National Culinary Review (March/April 2019)

Page 1

There's

StillLife

Chefs take the lead on zero-waste

Plus...

Cannabis as an ingredient

Wontons: a modern take on the Chinese classic

Queso doughnuts

in these scraps

March/a pril 2019
GET SERIOUS. IMMERSION BLENDERS 8-QUART STAND MIXERS COMMERCIAL BLENDERS Commercial Kitchens are tough environments even by our legendary standards. That’s why KitchenAid® Commercial was born. Now the brand you grew up using can grow with your business. KitchenAid Commercial equipment is NSF certified and designed for you to power your passion. ®/™ ©2018 All rights reserved. The design of the stand mixer is a trademark in the U.S. and elsewhere. SDO18302 2000 North M-63, Benton Harbor, MI 49022 PH: 855-845-9684 www.kitchenaidcommercial.com email: commercial@kitchenaid.com CONGRATULATIONS ACF ON 90 YEARS KEEP MIXING!

26

Hacking Sustainability

How chefs can become more involved in building a better food supply.

DepartmentS

14

18

Main Course

New meatless offerings make dollars and sense.

Management

Getting creative with your morning offerings. Plus, red flags to watch for when hiring kitchen staff.

22 On the Side

Cannabis becomes part of dining experience.

24

Classical vs. Modern

A trendier, crunchier take on classic Chinese wontons.

34

Pastry

Doughnuts with non-traditional fillings are on the rise. Plus, how farmer’s markets can be a boon to bakeries. 38 Health

Finding relief from the mental pressures of the kitchen. Plus, growing a more sustainable and delicious food system with seeds.

42 ChefConnect: Minneapolis

43 ACF National Convention: Orlando

Cover

by Agnes Lopez

wearechefs .com 3
Feature Story
image
In e ach I SS ue 4 President’s Message 6 ACF On the Line 7 News Bites 12 Advocacy 45 The Quiz 46 A Look Back
I al Sect I on S
Spec

Waste Not, Want Not

Editor in Chief

Jocelyn Tolbert

Creative Services Manager

David ristau

Assistant Editor

heather henderson

Graphic Designer

Kara Walter

Sales Specialist

Dave Merli

Director of Marketing and Communications

renee Brust

american culinary Federation, inc.

180 Center Place Way St. Augustine, FL 32095 (800) 624-9458 (904) 824-4468 Fax: (904) 940-0741

ncr@acfchefs.net • www.acfchefs.org

Board of Directors

President

Stafford Decambra, cEc®, ccE®, cca®, aac

Immediate Past President

Thomas Macrina, cEc, cca, aac

National Secretary

Kyle richardson, cEc, ccE, aac

National Treasurer

christopher Donato, cEc, aac

American Academy of Chefs Chair

Mark Wright, cEc, aac

Vice President Central Region

Brian hardy, cEc, cca, aac

Acting Vice President Northeast Region

Thomas Macrina, cEc, cca, aac

Vice President Southeast Region

Kimberly Brock Brown, cEpc®, cca, aac

Vice President Western Region

carlton Brooks, cEpc, ccE, aac

Executive Director

heidi cramb

The National

2019,

43,

Review® (ISSN 0747-7716), March/April

and is produced 6 times a year by ACF, located at 180 Center Place Way, St. Augustine, FL 32095. A digital subscription to the National Culinary Review® is included with ACF membership dues; print subscriptions are available to ACF members for $25 per year, domestic; nonmember subscriptions are $40. Material from the National Culinary Review®, in whole or in part, may not be reproduced without written permission. All views and opinions expressed in the National Culinary Review® are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the officers or members of ACF. Changes of mailing address should be sent to ACF’s national office: 180 Center Place Way, St. Augustine, FL 32095; (800) 624-9458; Fax (904) 940-0741.

The National Culinary Review® is mailed and periodical postage is paid at St. Augustine, Fla., and additional post offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the National Culinary Review®, 180 Center Place Way, St. Augustine, FL 32095.

In its annual What’s Hot survey of ACF chefs, the National Restaurant Association determined that “zero waste” is a top trend in the foodservice industry for 2019. While I agree that the topic is and should be top of mind right now, I would argue that it is something we cannot think of as a “trend” any longer.

Reducing food and packaging waste is one of the easiest ways to reduce our carbon footprints and stem the tide of climate change — something that, unlike the latest trends, is here to stay. Unless we get serious about reversing it. And if anybody can work under pressure like that, it’s chefs.

There are traits that, despite our varying backgrounds, are part of the DNA of what it means to be a chef: our love of food, our passion for making others happy, and our abilities to multitask and think creatively when the heat is on. These constants carry us through the long shifts; they bring us together on the milk crates at the end of a long night, somehow still laughing when a rough service has us at our breaking point.

Annually, humans waste 1.3 billion tons of food — more than enough to feed those who are hungry in all corners of the world. Chefs have the unique power to change that. We know when an onion is still safe to eat, even if we have to peel off a layer or two. Using typically discarded leaves and peels in inventive ways isn’t just something we know how to do — it feeds our creative drive and our passion for feeding people.

Reducing the food waste in our kitchens is just the first step, however. The next step is to teach our communities how to do it, too. Chefs can lead the charge on this issue in soup kitchens, local schools and anywhere else people are cooking, eating or learning. Because we’re not only natural creatives, we’re natural teachers and leaders, too.

Of course, making big changes in kitchens, communities, hearts and minds is going to be a challenge. Fortunately, a challenge is also something chefs love. Bring it on. Stafford T. De c

4 ncr | m arch/ a pril 2019
a
on
and i
a mbra, c E c , cc E , cca , aac N ational p r esident
m erican c ulinary Federation c o ntact me at sdecambra@acfchefs.net or follow me
Facebook @stafforddecambra
n stagram @sdecambra
Culinary Volume Number 2, is owned by the American Culinary Federation, Inc. (ACF)

El que guarda siempre halla

En la encuesta anual What's Hot en la que participaron los chefs de ACF, la Asociación Nacional de Restaurantes determinó que el "desperdicio cero" es una de las principales tendencias en la industria alimentaria para 2019. Si bien estoy de acuerdo en que el tema es y debería ser lo más importante en este momento, diría que es algo que ya no podemos pensar como una "tendencia".

Reducir el desperdicio de alimentos y envases es una de las maneras más fáciles de reducir nuestra huella de carbono y frenar la marea del cambio climático, algo que, a diferencia de las últimas tendencias, llegó para quedarse. A menos que nos tomemos en serio la necesidad de revertirlo. Y si hay alguien que es capaz de trabajar bajo presión de esa manera, son los chefs.

Hay rasgos inherentes que, a pesar de nuestros diferentes orígenes, son parte del ADN de lo que significa ser un chef: nuestro amor por la comida, nuestra pasión por hacer felices a los demás, nuestras habilidades para realizar varias tareas al mismo tiempo y nuestra capacidad de pensar con creatividad en momentos de tensión. Estas constantes nos permiten soportar largos turnos de trabajo; nos encuentran unidos alrededor de los cajones de leche al final de una larga noche, de alguna manera conservando la sonrisa cuando estamos a punto de colapsar por el servicio pesado que acabamos de prestar.

Anualmente, los seres humanos desperdiciamos 1300 millones de toneladas de alimentos, más que suficiente para alimentar a quienes tienen hambre en todos los rincones del mundo. Los chefs tienen el poder único de cambiar eso. Sabemos cuándo es seguro comer una cebolla, incluso si tenemos que pelar una o dos capas. El uso creativo de hojas y cáscaras que de otro modo suelen desecharse no es solo algo que sabemos cómo hacer, sino que alimenta nuestro impulso creativo y nuestra pasión por alimentar a las personas.

Sin embargo, reducir el desperdicio de alimentos en nuestras cocinas es solo el primer paso. El siguiente paso es transmitirles este conocimiento a nuestras comunidades de manera que ellos también puedan hacerlo. Los chefs pueden estar a la vanguardia de este tema en comedores populares, escuelas locales y en cualquier otro lugar donde haya gente cocinando, comiendo o aprendiendo. Porque no solo somos creativos por naturaleza, sino que también somos maestros y líderes.

Por supuesto, hacer grandes cambios en las cocinas, las comunidades, los corazones y las mentes será un desafío. Afortunadamente, un desafío también es algo que los chefs aman. ¡Estamos listos!

Dates to Remember:

March 1-10, 2019

Certified Master Chef Exam Schoolcraft College, Livonia, Michigan

March 31-a p ril 2, 2019

ChefConnect: Minneapolis

au gust 4-8, 2019

ACF National Convention: Orlando

Upcoming ACFApproved Competitions:

March 15-16, 2019

Site: Dorsey Schools' Culinary Academy

Michigan Chefs de CuisineDorsey

For a full list of upcoming culinary competitions, visit acfchefs.org/competitions.

wearechefs .com 5 | President's Message | Un Mensaje Del Presidente |

The American Culinary Federation has launched a brandnew digital platform: wearechefs.com. There, readers will find many of the same articles as in the print version of NCR, plus additional content: recipes, related stories, bonus photos and more — all free and open to the public. Plus, We Are Chefs is now the home of the ACF’s digital publication for culinary students, Sizzle, as well as the ACF blog — our home for industry news, content written by our member chefs and professional foodservice industry writers as well as announcements and breaking updates from the ACF. Members can read the digital version of NCR in its entirety by signing in at ncrdigital.com.

Follow the ACF on your favorite social media platforms:

@acfchefs

@acfchefs

@acf_chefs

@acfchefs

American Culinary Federation

Twitter question of the month:

What’s your favorite thing to cook for yourself when you’re not at work? Why?

Tweet us your answer (with a photo of your plate) using the hashtag #ACFasks and we’ll retweet our favorites.

The Culinary Insider, the ACF’s bi-weekly newsletter, is a great source of timely information about events, certification, member discounts, the newest blog posts, competitions, contests and much more.

6 ncr | m arch/ a pril 2019 | On the Line |
Sign up
acfchefs.org/tci
at
Our favorite #acfchefs Instagram photo of the month:
your Instagram photos with #acfchefs and you could see your image here in the next issue of NCR.
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Great Danes

On Wednesday, January 30, 2019 in Lyon, France, after five hours and 35 minutes of intense competition, Team Denmark won the Bocuse d’Or for the second time in history. The bi-annual event brought together 24 teams from all continents, including Chef Matthew Kirkley and Commis Mimi Chen from the USA. In the end, Chef Kenneth Toft-Hansen won over the judges, eight years after his coach, Danish chef Rasmus Kofoed, took the title.

The winning team was presented with the trophy by Jérôme Bocuse, president of the Bocuse d’Or, alongside Mathew Peters, president of the jury, and Christophe Bacquié, honorary president, after an emotional awards ceremony and a vibrant tribute to the late Paul Bocuse, who created the contest in 1987.

In the January/February issue’s Salut, we listed those ACF members who won medals at the Culinary World Cup in November. Chef Marvin Herrera, CEC, who took a gold medal and placed second overall in culinary individuals category, was unintentionally omitted from our list. We regret the error. Our congratulations to Chef Herrera!

Manual Del Candidato

In order to make certification more available to the growing population of Spanish-speaking cooks and chefs, the ACF is proud to offer the Certified Executive Chef manual, written exam and practical exam in Spanish. Download the manual today at acfchefs.org/handbooks and begin the process of leading your kitchens with ACF Certification.

8 ncr | m arch/ a pril 2019 | News Bites |
Certified Executive Chef ® Manual Del Can DiDato

Supply and Demand

Not everyone can make it to ACF conferences every year. Beginning in fall 2019, ACF will offer a Conference On-Demand option.

“Attendees” will be able to watch selected recorded sessions from their favorite presenters at their convenience. See the exciting 2019 line-up including the iconic Jeremiah Tower, trailblazing restaurateur Matthias Merges and the “Ace of Cakes” himself, Duff Goldman, to name a few.

Those who attend a conference in person will automatically receive an on-demand ticket which includes five bonus CEHs towards ACF certification. If you are not attending our conference and purchase an on-demand ticket, you will receive five CEHs after you complete the on-demand sessions.

Recipe for Success

Marking its fifth year, the Neighborhood to Nation™ Recipe Contest from General Mills Foodservice is bigger than ever in 2019.

This year’s competition will honor 10 Regional Recipe Winners, two from each region, who will each receive $5,000 in cash and an additional $1,000 to share with a local charity of their choice. One of the 10 regional winners will also be named the Grand Prize Recipe Winner, receiving an additional $10,000 in cash and $2,000 for a local charity as well as a three-day trip for two to the 2019 New York City Wine & Food Festival.

The restaurant recipe contest, accepting entries from March 1 to April 30, calls for original recipes that use at least one item from General Mills’ list of eligible products as a recipe ingredient. neighborhoodtonation.com

Salut!

In December, Gerard Marquetty, CEC, CCA, AAC generously volunteered his time and skills to assist students in a Culinary class at Thurgood Marshall Fundamental Middle School. He helped the students with their cooking lab and even provided chef hats for them to wear.

Joe Napolitano, CCM, CEC started a new position as General Manager/Chief Operating Officer at Bonnie Briar Country Club in Larchmont, New York.

Vanessa Marquis, CEC, former Vice Chairman of the Worldchefs International Chefs Day Committee, has been appointed Chairman of the Committee for the remainder of the term 2019 to the Worldchefs Congress 2020.

Joseph Sheridan, CEC has been hired as an adjunct instructor at Stockton University in Galloway Township, New Jersey.

Timothy Ryan, CMC has joined the Advisory Board of cellular aquaculture company BlueNalu. Board members serve as advisors to BlueNalu in matters such as business and market development, nutrition and regulatory affairs, product development and optimization and the environmental and sustainability impacts associated with the company.

Shawn Hanlin, CEC, AAC was hired as Culinary Director at New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute.

The ACF Kona Kohala Chefs Association awarded seven scholarships to local culinary students at their Christmas with the Chefs event this past December. There was also a silent auction at the event which benefited the culinary program at Hawaii Community College-Palamanui. To date, this event has awarded $900,000.

Victor Bock will now oversee all Wind Creek Hospitality’s international and domestic food outlets, including buffet, casual dining, fine dining and a culinary studio.

Sandi Lampert, CCE, Mark Lampert, and Robert W. Phillips, CEC, CCA, AAC of the Chefs de Cuisine of Los Angeles cooked for Recuperative Care Center for LA's Homeless in December.

wearechefs .com 9

2019 American Academy of Chefs Candidates for Induction

Central

Kurt Kwiatkowski, CEC, CCA

ACF Michigan Chefs De Cuisine

Association

Sponsored by: Eric Ernest, CEC, CCA, AAC;

Mark Spelman, CEC, AAC, HGT

John Miller, CEC, CCA

ACF Michigan Chefs De Cuisine Association

Sponsored by: Kevin Brennen, CEC, AAC;

Brian F. Lorge, CCTP, HAAC

Gary Lyons, CEC

ACF Fox Valley Chapter

Sponsored by: Albert Exenberger, CEC, CCE, AAC; Jeffrey S. Igel, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC

Johnny Curet, CEC

ACF Texas Chefs Association

Sponsored by: Bill Sy, CEC, AAC, HOF; Ben Fonbuena Jr, CEC, CCE, AAC

Jeremy Abbey, CEC, CEPC, CCE, CCA

ACF Michigan Chefs De Cuisine Association

Sponsored by: Chris Dwyer, CEC, CCE, AAC; John Schopp, CEC, CEPC, CCE, CCA, AAC

Northeast

Ray McCue, CEC

ACF Rhode Island Chapter

Sponsored by: Linda Musch CEC, AAC; George O'Palenick CEC, CCE,AAC, HGT, HOF

Maria Iacovitti, CEPC

ACF of Greater Buffalo New York

Sponsored by: Jacqueline Bamrick, CEC, AAC; Scott E. Steiner CCE, AAC.

Are You Certified?

Robert Walljasper, CEC, CCE

ACF Big Apple Chapter

Sponsored by: Gerard M. Molloy CEPC, AAC; Gaspard Caloz, AAC

John Selick, CEC, CCA ACF Cleveland Chapter, INC

Sponsored by: Scott Ryan, CEC, AAC; Barry Young, CEC, CEC, AAC, MBA

Paul Brown, CEC, CCA

ACF Nation’s Capital Chefs Association

Sponsored by: David Bearl CCC, CCE, AAC; Robert Milam, CEC, AAC

Kerry Beadle, CEC, CCA

ACF Syracuse New York Chapter

Sponsored by: Thomas Kiernan, CEC, CCA, AAC; William Tillinghast, MBA, CEC, AAC.

Southeast

Paul Brennen, CEC, CCA, EdD

ACF Middle Tennessee Chapter

Sponsored by: Gary Rawson CEC, AAC; Michael R. Osborne CEC, AAC

Richard Kugelmann, CEC, CCA

ACF Chefs of Charlotte INC.

Sponsored by: Danny Trantham, CEC, CCA, AAC, MBA; Keith E. Gardiner CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC

Robert Brantly, CEC

ACF Myrtle Beach Chapter

Sponsored by: Robert Stegall-Smith CEC, AAC; Stafford DeCambra, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC

Robert Marilla, CEC

ACF Chefs of Charlotte INC.

Sponsored by: Rene J. Marquis, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC; Jay Christmas CEC, AAC

Richard Crisanti, CEC, CCA

ACF Caxambas Chapter of Southwest Florida

Sponsored by: Ralph C. Feraco CEC, AAC; Mark. H Brown, CEC, CCA, AAC

Andreas Proisl, CEPC

ACF Central Florida Chapter

Sponsored by: Roger Newell, CEC, CCE CCA, AAC; Nora Galdiano, CEC, AAC

Ben Simpkins, CEC, CCA

ACF Palm Beach County Chefs Association

Sponsored by: Rich Hoffman CEC, CCA, AAC; Theodore Kowalski, CEC, AAC

Western Alexandra Higgins, CEC

ACF Chefs De Cuisine Association of California

Sponsored by: Bert Cutino, CEC, AAC, HBOT, HOF; Eloise Fernandez, Ph.D, CEC, CCE, AAC

James Churches, CEC, CCA

ACF Michigan Chefs De Cuisine Association

Sponsored by: Brandon W. Parry, CEC, AAC; Robert W. Phillips CEC, CCA, AAC

The ACF and NCR salute our newest certified chefs. For the full list, visit wearechefs.com

Brian Tatsukawa, CEC

Dominique Bocquier, CEPC

Richard Kugelmann, CEC, CCA

Travis Green, CEC

Audrey Priest, CSC

Carla Sisco, CPC

Shaelee Luebbe, CC

Jack Schuchardt, CC

Kayla Lady, CC

Suzette Scott, CC

Kathi Rand, CC, CPC

Jeffrey Taylor, CPC

Gabriel Montgomery, CC

George Elizondo, CC

Ginene Rosher, CC

John Miller, CEC, CCA

Drew Morgan, CEC

Jonathan Davis, CSC

Tony Le, CEC

Alan Bergman, CEC

Charles Williams, CEC, CCA

Wesley Tyler, CEC

Shelley May Davids, CC

Brittany Gibbs, CWPC

Nicola Andrews, CC

Dien Ly, CEC, CCA

Guy Hooper, CSC

10 ncr | m arch/ a pril 2019 | News Bites |

Chaîne dinner raises funds for young chefs

The first ever Chaîne des Rôtisseurs National Young Chef Culinary Program Fundraising Dinner took place at the Fort Harrison Hotel in Clearwater, Florida on January 12.

Chefs Gerald L. Ford, Geoffrey Lanez, Jesus Olmedo, Kelsee Newman and Vanessa Marquis of ACF Culinary Team USA and two past Chaîne des Rôtisseurs winners prepared the dinner, which featured rosemary-rubbed leg of lamb, lobster sushi, beef Wellington, wild mushroom ravioli, smoked confit chicken tacos and bacon-wrapped scallops over red wine risotto.

During the event, Barry Reid of ACF Tampa Bay Culinary Association received the Bronze Star of Excellence.

Guests were entertained by U.K. band The Jive Aces. “I couldn't help but move my feet [at] my station,” says Marquis. “A big thanks to all you who attended, The Fort Harrison Hotel and Lynn Juillerat of Cheney Brothers for your continued support to this cause, we couldn't do any of this without you! Bravo!”

We Know What’s Hot

On January 10, the National Restaurant Association (NRA) released its findings from its annual What’s Hot survey, declaring that plant-based ingredients, including cannabis and CBD, and zero-waste cooking will be the hottest culinary trends of 2019. The results of the annual survey are a barometer of U.S. culinary trends, forecasting food, beverage, and culinary concept trends for the year ahead. This year’s poll gathered the responses of approximately 650 professional chefs, all members of the American Culinary Federation, by asking them to identify the next big things for the coming year. The chefs ranked 140 items — from all-day breakfast to zero-waste cooking — as “hot,” “yesterday’s news” or “perennial favorite.”

Seventy-seven percent of the chefs identified cannabis/CBDinfused drinks as the No. 1 fad. In addition, 76 percent of them tapped cannabis/CBD-infused food as the second most popular trend. Chefs who participated in the survey said infusing foods with the ingredients could create unique cuisine opportunities and potential new markets for experiential dining occasions.

Third on this year’s list is zero-waste cooking, which calls for chefs and restaurateurs to reduce the amount of food waste created during the preparation of menu items to prevent it from ending up in landfills. It is also the second most popular concept trend. Chefs can achieve this through nose-to-tail cooking, incorporating “ugly” produce into menu items, and recycling or composting, among other things, the chefs in the survey said.

See You in 2020

In 2020, ACF’s ChefConnect regional conferences are heading to Nashville, Tennessee and Seattle, Washington! To celebrate the ACF’s 90th anniversary, members can save $90 off the registration price by signing up before March 26 for Nashville and May 2 for Seattle. Use the code ACF2020 at checkout. acfchefs.org/events

wearechefs .com 11

Reduce Re-use Re-think

The food industry is one of the more wasteful industries in the world. Around 14 percent of overall U.S. energy consumption comes from the food industry, according to the findings of a University of Nebraska-Lincoln study. Unsurprisingly, farming, transporting the food and packaging it uses up a lot of energy. Unfortunately, much of this energy is wasted on food that never gets eaten.

imagine every kitchen in America throwing out the same amount. Now picture all of it floating in the ocean, where a study by the World Economic Forum estimates there will be more plastic than fish by the year 2050.

The food industry isn’t solely responsible for the extreme amount of waste produced in this country, but we can step up and take responsibility for our part. Luckily, a lot of kitchen operators are doing their part to reduce waste. According to a recent study by Datassential, 20 percent of those surveyed are already using plant-based packaging and 37 percent plan to increase their use of sustainable packaging in the next year. Major corporations like McDonald’s and Nestlé have made pledges to increase their sustainability by using less plastic, including more recycled content in their packaging, and improving their transportation processes to leave a smaller carbon footprint.

The USDA has established a Food Waste Challenge that encourages farms, food manufacturers, restaurants, and other entities to actively work towards reducing food waste by improving storage methods to make food last longer, changing ordering methods to avoid having too much extra food and find new ways of cooking to incorporate different parts of food that might otherwise end up as scraps in a dumpster.

133 billion pounds DISCARDED

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, around 133 billion pounds of food are discarded every year in the United States, much of it deemed unacceptable for superficial flaws that would otherwise not affect the taste or nutritional value. This is equal to around $161 billion worth of food that is simply thrown away because it’s too ugly to eat or was forgotten in the back of a refrigerator and left to rot.

Food isn’t the only thing going to waste in our kitchens today. Packaging has become a major issue, with various kinds of containers and wrappers making up about 30 percent of solid waste in the U.S. each year. Just think about how much packaging you go through every week in your kitchen, and

Changing the way your kitchen operates might sound daunting, but it all begins with small steps. Try to use less plastic and seek out packaging that is made of a more sustainable material. Store food properly so it doesn’t begin to rot before it gets used. Order your food from sustainable farms and be careful not to overestimate when you order. If you ended up with too much food, see if there is a place where you can donate it. These small changes can add up to make a huge difference. Even if the rest of the world doesn’t manage to catch on as quickly, the food industry can implement these simple practices to lead the charge towards a greener future.

12 ncr | m arch/ a pril 2019 | Advocacy |
SM A ll CH A nG eS use Less plastic store food properly order from sustainable farms donate unused product A DD
Shine. Let’s
A shining moment is not about to be interrupted by a spot. Your job is to create a great experience for your customers. Ours is to make sure clean dishware, flatware and glassware is the least of your concerns. Introducing the SMARTPOWER™ program — a safe, simple, sustainable warewashing solution. Learn more at ecolab.com/smartpower TM © 2017 Ecolab USA Inc. All rights reserved.
Together

Meatless endeavors

14 ncr | m arch/ a pril 2019 | Main Course |

Americans love their meat. But as health and environmental concerns increasingly pester the minds of consumers, many are trying to decrease their servings of animal proteins and make choices that reflect a healthier lifestyle. In the past, the vegan and vegetable offerings at restaurants have been less than ideal in terms of taste and texture. So when companies like Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat entered the marketplace, they blazed a trail for center-of-plate protein offerings with meaty textures but devoid of the real thing.

Freebirds World Burrito had menued a squash zucchini tempeh across its 75 fast-casual burrito restaurants for two years prior to July 2018. “We were serving about five a day per restaurant, and we knew we could do better than that,” says Eric Coolbaugh, VP of marketing for the Santa-Barbara-based chain. That’s when the company introduced a Beyond Meat burrito, a soy-free, plant-based protein mixed with potatoes and spices that tastes like ground beef but has half the fat of beef and no cholesterol or antibiotics. The results were startling. “Two months into our Beyond Meat burrito we’ve almost tripled our average daily quantities — and it’s higher priced,” he says. “Folks are happy to pay the extra price for this premium product and we’re now serving 13 per day per restaurant.”

The buzz and awareness around the Beyond Meat brand has certainly been helpful, Coolbaugh says. “People are already predisposed to the brand, what it means and the fact that it’s a ground beef-type product that’s entirely plant based, made from peas. But it has this ground beef texture, mouth feel, look and flavor, with much better nutritionals. It’s growing really fast.” The Beyond Meat Burrito is the only vegan protein on Freebirds’ menu and while vegan diners love it, it’s also gaining traction among non-vegans. Freebirds is marketing the vegan burrito around Meatless Mondays and aiming for diners who want to cut back on meat and make healthier decisions. “We’re very vocal about this product and having a lot of fun with it,” Coolbaugh says.

Marie Molde, account manager at Datassential, concurs. When Datassential conducted a recent study asking consumers what types of protein they were looking to increase or reduce, the majority said they wanted to increase plant protein and decrease red meat. Consumers under 35, Millennials and Generation Z in particular are looking for plant-based alternatives and express the most interest in substituting plant products for meat entirely.

Burgers represent the meal type that is ripest for innovation, and the easiest category to see the growth in plant-based items, Fatburger's Impossible Burger

wearechefs .com 15

Molde says. “The fastest growing burger patties ranked by four-year growth are plant-based, like chickpea burgers, which have a 190 percent growth,” she says. “Consumers are saying they’re more prepared to pay a premium for plant-based burgers than they are for any other kind of plant-based format. The familiarity of the format makes it a safe space for experimentation for chefs.”

Some restaurants are opting for patties that combine beef with vegetables, like Sonic’s Slinger, a burger patty consisting of 70 percent beef and 30 percent mushrooms. Rolled out across the Sonic chain, this item is performing well despite the increased cost incurred by the addition of mushrooms.

When Fat Brands introduced its Impossible Burger two years ago, the product immediately grabbed market share from Fatburger’s traditional veggie burger, which had been around 15 years.

“The Impossible Burger is 50 percent more expensive but diners come into our restaurants looking for it,” says Andy Wiederhorn, president and CEO. “It’s bringing in vegetarian customers who never thought Fatburger had a veggie burger to begin with, and fans of the Impossible Burger who have heard about this vegan product that bleeds like beef

The Beyond Meat burrito at Freebirds World Burrito

and has the flavor and consistency of beef. It’s also attracting beef customers who want a healthier diet from time to time. They try it and find that they like it.”

But don’t discount the benefits of madefrom-scratch meatless offerings. Many restaurateurs put immense efforts into their meatless patties and achieve great results. At Hugh-Baby’s, a two-location fast-food restaurant in Nashville, Tennessee, the veggie burger contains mushrooms and black beans that are smoked each morning. “We sell up to 60 per day and while they don’t constitute a massive part of our sales mix, we think it’s really important to menu them so we can be an accessible restaurant for everyone,” says Co-owner Mark Waldo. “I think the Impossible Burger and Beyond Burger are great products and it’s pretty crazy how close they are to meat. But we want to do everything on our own and to be masters of our own destiny every day.”

Molde says operators can certainly find success with scratch cooking. “There are a lot of options for chefs, whether you want to menu from-scratch patties, premade versions with meaty consistencies or patties that combine beef with a vegetarian protein. All avenues might work, because this area is ripe for innovation.”

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lauren Kramer, an award-winning writer based in Vancouver, British columbia, is passionate about gourmet food and delights in tasting it and writing about it.

with high-quality meats from Jones.

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© 2018 Jones Dairy Farm

Breakfast Heats Up

c hefs across the country get creative with their a.m. offerings |

Target Your Audience

When Lassahn was developing Watertable’s breakfast menu, his goal was to appeal not just to executive travelers, but also foodies and families.

“Many hotel chefs put eggs benedict and buttermilk pancakes on the breakfast menu because they’re easy,” says Lassahn. “Since I wanted to compete with the Orange County food scene, I had to ask the question, ‘Why can’t breakfast be as interesting as dinner?’”

Breakfast is heating up as chefs across the country push the culinary envelope with their a.m. offerings. Instead of buttermilk pancakes, scrambled eggs and huevos rancheros, today’s breakfasts include lobster benedict, coffee flour pancakes and spirulina smoothies.

“Breakfast is still the most important meal of the day, the fuel that powers your body through the activities you want to enjoy, whether at work or at play,” says Manfred Lassahn, executive chef of Watertable at the Hyatt Regency in Huntington Beach, California.

But here’s the deal: Diners’ interests extend beyond omelets, bacon and Belgian waffles. They want choices that that reflect their changing palate — farm fresh, fast and innovative.

To that end, Lassahn offers an array of options from trendier bar items to indulgent breakfast feasts. Fit-conscious choices range from overnight oats and “detox avocado toast” to smoothies and açai and spirulina bowls. Those who want to soak up last night’s alcohol can delight in bacon maple waffles, poached eggs and country fried chicken with sriracha hollandaise. For the youngest subset, Lassahn folds whole blueberries into yogurt and freezes it into a popsicle mold with granola on the side for dipping.

Ben Tahvildari at Quality Food and Beverage in Los Angeles presents diners with equally enticing morning fare. “If you want to survive as a restaurateur, the market has to dictate what appears on the menu,” says Tahvildari, who targets L.A.’s creative thinkers — and those who are trying to stay in their skinny jeans.

Above: The Lakehouse’s coffee flour pancakes with fresh berries, walnuts, yogurt and house-made sticky toffee. opposite, from left: Avocana bread at Watertable at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & spa; seasonal overnight oats from the breakfast bar at Watertable

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p hoto credits: a bove, Fire & Vine h ospitalit y; opposite, left to right: h yatt r egenc y h untington Beach r esort & Spa

“Our market is health conscious. They want everything dry — no butter or oil — and they want only small portions of meat but a lot of vegetables,” he says. To meet the demand, he whipped up egg white omelets, tofu scrambles and hollowed-out squash stuffed with vegetables.

Get Creative

A decade ago, Tahvildari started serving lobster benedict and switching up ingredients in baked goods, including French toast made with bacon banana bread, and getting creative with morning spreads, such as smoked maple raspberry jam, mandarin jam and myriad tapenades.

At The Lakehouse in Bellevue, Washington, Chef Jason Wilson uses coffee flour to make granola, pancakes, avocado toast and even smoothies. “It’s a darker flour made from milling the discarded coffee fruit into a powder,” explains Wilson. “It looks a bit like cocoa powder, and it has plenty of vitamins and antioxidants so it’s really nutritious.”

Lassahn, too, plays with his morning menu, including four takes on eggs benedict — piling the toppings on the classic English muffin, a bacon waffle, crab hash or a Portobello mushroom. His “detox” avocado toast boasts omega-3 bread, tahini spread, chia seeds and kale tapenade. And he serves up savory French toast made with egg-dipped challah bread, mashed avocados, heirloom tomatoes and goat cheese.

“It’s taking the basic dish and spinning it in a way that it’s still approachable,” says Lassahn. “For instance, instead of serving our lemon blueberry pancakes with maple syrup, which is standard and messy, we fold honeycomb into whipped butter.”

Time it Right

Unlike dinner, breakfast needs to be on the table fast, especially during the weekday morning rush. If you present too many options, staff may have trouble keeping up with demand.

More timely advice: Change your menu with the seasons, even if you can get almost anything year-round. In the fall, Tahvildari offers a “taste of harvest” — a roasted acorn squash stuffed with chicken sausage, grains and a touch of saffron. During the holiday season, he whips up a breakfast pizza blanketed with smoked salmon and caviar. And in summer, berries take center stage and also appear on the side in the form of smoked jams, jellies and spreads.

“Don’t be afraid to take ingredients and do what makes sense for a particular dish,” suggests Lassahn, who whips up dill caper cream cheese in lieu of serving all of the accoutrements for bagels and lox separately.

“Eating comes with an elaborate system of rituals, manners and tradition,” says Tahvildari. “If you’re aware of the cultures that walk through your door, you can fold that into the plate.”

cereal headlines at the Breakfast Bar

Breakfast, by nature, inspires nostalgia. Add cereals to the mix and customers are happy to bite. From cereal-crusted concoctions hot off the griddle to cereal milk cocktails, chefs are having fun with cornflakes, Fruit Loops and Cocoa Puffs. And for good reason: Cereals not only offer a hit of nostalgia, they also deliver eye-popping colors and crispy textures. At Watertable in Huntington Beach, Lassahn whips up cornflake crusted cinnamon vanilla French toast. At Milk Bar, with locations across the country, diners can sip cereal milk lattes and crunchy cereal shakes. And in Los Angeles, Nighthawk Breakfast Bar adds booze to cereal milk for a retro cocktail menu. Favorites include bourbon-spiked Honey Nut Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast laced with and Cocoa Puffs boasting vanilla vodka.

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amy paturel, m.S., m p h., lives in murrieta, california, where she writes about food, health and wellness.

Recruiting Red Flags

Anyone who works in the culinary industry knows that recruitment and retention of workers can be a challenge. In fact, newspapers around the country are currently reporting how the shortage of kitchen workers in their respective cities is affecting restaurants and hospitality companies.

One way to address the issue of employee turnover is to pay close attention to red flags from prospective employees during the hiring process. Whether you’re a new chef who’s never been involved in hiring or an experienced manager desperate for good help, watching for the following warning signs can help you avoid employees who won’t be around for the long term.

Being late for the interview.

While being a few minutes late for an interview may initially seem like no big deal, it can point to a larger problem of how a candidate will be as an employee, and whether they are suitable to work for you for an extended time.

“How punctual someone is during the interview process speaks to

how they will most likely act as an employee,” says Alfred Szeprethy, executive corporate chef of Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza & Grill in Nevada and California. “If someone shows up late to an interview, it is probably an indicator that they are going to be running late for their shifts, which then in turn affects the rest of the staff.”

playing the blame game.

A bad candidate may spend an interview playing the blame game and bad mouthing their former employers. Maybe they had to leave a job because their former boss didn’t like them. Maybe they were being passed over for opportunities for no reason. Whatever explanations they give, these kinds of workers are not likely to stay at your organization because they’ll always be on the lookout for something wrong and a reason to leave.

Job hopping.

Although some movement from one job to the next is to be expected, excessive job hopping should make you think twice about considering a candidate.

“Quite honestly, job jumpers are a huge red flag for us,” says Chris Cox, director of operations at OMG Hospitality Group in San Diego, California. “We ask a lot of our culinary teams, so there is quite a bit of training that happens on how to do things that the organization would prefer[. W]hen somebody who interviews has not stayed at any establishment for longer than six months, it’s a tough sell that they may be happy to stay long term with us.”

Discussing other options.

Chances are the job candidates you’re speaking to are also pursuing positions at other organizations, but if they make a point of bragging about it, it’s a warning sign. Oftentimes people who discuss other job offers during the hiring process will go to work for the highest bidder, so they won’t be willing to stay with your organization long term if they can quickly get a better offer somewhere else.

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Kenya mccullum is a freelance writer based in california.

Cannaisseur Dining

Cannabis offers a lot of value for what it can do in regards to taste and perception of the

dining experience.

Marijuana was once considered a stepping stone to drug addiction, but its medicinal and recreational uses are becoming increasingly accepted in the U.S. — 10 states and the District of Columbia have legalized it for recreational use. With more mainstream acceptance comes a shift in how the use of marijuana is perceived, leading to the rise of chefs cooking with it.

Chances are you’ve heard of the two most well-known cannabinoids: THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which gets you high and CBD (cannabidiol), which doesn’t. They’re the most prevalent compounds in a cannabis plant. Many chefs are using cannabinoids as an ingredient for its psychoactive compounds and as a non-high flavorful agent, pairing it with food in a way that’s more haute than hippie.

NCR talked with Andrew Greene (AG) and Duncan Kwitkor (DK), executive chefs/co-owners of Abstract Table in San Francisco, California, who have prepared cannabisinfused recipes.

N c r : i s cooking with cannabis a fad or is it becoming a staple ingredient for chefs?

DK: Considering that cannabis has been used and consumed by humanity going back many thousands of years, I imagine it’s here to stay and with growing

legal acceptance its use will most likely increase in the culinary setting.

Ncr: Do you consider cannabis a health food?

aG: I think of most true foods as health foods, in that they have nutrients that the human body needs and uses. Cannabis is no different, although it may heighten health benefits in relationship to the endocannabinoid system in our bodies.

Ncr: Some chefs object to pairing food with smoking cannabis and/or with infusing with alcohol. Some view that the only way to use cannabis is to cook with it in its Thc format or cBD oil. What are your thoughts?

DK: The simple answer is that these chefs are wrong. Cannabis can be used simply for its terpenes in a culinary application. One can also pair vaporizable forms of cannabinoid from cannabis— much like one would pair different alcoholic beverages with food. Turbines can be used to heighten the flavors in dishes, and it has been shown to increase one’s ability to taste food. Lastly, CBD has been shown to relax the body and mind without creating confusion, all of which heightens one’s dining experience.

Ncr: a re there any special tools needed to cook with cannabis?

aG: Depending how much of the processing from raw material a chef is interested in doing, there are various advanced tools one might use. If a chef is making their own distillate from raw

Above: Roasted quail, charred fennel purée and canna fermented cranberry. The fermented cranberries are macerated in CBd honey. opposite: Andrew Greene and duncan Kwitkor, executive chefs/co-owners, Abstract Table, san Francisco.

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p
h endar dy
hoto credits: a bove, c raftSense; opposite, Jason

flower a still would be needed, but just like processed spices and ingredients, much of this can be purchased preprepared and then applied like any spice or processed ingredient.

Ncr: Do you cook with specific strains?

DK: Yes. Whenever possible certain strains are selected for their terpenes profiles, as well as cannabinoid ratios. For example, if we wanted to heighten the ripe fermented fruit aspect of a sweet fruit liqueur dessert, we might seek out a strain like blueberry muffin by The Humboldt Seed Company for its pungent and overripe sweet terpenes. There are many strains with many different desirable terpenes that can be used to heighten flavor aspects in dishes.

Ncr: W hat’s your preferred method of preparation?

aG: There is no particular way that we prefer, but we do, whenever possible, love using cannabis as a spice or actual ingredient, whether through the terpenes, as discussed above, or as an actual fork-able element.

Ncr: how much cannabis do you use per serving/full meal?

DK: We typically don’t use more than 10 to 15 milliliters (.3 fluid ounces to .45 fluid ounces) of THC across an entire meal.

But, because we generally use THC in one course, CBD in another course, and only terpenes in yet another course, etc., nobody is going to get ... uncomfortably high. It’s important to remember that if an equal amount of CBD is present, much of the more unpleasant effects of THC will be curtailed.

Ncr: Does everyone get high from your dinners?

aG: At our dinners, I would expect a high comparable to having an extra glass of wine with dinner. Cannabis is vastly safer for your body and mind than alcohol, but just like if you’re going out with friends for food and drinks and making arrangements to get home safely, it’s always recommended to apply this sense of responsibility to attending a cannabis dinner.

Ncr: is t he cost for a meal higher when cannabis is used from your standard five-course ($50) or sevencourse ($70) dinners?

aG: The price is typically higher. Much like when you go to a restaurant and expensive spices and proteins are being offered, like truffles, the price will go up.

rob Benes is a chicago-based hospitality industry writer. contact him at robbenes@comcast.net.

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Classical : Duck Wontons

Wontons — small pockets of dough usually stuffed with ground pork, shrimp or other fillings — have been a common Chinese dish for hundreds of years. Preserved wontons from the seventh and eighth centuries have been found in the ancient Chinese city of Turpan. Today, nearly every region of China has its own distinct cuisine, but each one has its own variation of the folded meat dumplings. They’re easy enough to make: “An uncooked meatball or sausage is wrapped in a noodle wrapper and the finished dumpling is either steamed, boiled, or fried until done,” says Chef Dennis Chan of Blue Bamboo Restaurant in Jacksonville, Florida. To add a classical touch, Chan added chili oil, an essential Chinese seasoning, especially in Szechuan-style dishes.

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Modern : BBQ Duck Wonton Crisps

“Often times, the texture [of wontons] is inconsistent, and sometimes even chewy,” Chan says. That’s why, years ago, he decided to create a modern version of duck wontons and serve it as an appetizer in his restaurant. Today it’s one of his most popular dishes.

“I wanted to present a version of duck wontons in a new way and have even better textures and flavors than that of the original dish,” he says. “The texture and crunch of a fried wonton is better than a filled and steamed or boiled wonton. The sauces are flavors that when mixed on the plate, will give the diner a taste of something different in each bite.”

See the classical and modern recipes, as well as more photos, at wearechefs.com.

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p hotos by a gnes l ope z

Hacking SuStainability SuStainability

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How chefs can help build a better food Supply

Everything is quiet at the start. The stainless steel work tables are bare, with just the hint of a rising sun beginning to flood into the kitchen. There’s a container of bright magenta- and white-striped string beans, another one of foraged mushrooms and mason jars filled with dried beans, all waiting to be used.

Slowly, more chefs enter the space and get to cooking — chopping herbs, simmering stocks, scaling fish and smiling at each other as they share the fresh ingredients. Later, they’re seen sitting in a room, passionately talking to each other, waving their hands and writing down notes during what appears to be a very vibrant brainstorming session.

This is a video produced by the Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG2) Advocacy Hub showing how 18 chefs from around the world came together in January 2018 at Omved Gardens in London to lay the groundwork for the “Chefs’ Manifesto,” a list of eight highly actionable items that foodmakers can do — now — to build a more sustainable food supply for generations to come — and one cultivated from input by more than 100 chefs from 36 countries.

“The Chefs’ Manifesto came about because I wondered to myself, ‘What if chefs could direct me to something on their menu that not only tastes good, but also generates good for the farmer, the planet and for me?” says Paul Newnham, a community development guru and coordinator at the SDG2 Advocacy Hub, which is an initiative focused on connecting the private and public sectors in campaigns and advocacy with the goal of achieving a more sustainable global food system by 2030. “Chefs know that what we eat matters on many levels. Not only are nutrition and taste paramount to their businesses, but access to sufficient food for all without compromising the health of our planet is also increasingly recognized as a responsibility of the

food industry. As these factors become ever more intertwined within our food system, there must be an immediate global shift towards sustainable production of food to improve the health of all people and the planet.”

Indeed, in this food-obsessed age, chefs have a unique power when it comes to setting positive examples and getting consumers, growers, businesses and even governments to follow suit. By taking the lead on sustainability issues, such as tackling food waste and sustainable sourcing, chefs have the power to curate a new global conversation about food and translate sustainability goals into accessible actions in their kitchens, classrooms and communities.

At the same time, we hear about our world getting warmer by the day. We know we shouldn’t just mindlessly throw all of our scraps into the trash. We know we should choose more sustainable protein choices. But with so much information flying around — some of it confusing or contradictory — it’s

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hard to know where to start, or how to move forward. Trying to be a more “sustainably-minded” chef can simply feel overwhelming.

That’s where things like the Chefs’ Manifesto come in, offering simple action steps in eight areas, including ingredients grown with respect for the earth and its oceans; protection of biodiversity and improved animal welfare; investment in livelihoods; value of natural resources and reduction of waste; celebration of local and seasonal food; a focus on plant-based ingredients; education on food safety, healthy diets and nutritious cooking, and nutritious food that is accessible and affordable for all. Newnham says SDG2 Advocacy Hub continues to work on building this network of sustainably-minded chefs.

Certainly, the Chefs’ Manifesto is not the be-all and end-all in terms of how to nurture a more sustainable business, but

it’s a great framework with clear steps to take and a good place to start. With that in mind, we asked a few other chefs to help develop our own list of easy first steps to take in order to “hack” our current food systems and age-old traditions and drive change toward a more sustainable, less wasteful food future.

celebrate biodiversity

Sourcing local food is nothing new. Neither is foraging or working with local foragers, but the more chefs plate these “non-commercial” foods, the more awareness they create around some of the problems with our big agriculture systems.

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) reported last year that 91 percent of Americans surveyed do not realize that the global food system is the primary driver of environmental degradation and biodiversity loss, accounting for one third of greenhouse gas emissions, and is the single greatest user of land (nearly 40 percent) and fresh water (nearly 70 percent).

Picking up the Pieces

Restaurateurs Jacques and Tracy Klempf in July 2014 purchased a crumbling Jacksonville, Florida landmark known as the Bostwick Building, built in 1902. An intensive threeyear renovation process in partnership with Danis, Design Cooperative and Breaking Ground Contracting brought to life the Cowford Chophouse, a high-end steakhouse with sustainability in its bones.

“We believe that a sustainable approach to restoring the building would be in the best interest of the community, employees and owners,” Tracy Klempf says.

The renovations focused on sustainability and energy savings paid off, as the Cowford Chophouse is now one of the few independent restaurants in the country to earn LEED Silver certification after the hallmarks of the United States Green Building Council’s rigorous and prestigious program.

“Operating a sustainable restaurant is a challenge, especially one in an adaptive reuse building,” Tracy Klempf says. “However, the team was able to accomplish that goal and achieve the Silver LEED certification, and Cowford’s operations are better for it.”

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Previous spread: The Cowford Chophouse in Jacksonville, Florida. Above, from left: Views of the Cowford Chophouse rooftop bar and dining room.
“the challenges of our food system are based on the fact that we rely on the same 30 or so ingredients”
-Paul newnham

Newnham says his team plans to ramp up work around biodiversity this year. “Most of the challenges of our food system are based on the fact that we rely on the same 30 or so ingredients for the majority of our food,” he says. In fact, the Food and Agriculture Organization found in 1999 that 75 percent of the world’s food is generated from just 12 plants and five animal species. So, while the range of products has widened over the past few decades, the range of crops grown to produce those products has narrowed.

That makes for a very brittle system, where crops are not as disease-tolerant; hence, the need for pesticides and artificial fertilizers, Newnham says. By researching wild and more sustainablygrown ingredients in their regions, chefs can help fuel the demand for a more polyculture-centric food system.

As such, Newnham has worked with chefs to create demand for what he calls “forgotten foods,” those like nutrientdense and climate-smart ingredients such as millet, amaranth and sorghum, which he says deliver huge benefits for both people and the planet. These grains in particular are also highly adaptable to local environments while also being tasty and nutritious. Native Americans have been cultivating, cooking and eating indigenous foods like these for millennia.

add more plants — and be picky about protein

National Geographic once reported that the typical meat-heavy American diet requires 1,320 gallons of water a day to produce, and cutting consumption of animal products in half would reduce the U.S.’s dietary requirements of water by 37 percent.

This doesn’t mean we have to go without meat, but it’s a wake-up call that might encourage chefs to swap in more plants for protein. “It’s easy to add 10 to 20 percent mushrooms and onions to a burger to cut back on the red meat,” says Jehangir Mehta of Graffiti, Graffiti Earth and Me and You in New York City. Mehta sources meats and eggs produced with the highest levels of animal welfare in mind, something the Chefs’ Manifesto encourages.

There are ways to make vegetables “sexier” on menus. The Chefs’ Manifesto suggests putting plant-based dishes more front-and-center on the menu and training servers to push them; using descriptive, “indulgent” sounding dish titles; highlighting unique ingredients and cooking techniques and avoiding the use of labels like “vegan” and “vegetarian.”

Do a “dumpster dive”

It’s practically unthinkable to realize that we produce so much food in this country, yet, according to the USDA, we waste more than 40 percent of it, all the while, Feeding America tells us 40 million people (including 12 million children) struggle with hunger each year.

Food waste is just one area of the Chefs’ Manifesto but it’s an area that many chefs are finding they have more control over than perhaps they previously thought.

The first step, says Jonathan Deutsch, Ph.D., a chef-instructor at Drexler University in Philadelphia, is to literally look into trash cans to see what’s being thrown away. While there are fancy tools and software on the market to help restaurants and other foodservice operators measure and track food waste, it all starts with open eyes.

Conducting waste audits like these is “like taking the blinders off,” says Deutsch, who led the content development for a new, online course on food waste management through the

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opposite: Chefs from around the world met in London last year for a cooking and sustainability brainstorming event hosted by paul newnham, founder of the sustainable development Goal 2 (sdG2) Advocacy Hub, where they created “The Chef’s Manifesto.”

James Beard Foundation. During an audit, Deutsch will reduce the number of trash cans in the kitchen and sets out extra “garbage” bowls at each station so staff can separate different peels and scraps for reuse.

cook from root to leaf

After you’ve done your dumpster dive, it’s easy to see you can see what’s being tossed and what could have been reused.

Just like many chefs started on a “whole animal” kick years ago, they’re looking at ways to use once lesserdesired vegetable parts like beet greens, carrot tops and carrot and onion peels that might otherwise end up in the compost bin.

“Cooks are naturally good at this,” says Deutsch, who makes a competition out of using leftovers. Once, a student thought beyond croutons and bread pudding when dealing with leftover bread and compressed it into a sheeter to make a crust for a pot pie. Others have made powders out of nutritious carrot peels and a tartare out of the dark veins carved from tuna steaks. “We call it ‘mindful cooking,’” Deutsch says.

Source surplus from suppliers

Reusing leftovers and scraps is precisely how Adam Kaye, who spent 12 years as culinary director for Dan Barber’s Blue Hill and Blue Hill Stone Barns, got the idea for his recentlylaunched consulting company, Spare

Food. During the wildly successful wastED pop-up a few years ago, Kaye and Barber worked with farmers, fisheries, distributors, processors, plant breeders, producers, restaurants and retailers to take in surplus foods, “ugly” produce and otherwise wasted byproducts for a completely “reused” menu featuring rotating guest chefs.

Now, as part of Spare Food and in partnership with his brother Jeremy Kaye, he continues this work with restaurants, hotels and other operators to work with their suppliers and rethink ingredient sourcing.

“Not every wasted item can be reused but there is so much room for creativity and chefs are good at that,” says Kaye, who has made jams and sauces using surplus and bruised tomatoes and flavorful stock out of extra fish bones otherwise tossed by a smoked fish processor. He’s even made “burgers” using pulp from leftover coldpressed juice shops, flavorful soups out of romaine lettuce butts and other dishes using broken nuts from a nut processor. Don’t forget to also buy these things and other products in bulk to cut down on packaging waste.

“We spent about a couple months immersing ourselves in contacting our suppliers to see what they might be throwing away,” says Kaye, who adds that, contrary to what one might think, the suppliers were actually more than happy

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Above: paul newnham opposite, from top: Chef Adam Kaye uses leftover coffee grinds to make a curing rub for bacon; Adam Kaye

to give back their excess waste rather than pay the extra fees for hauling services.

Deutsch has gotten into the game as well. Thanks to a recent grant, he’s been working with food manufacturers to produce what he calls “upcycled” products, such as cheese made from surplus milk, a tomato sauce using the tops and bottoms of tomatoes from a those made from surplus and wasted foods.

“It’s really important for chefs to be a part of the conversation around upcycling and it’s really gratifying that major food companies are now looking to chefs and culinary educators for guidance in this area,” he says.

control portions and rethink menuing

It’s easy to forget that portion sizes have a direct impact on the food waste we create.

“Do we really need a meal that’s 1700 calories in one sitting?” says Newnham who suggests the idea of offering half and full size portions for entrees. “It doesn’t have to be a kids’ meal, but maybe there’s a way to think more out of the box when it comes to writing menus.”

The small plates “trend” has partially taken care of the portion problem, and many restaurants are rewriting their menus to include more shareable entrée dishes,

like larger pork chops and porterhouse steaks for two or more. Others are making their own super high-quality bread and butter and listing it as an a la carte menu item in a win-win that allows diners to save room for extra starters or dessert while bumping up the tab at the same time.

Mehta looks to specials when it comes to portion control and waste reduction. “People think you have to offer just one or two specials at a time, but why can’t we offer more at each sitting so we use up all your ingredients?” he says. He’s even gone as far as cooking up a special on the fly using the last bit of a food and offering it up to diners on the spot.

“If they say no thank you, almost certainly someone else will take it,” he says. Offering wrong orders to other tables can help cut down on food waste as well.

All these things might seem strange or even “out there,” but as more chefs like Mehta, Kaye, Deutsch and others break down this industry’s age-old traditions to rethink the way they menu, source and serve, they’re helping build a more sustainable food future. In this celebrity chef age, diners and consumers are watching them, and they’ll watch and listen to you, too.

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amelia levin is a chicago-based food writer, cookbook author and certified chef.

p I pe D D R e AMS

Non-traditional fillings allow for fun mashups. |

Amid America’s ongoing love affair with doughnuts, chefs are leaving traditional jelly filling to Dunkin’. Instead, flavor layering and the savory sensibilities of croquettes and dumplings have arrived to doughnuts and doughnut holes.

“Right now, non-traditional things in general are really popular, fun and different,” says Andy Rodriguez. He and his wife Amanda Pizarro founded Miami’s The Salty Donut. “For the longest time, we were eating more predictably. But there’s been a change and progression toward eating things that make us uncomfortable or are from cultures we’ve never experienced. It’s the mashing of two styles or cultures that people wouldn’t have done before.”

While on a trip to Israel, where Pizarro was inducted into the Forbes 30 Under 30 class of 2018 in food and drink, the couple experienced “extraordinary tahini and halva,” Rodriguez says. Thus, upon their return, they partnered with a tahini producer to develop a doughnut filling of tahini pastry cream to fill the hole in a doughnut ring and developed their own halva to crumble on top, finishing with black sesame brittle.

Brioche is the current darling of doughnut dough among culinarians. It’s the standard at The Salty Donut for its softer dense and fluffy bread-like nuances, Rodriguez says. The egg and butter flavors pair well with fillings and glazes. One features an espresso cream with lavender honey glaze, and for a touch of spring, it includes dried candied spring flowers on top.

Also popular in spring at The Salty Donut is the Easter egg doughnut. For that, they had a custom cutter made to shape the brioche dough like an egg. They scoop out the dough and fill it with passion fruit and key lime ganache, which is yellow, then dip the whole thing in a standard vanilla bean glaze. Atop the ganache on each doughnut is a white chocolate egg-shaped disc with a hole in the middle so the yellow ganache shows through, creating the appearance of egg yolk.

p icking flavors

Flavor profiles often come from the chef’s background and from the local market, says Gemma Matsuyama, pastry chef at n/naka in Los Angeles. While she is focused on her Japanese heritage right now, she sees a trend with all things Asian and Middle Eastern. As she develops doughnuts, she’s playing around with whole grain flours, rice flour and various sugars imported from Japan. One of her doughnut riffs is mochi with a red bean filling including vanilla and butter. She relies on kokuto sugar

Above: Honey Lemon Curd and Chrysanthemum Meringue doughnuts at stubborn seed, Miami Beach, Florida. opposite, from left: The Easter egg doughnut at The salty donut is typically filled with passion fruit and key lime ganache; This tahini and halva doughnut finished with black sesame brittle from The salty donut was inspired by a trip to Israel.

34 ncr | m arch/ a pril 2019 | Pastry |
p hoto credits: a bove, Stubborn Seed; opposite, left to right: The Salty Donut

for sweetening. While red bean filling is typical Asian, it is not typically sweet. She meets guests halfway in that regard. “You have to come to any food with an open heart,” she says. Meanwhile, she experiments with the amount of sugar surrounding the red bean paste.

More mainstream, but in keeping with French and Italian trends, Matsuyama suggests a crème brulee doughnut filled with vanilla custard and finished with a caramel glaze. In early summer, she makes a chamomile and poached apricot doughnut filling—creating a chamomile cream incorporating apricots she poaches in a Lillet Blanc syrup.

One of the greatest challenges is determining the dough-to-filling ratio.

“You have to ask what kind of flour you will use and how sweet and dense it will be to decide how much filling it will handle,” she says. “You don’t want it to ooze all over your hand, but find the maximum capacity it will handle.”

For Dallas Wynne, executive pastry chef at Stubborn Seed in Miami Beach, Florida, it’s important to remember that a doughnut might sit out a while and must be able to pass the time without the filling seeping out. She advises, “Don’t fill it if the doughnut is extremely hot and you have a temperamental filling.” For example, she makes queso doughnuts with brioche dough. The doughnut must be completely cool before filling it with cheddar queso. Afterwards, she adds a

little melted shaved Parmesan on top and sprinkles with coarse pretzel salt.

Vishu Nath, executive chef at Cleveland, Ohio’s Urban Farmer, brought his pastry background with him to the culinary side of the house. “There are many delicacies and techniques that can convert from pastry to savory,” he says. “From the concept of a croquette to a stuffed dumpling, virtually anything can be transformed into a doughnut-style concept using various elements.”

He has made doughnut holes filled with beef tartare topped with cured egg yolk, fried capers and parsley. He has also filled doughnut holes with a foie gras mousse.

For those who are game to experiment, he suggests playing around with different frying fats, like lard or beef fat. Also, consider using palm sugar, honey or isomalt for fun toppings.

Jody Shee, a Kauai, hawaii-based freelance writer and editor, previously was editor of a foodservice magazine. She has more than 20 years of foodwriting experience and writes the blog www.sheefood.com.

wearechefs .com 35

The local farmers’ market is the ideal place to find seasonal produce and to form relationships with local farmers, but there is something else worth noting: the bakers and makers that set up shop. In many cities, both up-and-coming and established pastry chefs make the market a part of their business plan, even after they open a brick and mortar shop.

Even if there are some uncontrollable factors about being at the farmers’ market — the weather, manual labor involved, limited product supply — there can be many benefits for a pastry chef to be there. We spoke with bakers from across the country to find out what those are.

Startup Costs Are low

One of the biggest reasons to start producing at the market? The low cost and wide audience. Gab Taube of Pittsburgh’s Pigeon Bagels had access to a commercial kitchen but couldn’t afford a retail space, so she hit the markets in Squirrel Hill and Bloomfield.

“Being a part of both of these weekend markets allowed me to access a really large and diverse audience,” says Taube.

A Sweet Market

The Farmers’ Market may be the ideal place to launch a pastry business

William Werner of Craftsman and Wolves in San Francisco agrees. “The startup costs are much lower — you’ll pay for stall rental, tent table and a small fee for permitting instead of high rent from the beginning.” Werner now has two brick-andmortar locations for his modern patisserie but still visits the Ferry Building Farmers Market every Saturday.

There’s Something About Those Regulars

It’s not just the low cost that makes this model appealing. It’s also those frequent market shoppers. “You have an instant group of support from industry, guests and customers from farmers market shoppers,” says Werner, who found that investors and other chefs were a constant at the market.

It’s also easy to develop a consistent following at the market because the customers return week after week.

The perfect Testing Ground

Market-goers are also the perfect people to give instant feedback on new products. Solveig Tofte of Sun Street Breads in Minneapolis often offers items at the market she wouldn’t necessarily serve at the café. It’s also the perfect place to shop for seasonal ingredients. Tofte uses all market produce in her savory pastries.

Werner knows if he tries something out, he’ll get feedback pretty instantaneously. He also finds that market shoppers are there to try out the new and different.

36 ncr | m arch/ a pril 2019 | Pastry |
Samantha lande is a freelance writer based in chicago. her work has appeared in Food network, chowhound, Time out and other local and national publications.

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And for the Chef, Heaping Helpings of Stress

Finding release and relief from pressure in the kitchen.

Every day, chefs must contend with fiendish workloads, unconscionable deadlines and unrelenting expectations of excellence. Every plate that emerges from their kitchen is a test — not only of their skill and creativity, but of their composure and ability to handle stress.

On the American Culinary Federation’s We Are Chefs blog in 2016, Paul Sorgule, AAC, an award-winning chef, restaurateur, author and culinary educator, observed, “From the moment a cook or chef steps through the back door of the kitchen, the pressure begins to mount, [and] it seems like so much is simply out of our control.” While acknowledging that a certain amount of stress can be beneficial, to keep kitchen staff on their toes, too much unmanaged stress can have disastrous consequences. Seeking release, he said, even some of the strongest kitchen warriors may turn to substance abuse, smoking, overeating, alcohol abuse and gambling.

Noting that he once witnessed two cooks dueling with spatulas, Gary Kucy, the lead chef at Rupert’s in the Hotel McCall, Boise, Idaho, also confesses, with some embarrassment, to a weak moment early in his own career. While working as a pastry chef,

he became so enraged with an abusive fellow worker, he flung a finished signature cake against the wall and stomped off the premises. Amazingly, he did not lose his job. But clearly this type of reaction to stress must never become the norm.

Still fit and daring at 50, Kucy says his preferred way of blowing off steam is competing in and coaching mountain biking and ice hockey. “I grew up in Phoenix, but I’m much happier here, with two mountain ranges, lakes and rivers all nearby,” he reports.

A road bike is the stress-squelcher of choice for Jeff Drew, managing partner of the Snake River Grill, Jackson, Wyoming. “I spend a lot of time on the bike,” he says, noting he also follows a diet with few carbs, small protein portions and no sweets. Drew says it also is important to have “someone who loves you at home — whether it’s a whole family, a girl friend or even a loyal dog.” Coming into an empty house is a recipe for more, not less, stress.

Find What Works

Vigorous exercise is just one of many options for chefs seeking stress relief. Sorgule offers the following 14 possibilities — the first two job-oriented and the rest personal:

38 ncr | m arch/ a pril 2019 | Health |
opposite, from left: Birds' eye view of Le pigeon in portland, oregon; one of four specialty desserts on the menu at Le pigeon; Food prep at Willows Inn
“pART oF sTREss M An AGEMEnT Is k NoWiNg WhEN to sAy No A nd noT TAKE on MoRE WoRK”

• Be prepared for tomorrow. Before leaving at the end of a shift, make todo lists for the next day.

• End-of-shift post mortem. Huddle with the staff at the end of a shift to review what went well and what did not — and why. The focus should be on improvement, not attributing blame.

• Personal suggestions: Listen to music; power-walk; work out in a gym; take time to eat well; put down the mobile phone; write — a journal, a blog, a poem, anything that helps you gain perspective; nurture non-restaurant friendships; laugh with reckless abandon; cut back on caffeine; read for fun, not just for work; shower after work; get enough sleep.

Motivated by “just how much we care,” many chefs try to do too much, says Matthew Rudofker, director of culinary operations for New Yorkbased Momofuku. “As soon as I stopped making excuses for why I couldn’t take vacations, exercise, and have better nutrition, things began to change for the better. It takes real effort to admit to yourself you need to make certain changes.”

Three thousand miles away, Gabriel Rucker, 37-year-old chef/owner of Le Pigeon, an upscale dinner-only restaurant in Portland, Oregon, also says the leading cause of stress in his life is “trying to balance work and family

life.” Complicating Rucker’s task is his ownership of two other restaurants — Canard, a neighborhood eatery, and French bistro Little Bird. Providing time for his wife and three children — aged 7, 5 and 18 months — has him sleeping just five to six hours a night. He’s in better shape with diet and exercise: “I try to eat lighter and healthier than our restaurant menu, and I go to the gym six times a week.”

Avoiding Tension

Lummi Island is a vacation destination not far from Bellingham, Washington, where visitors come to relax. But for Blaine Wetzel, owner and head chef of The Willows Inn, it could be a potential tension trap. To make sure this doesn’t happen, Wetzel employs various tactics, beginning with a healthy diet, emphasizing locally grown vegetables. He also exercises most mornings — running or riding a bike to work. He pays sincere attention to maintaining good staff relationships — playing music in the kitchen, building breaks into the work schedule and occasionally taking everyone down to the beach for a brief swim during the afternoon dinner break. He finds that spending a few minutes in the water is an effective refresher.

labor pains

Depending on the type and size of the kitchen, a chef may be the chief cook and bottle washer or a planner/manager/creative force akin to an orchestra conductor. Often, he or she has to be all these things.

“Major stress may be caused by labor shortages,” says Jeff Drew, managing partner of Snake River Grill, Jackson, Wyoming. Causes of shortages vary—an insufficient number of people have been hired to fill all the necessary positions, or some of the people on board lack the required skill set for their assignments, or there are inconvenient absences due to illness, vacations, employee turnover, etc.

When this happens, the chef may have to do more of the manual labor than he/she has time for. “Meanwhile, the administrative duties don’t disappear,” says Drew. “They are still waiting for the chef at the end of the night, thus adding hours away from a satisfying personal life.”

wearechefs .com 39
alan richman, former editor/associate publisher of WholeFoods Magazine, is a new Jersey-based freelance writer focusing on food and nutrition. contact arkr@comcast.net.

Squash Unplugged c reating a More Delicious and Sustainable Food System from Seeds |

me, they’ve been the driving force behind the Blue Hill menu for the past few years. Take the 898 squash, a mini butternut that was developed by Michael Mazourek and co-selected over many years in the kitchen. Instead of adding brown sugar, we now serve it simply roasted with salt. It’s squash unplugged.

flavor, an advancement poised to revolutionize how we think about what we eat.

how can more flavorful seeds “change how we eat?”

Seeds are really a blueprint for the whole food system — they determine what qualities an ingredient will bring to the table, and where it will thrive. However, they’ve largely been bred for a system of monocultures and mass distribution. Row 7 [a reference to the open row of the Periodic Table] pairs chefs and plant breeders to develop varieties that are coselected in the field and kitchen. The end goal is a more delicious and sustainable food system.

Do you expect chefs will modify recipes to highlight more flavorful produce?

It’s been amazing to see these ingredients interpreted by other chefs. For

Given that restaurant margins are typically tight, how much more costly will row 7 seeds and produce be?

Where and how seeds are grown matters! We want to make sure Row 7’s seeds are priced competitively and work for growers at scale, but we also recognize the need to invest and support the creation of organic seed infrastructure in the U.S. A portion of all our seed sales goes back to supporting public plant breeding research.

according to row 7’s website, ”When you select for flavor, you’re most likely selecting for nutrition, too.” a re you suggesting that more flavorful produce packs more vitamins, minerals, etc.?

People are just coming to understand the correspondence between flavor and nutrition. (These flavor and aroma compounds evolved as a way for us to tell what we should be eating.) We now know that many of the most beneficial phytonutrients have a bitter or sour taste. Part of the chef's role, I think, is helping to understand and promote the culinary value of these nutritionally significant compounds.

40 ncr | m arch/ a pril 2019 | Main Course |
Multiple James Beard Award-winning chef Dan Barber, chef/owner of Blue Hill restaurant in New York City, has recently teamed with other chefs and geneticists to launch Row 7. The company breeds seeds for new York-based award-winning journalist Karen Weisberg has covered the issues and luminaries of the food-and-beverage world— both commercial and noncommercial—for more than 25 years.

2019 ChefConnect: Sponsors

Minneapolis Marriott City Center March 31 - April 2, 2019

e xecutive c
hef de c uisine
ous c hef patissier
hef c
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Sponsors as
February 25,
of
2019

ChefConnect: Minneapolis

March 31-April 2, 2019 • Minneapolis Marriott City Center

World Flavors spotlight: Philosophy of hmong Cuisine

Learning session with Chef Yia Vang

Yia Vang was born in a refugee camp in Thailand and his father and mother moved their family to the US in 1987. He is co-founder of Union Kitchen, a Twin Cities-based Hmong pop-up restaurant. He is passionate about making the food he grew up with more accessible to non-Hmongs, while also passing traditions down to the next generation of Hmong Americans.

have your Cake and Eat it too:

Vegetables for Dessert

Vegetables are not only used in savory dishes. They can provide a bit of acidity, bitterness, or earthiness to a dish. By adding certain vegetables into a dessert, discover how to reduce added sugar. With pastry chef Stephanie Charns, attendees will learn new and inventive ways to incorporate vegetables into desserts your guests will enjoy.

From Forest to Fork; Everything old is New Again

In an age of processed foods and GMO options, our most basic wild growing food are an often overlooked solution to providing amazing flavor profiles with a uniquely healthy bonus. “Gentleman Forager” Mike Kempenich will discuss options that take farm to table to the next level, forest to fork, and

why adopting this trend can lead to better profits and an identity that can set you apart from your competition.

hands-on Workshop:

the

Magic of LacticAcid Fermentation

Join Kylene and Melanie Guse, coowners of GYST fermentation bar, for this special handson fermentation workshop to learn tips and techniques of lactic-acid fermentation. Attendees will learn why lactic-acid fermentation is sustainable, loaded with amazing health benefits and truly adds a depth of flavor to any dish, as well as techniques of lactic-acid fermentation and the benefits of this easy and safe method of food preservation.. Participants will make their own sauerkraut to ferment at home.

Mental & Physical Mise en Place

Approach the ACF Certified Master Chef Exam prepared for success by developing your philosophy, strategy and approach prior to entering the exam kitchen. Brian Beland, CMC, executive chef/food and beverage director, Country Club of Detroit and chef instructor, Schoolcraft College, will teach attendees to reduce anxiety while focusing on managing every step inside the exam kitchen.

See the full schedule at acfchefs.org/chefconnect.

42 ncr | m arch/ a pril 2019 | Events |

ACF National Convention:

August 4-8, 2019 • Marriott World Center

keynote speaker: Duff goldman

Duff Goldman is a chef, artist, entrepreneur and TV personality. Duff’s first major foray into television was on the hit Food Network show Ace of Cakes, which took place in his famed Baltimore bakery, Charm City Cakes. The show ran for ten seasons, achieving the rare feat of airing over 100 episodes. Duff is currently starring in several new shows on Food Network, including Cake Masters and the Baking Championship series.

opening general session: gale gand

Chef Gale Gand is a nationally acclaimed pastry chef, restaurateur, cookbook author, television personality, teacher, entrepreneur, and mother. Chef Gand has been recognized as Outstanding Pastry Chef of the Year by The James Beard Foundation and by Bon Appétit magazine, as well as receiving a Beard award for best service for Tru. She has been inducted into the Chicago Chefs Hall of Fame and was a 2017 recipient of the Women Driving Excellence award.

Rico torres and Diego galicia

Diego Galicia and his chef partner and co-owner, Rico Torres, have been regularly recognized and praised by critics as leaders in the culinary community in San Antonio. Mixtli is the natural evolution to serve their next higher purpose — to re-embrace their heritage and to create. Torres and Galicia

Orlando

have recently been awarded 2017's Food and Wine Magazine's "Best New Chefs" presented to only 12 chefs in the country, for their unique concept with Mixtli. Mixtli opened in 2013 to rave reviews.

keynote speaker: Michael sohocki

Michael Sohocki, chefowner of Restaurant Gwendolyn and co-owner of Kimura and IlForno, developed his commitment to sustainability and authenticity over a lifetime of experiences that stretches from the Texas Gulf Coast to Japan. Star Chefs named Michael a Rising Star Sustainability Chef in 2012 and the following year, the James Beard Foundation selected him as a semifinalist for Best Chef-Southwest.

Amy Emberling

Amy Emberling is a Managing Partner at Zingerman’s Bakehouse, a nationally acclaimed artisan bakery in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which is one of 10 businesses in Zingerman's Community of Businesses. Amy’s love of great food began in her childhood home of Nova Scotia, where she feasted on lobster and wild blueberry cake. Baking, cooking and dining out have been her passion from a young age. She is the co-author of the book Zingerman's Bakehouse and regularly teaches about Zingerman's business practices.

wearechefs .com 43

2019 ACF National Convention: Sponsors

e xecutive c hef c hef de c uisine
ous c hef s a uicer patissier Sponsors as of February 25, 2019
s
Marriott World Center
August 4 - 8, 2019

nCR Quiz

March/April 2019

What fish are an important year-round source of bottomfish on the West Coast that help improve the health of natural ecosystems?

a. W hitebait Smelt

b. Salmon

c. Pacific Snapper

d. A lbacore Tuna

What flavor did Rodriguez and Pizarro integrate into their doughnuts after visiting israel?

a. Tahini

b. Carob

c. R ose Water

d. Caraway

According to the USDA, about how many pounds of food are discarded every year in the United States?

a. 70 thousand

b. 90 mi llion

c. 220 mi llion

d. 133 b illion

Which government agency has established a Food Waste Challenge?

a. U.S. Department of Agriculture

b. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

c. U.S. Department of Energy

Which doughnut at The Salty Donut is filled with a yellow passion fruit and keylime ganache?

a. Springtime doughnut

b. Easter egg doughnut

c. R ainbow doughnut

d. Sunshine doughnut

According to Matsuyama, what is one of the greatest challenges when creating a new doughnut?

a. Creating the correct texture

b. Finding the perfect level of sweetness

c. Integrating non-traditional flavors

d. Determining the dough-to-filling ratio

What is Jeff Drew’s preferred way of blowing off steam outside of work?

a. Biking

b. Coaching sports

c. Go ing to the gym

d. L istening to music

What is Row 7?

a. A new chain of restaurants

b. A company that breeds seeds

c. A new line of dishware

d. A n award for members of the culinary industry

instead of maple syrup, what does Watertable serve with their lemon blueberry pancakes?

a. A gave syrup

b. L emon zest whipped cream

c. Avocado honey

d. Honeycomb folded into whipped butter

by 2019, how many states legalized marijuana for recreational use?

a. 7

b. 10

c. 11

d 16

See the rest of the questions, finish the quiz and earn 4 CEHs toward your certification on ACF’s new Online Learning Center at learn.acfchefs.org.

wearechefs .com 45 | Quiz |

The a ncient Origin of Modern Frozen Foods

When Clarence Birdseye was on a research assignment in Newfoundland in 1912, he was amazed at the freshness of the fish he ate with the Inuit natives, despite the fact that they did not fish daily. Always a curious man, he asked the local inhabitants to teach him their traditional Arctic fishing methods. Wrapped in furs against the bitter chill of -40° F, he saw how they dug a hole through the thick ice over a river, lowered their hooks and waited for the fish to strike.

What Birdseye noticed next changed culinary history. Once the fish was raised from the nearly freezing water and landed directly on the ice in the chilling air, it froze almost instantly. Birdseye had discovered something the Native people had intuitively known for centuries. The rapid freezing

does not give the ice crystals forming in the fish time to enlarge and damage the fish’s cell structure.

By 1925 he had converted his Arctic inspiration into a new invention: the double belt freezer, which moved packages of fish (and later fruits and vegetables) between two highly chilled stainless steel belts, freezing the contents faster and better than ever before. Today the enduring benefit of his insightful observation on a remote Canadian river can be found in every chef’s walk-in freezer.

46 ncr | m arch/ a pril 2019 | A Look Back |
p hoto courtesy of the l ibrary of c ongr ess p rints and p hotographs Division Washington, D. c . 20540 US a
as a noted culinary historian, ana Kinkaid writes regularly for the acF website, We are chefs, and speaks at acF events as well as at The culinary institute of america and Women chefs and restaurateurs conferences.
Read the digital version of NCR and more at .com CREATING MENU INSPIRATION For more information, visit SmithfieldFoodservice.com or contact Ed Wayda at ewayda@smithfield.com. Smithfield Congratulates the ACF on 90 Years!
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