Courtesy of the Idaho Potato Commission

This lesson plan for the culinary classroom focuses on an educational session presented at the 2013 CAFÉ Leadership Conference in Miami by Don Odiorne, vice-president foodservice for the Idaho Potato Commission, and Newman Miller, corporate executive chef for Bunge, at Johnson & Wales University’s N. Miami campus, June 22.

The downloadable PowerPoint reveals tips for perfectly frying Idaho Potatoes—for instance, blanching potatoes partially cooks the product, deactivates enzymes that discolor the fries, sets the texture, reduces oil absorption in frying, controls the color, decreases fry time and reduces bacterial count—as well as other applications. Additionally, the PowerPoint contains info on proper storage of Idaho potatoes, typical yields and food costs, and a comparison of oil types for frying, among other instruction. Several menu and foodservice trends are also revealed.

To augment the PowerPoint presentation, “Potato 101” at www.potato101.com is an easy-to-follow educational program and reference guide. It provides a base understanding of potatoes, starting with their history in Idaho and why the soil, water and climate combine perfectly to make their quality outstanding. Visitors to the site will also learn about the health and nutrition aspects of potatoes as well as their economical cost and versatility on menus.

DOWNLOAD, Frying Idaho Potatoes and Other Foodservice Trends

Emmi Roth USA announces winners of the Grand Cru® Recipe Contest for culinary students, held in conjunction with CAFÉ.

Emmi Roth USA, a leading provider of specialty cheeses based in Monroe, Wis., recently announced the winner of its Grand Cru® Recipe Contest for Postsecondary Culinary Students. The contest, presented in conjunction with CAFÉ, challenged culinary students to create a unique and flavorful recipe highlighting Roth Grand Cru, a classic Alpine-style cheese.

Alex Hartfelder, 21, of Brentwood, Tenn., submitted the winning recipe—Grand Cru Pistachio Crisps with Spicy Red Pepper Jelly (pictured). As a second-year student at Nashville State Community College, he has been cooking since age 10. Hartfelder will soon realize one of his longtime culinary dreams and use the $1,000 prize money for travel to an internship in Italy. 

The winning recipe was inspired by his father’s favorite holiday cheese straws, which Hartfelder traditionally prepares using cheddar and walnuts. After sampling Grand Cru, the smoothness and earthiness of the cheese inspired him to re-conceptualize his cheese-straw recipe as a savory cracker with Grand Cru and pistachios, rounded out with homemade pepper jelly. Emmi Roth USA judges were impressed with the sophisticated combination of sweet, savory and spicy flavors, praising the buttery texture and the Grand Cru flavor that comes through in the cracker.

In 2013, bright flavors, “free from,” healthier horizons and the “new” convenience took center stage at the biggest foodservice tradeshow in the nation, held in Chicago in May. And are advances in ordering technology taking the “personal” out of service?

Courtesy of Olson Communications

The recent National Restaurant Association (NRA) Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show in May, like every year, provided a lot to be excited about. The show brings together operators across all segments of the industry. While talk among attendees focused on a number of the events away from McCormick Place, the NRA Show exhibit hall still delivered the latest products, flavors, equipment and technological advances.

The show featured several themes that are evident of the industry’s issues, challenges and trends. These themes could be found throughout the show floor and included healthy eating, beverages and flavor bursts.

Healthful and Uncomplicated Flavor
Complex, yet uncomplicated, was the flavor theme common to many new products. Preparations seen at the show in culinary demonstrations and around trendy Chicago restaurants that were a hit during the show featured simple ingredients, nothing fussy or overdone.

The iconic chef led top staff, purveyors and protégés in Sense of Urgency.

Expecting a cooking demonstration from one of the world’s greatest chefs, students at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) instead were treated to something completely different from Thomas Kelleron May 13.

The college hosted Thomas Keller Day at its Hyde Park, N.Y., campus with a keynote address from Keller and breakout sessions covering various restaurant business topics.

The day was scheduled to conclude with a “culinary presentation.” Instead of a traditional demo, however, Keller made his stage debut, leading his celebrated restaurants’ top staff members, including Eli Kaimeh ’00 of Per Se, purveyors and celebrated protégés such as Grant Achatz ’94 and Jonathan Benno ’93 in a one-act play.

“You often hear it said that restaurants are like theater, with a front of the house, a behind-the-scenes crew, a colorful cast of characters, a creative script,” Keller said. “Today we thought we’d take it literally.”

Sense of Urgency was the result—a performance developed by Keller’s team that portrays an evening of service at The French Laundry in Yountville, Calif., and named for the wording on a plaque that hangs under the kitchen clocks in all of Keller’s restaurants. The French Laundry is a Michelin Guide three-star restaurant that was honored as the World’s Best Restaurant by U.K.-based Restaurant magazine in 2003. “We observe the process of execution and the importance of relationships between the purveyors, farmers, and craftsmen of the products these chefs will use to serve their guests,” explains the playbill.

Nearly 1,000 CIA students attended the performance and hundreds more participated in the earlier presentation and breakout sessions, which were simulcast to the college’s campuses in Texas and California. Twenty lucky students were selected to have lunch with Keller.

Photo:Playbill for Sense of Urgency, a one-act play by Thomas Keller—featuring Grant Achatz, Jonathan Benno and others—that debuted at The Culinary Institute of America during Thomas Keller Day at the college’s Hyde Park, N.Y., campus on May 13, 2013.Courtesy ofCIA/Phil Mansfield.

Pittsburgh’s Jeff Sinciline helps Bayer Corporation develop a menu for employees worldwide to enjoy a celebratory lunch marking the company’s 150^th anniversary.

As Bayer Corporation marks the 150th anniversary of its founding this year, the company will hold an Employee Celebration Day luncheon for all 110,000-plus employees around the world on June 18, serving one international upscale menu to every employee on the same day. The anniversary menu was created using the expertise of five global Bayer “Celebration Chefs,” including the executive chef at Bayer’s Pittsburgh campus dining facility, Jeff Sinciline.

In preparation for the Celebration Day anniversary meal, Sinciline and a team of chefs from  Germany, China, France and Mexico worked for months to develop recipes with high-quality, fresh ingredients that are available worldwide, taking employees on a culinary trip around the globe while preparing the meals onsite at Bayer locations.