lab reports and tests, listening to presentations and judging food preparation and presentations.