National Culinary Review (Jan/Feb 2020)

195 COUNTRIES. 25 LANGUAGES. OVER 150 YEARS.

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FEATURE STORY

26

The Cuisine of the Balkans

The Southeastern European region is an up-and-coming (and largely undiscovered) culinary powerhouse.

DEPARTMENTS

14

18

Main Course

Breakfast dishes from around the globe are ready to make their U.S. debut. Plus, a recipe for Greek lamb and potato hash.

Pastry

It’s a grain that’s tough to work with — but for these bakers, it’s worth it. Plus, how one pizza chef worked hemp into his dough.

22 On the Side

24

A talk with chef Christine Cikowski on how her Chicago establishment is bringing in Generation Z.

Classical vs. Modern

Chef Carrie Summer uses modern ingredients and traditional roots to create a new version of baked Alaska.

34 Health

Sugar replacements deliver the sweetness customers crave in savory and sweet recipes. Plus, a recipe for Alaska seafood chowder.

38 Management

As food hall numbers skyrocket, developers and marketers attempt to avoid cookie-cutter syndrome.

Editor in Chief

Jocelyn Tolbert

Creative Services Manager

David Ristau

Assistant Editor

Heather Henderson

Graphic Designer

Armando Mitra

Sales Specialist

Tilman Gerald

Director of Marketing and Communications

Alan Sterling

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

Mark Wright, CEC, AAC

National Treasurer

James Taylor, CEC, AAC, MBA

American Academy of Chefs Chair

Americo “Rico” DiFronzo, CEC, CCA, AAC

Vice President Central Region

Steven Jilleba, CMC®, CCE, AAC

Vice President Northeast Region

Barry R. Young, CEC, CCE, AAC

Vice President Southeast Region

Kimberly Brock Brown, CEPC®, CCA, AAC

Vice President Western Region

Robert W. Phillips, CEC, CCA, AAC

Executive Director

Heidi Cramb

The National Culinary Review® (ISSN 0747-7716), January/February

2020, Volume 44, Number 1, is owned by the American Culinary Federation, Inc. (ACF) 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.

Right now, ACF Culinary Team USA is beginning its final preparations to compete in the Internationale Kochkunst Ausstellung (IKA), the oldest, largest and most diverse international culinary arts competition in the world. On February 14-19, chefs from around the world will arrive in Stuttgart, Germany with all eyes on them.

They are ready. They have practiced these recipes dozens — hundreds — of times. Their hands are steady. Their minds are focused. And they will create something monumental.

Stepping into that kitchen will be one of the most important moments of these chefs’ lives. It will also be one of the most intimidating. I know because I’ve been there.

Throughout my career, I competed whenever I could. I always had the support of the ACF behind me. My fellow members encouraged me, taught me what they knew and cheered for me — from behind the glass and from afar. I continue to see that level of enthusiasm now as I travel the world as a culinary competition judge.

Decades ago, groups of ACF chefs would travel together to cheer on our team at IKA. I hope to see you there, waving an American flag in the crowd. If you can’t make it, I hope you’ll be watching ACF’s social media and blog feeds to keep up with the latest. Share the news of the men and women of ACF Culinary Team USA with your colleagues as you would of the teams who throw javelins and ride bobsleds in that “other” Olympics.

After these “Culinary Olympics” are over, the team will turn its attention to the next big competition and we must keep that enthusiasm alive. It’s my hope that, when IKA 2020 ends, we continue to support our team, as well as the broader team of the ACF. Let’s offer the same level of support to chefs who are not necessarily earning gold medals on the world stage. The line cook who is pulling a double shift to make ends meet. The chef who has mentored 30 apprentices in his or her career. The culinary educator who signs up his or her students for ACF membership and always has time to demonstrate that pan flip just once more. These culinarians are just as worthy of our devotion.

I have no doubts that ACF Culinary Team USA will represent us well in Stuttgart. I know the ohana of the ACF will also make us proud in 2020 — and for years to come.

Stafford T. DeCambra, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC National President American Culinary Federation

En este momento, el equipo ACF Culinary Team USA está comenzando sus preparativos finales para competir en la Internationale Kochkunst Ausstellung (IKA), la competencia internacional de artes culinarias más antigua, más grande y más diversa del mundo. Del 14 al 19 de febrero, chefs de todo el mundo llegarán a Stuttgart, Alemania, y todo el mundo tendrá los ojos puestos en ellos.

Estan listos. Han practicado estas recetas decenas, incluso cientos de veces. Tiene las manos firmes. Están concentrados. Y están a punto de crear algo monumental.

Entrar en esa cocina será uno de los momentos más importantes de la vida de estos chefs. También será uno de los más intimidantes. Yo lo sé porque he estado allí.

A lo largo de mi carrera, competí siempre que tuve la oportunidad. Siempre tuve el apoyo de ACF. Mis compañeros me animaron, me enseñaron lo que sabían y me alentaron, desde el otro lado del cristal y desde lejos. Sigo viendo ese nivel de entusiasmo ahora cuando viajo por el mundo como juez de competencias culinarias.

Hace décadas, los grupos de chefs de ACF viajaban juntos para alentar a nuestro equipo en IKA. Espero verlos allí, ondeando una bandera estadounidense entre la multitud. Si no pueden asistir, espero que estén viendo las redes sociales y los blogs de ACF para mantenerse al día con las últimas novedades. Comparta la noticia de los hombres y mujeres de ACF Culinary Team USA con sus colegas como lo haría con los equipos que lanzan jabalinas y montan trineos en esos "otros" Juegos Olímpicos.

Después de que terminen estas "Olimpiadas culinarias", el equipo centrará su atención en la próxima gran competencia y debemos mantener vivo el entusiasmo. Espero que, una vez que finalice IKA 2020, sigamos apoyando a nuestro equipo, así como también al equipo más amplio de ACF. Ofrezcamos el mismo nivel de apoyo a los chefs que no necesariamente ganan medallas de oro en el escenario mundial. El cocinero de línea que está haciendo un doble turno para llegar a fin de mes. El chef que ha sido mentor de 30 aprendices a lo largo de su carrera. El docente culinario que inscribe a sus estudiantes como miembros de ACF y siempre tiene tiempo para demostrar una vez más cómo se voltea un buen panqueque. Estos culinarios son tan dignos de nuestra devoción como los demás.

No tengo dudas de que ACF Culinary Team USA nos representará bien en Stuttgart. Sé que la ohana de ACF también nos hará sentir orgullosos en 2020, y en los años venideros.

Upcoming Competitions:

• J anuary 21, USC Hospitality Culinary Challenge, Los Angeles, CA

ACF Chefs de Cuisine Association of California

Show Chair: Eric Ernest CEC, CCA, AAC; eernest@usc.edu; 213-821-3440

• J anuary 28–30, Myrtle Beach Convention Center, Myrtle Beach, SC

ACF Myrtle Beach Chapter

Show Chair: Robert Brantly, CEC, AAC; chefcompetition@hmrsss.com; 919-810-7172

February 28–29, Dorsey Culinary Academy Roseville, Roseville, MI

Michigan Chefs de Cuisine

Show Chair: Matt Schellig; mschellig@dorsey.edu; 586-296-3225

What’s Cooking on We Are Chefs this month

Read these recent digital-only articles (and new stuff each week!) on wearechefs.com

Bring Back The Fat

For chefs like Sean Brock of Husk Restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina, and Chris Cosentino of Incanto restaurant in San Francisco, embracing lard and tallow are part of nose-totail cooking.

Nashville vs. Memphis

Nashville is more than hot fried chicken, just like Memphis is more than BBQ. We compare the cuisine of two iconic Tennessee food cities.

The History of Milk and Cookies

Why do we leave out a plate of milk and cookies for Santa, anyway?

Tips for Culinary Competition Success

To give you a look at what you can expect, and how you can prepare, we spoke to six chefs about their experiences and advice on how to take the heat in a competition kitchen.

Recipe: Diablo Prawns With Ghost Pepper Sauce

In honor of International Hot and Spicy Food Day (January 16), we present to you a recipe for Diablo Prawns infused with ghost peppers by Oregon hot sauce company NW Elixirs.

Sure, digital is environmentally friendly... but paper smells better.

A digital subscription to NCR is included with ACF membership, but members can now get a one-year print subscription for just $25! Visit acfchefs.org/ncr to get yours today.

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 culinary New Year’s Resolution?

Tweet us your answer using the hashtag #ACFasks and we’ll retweet our favorites.

Our favorite #acfchefs Instagram photo of the month:

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. Sign up at acfchefs.org/tci

NEWS BITES

Test Your Knowledge

As of 2020, the Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl competition is open to ACF members of all levels! Who will win in a head-to-head showdown between the students and the pros? Find out at ACF National Convention: Dallas.

Check out the Official Rules and Guidelines at acfchefs.org/ knowledgebowl for more information, and register your team before March 31!

Recertification Rules

New year, new certification changes! These new CEH rules take effect January 1 and apply to all recertifications except for the CFC, CFPC, CC and CPC.

Of the 80 CEHs needed to recertify:

• 60 CEHs, including any mandatory refresher requirements, must be education-based. Of those, we now recommend that 30 CEHs are earned from ACF and ACF Approved Providers.

• 20 CEHs must come from leadership assignments, competitions, and volunteer activities. In conjunction with these changes, please see the Continuing Education Guidelines, which are also changing to allow more volunteering opportunities within the community. The guidelines are located online at acfchefs.org/download/documents/certify/ certification/CEHQuickReferenceGuide_2019.pdf.

Last Chance to Compete

ACF National President Stafford DeCambra, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC, Emeritus, was so impressed by the level of talent of those who registered to compete for awards at ACF National Convention, he decided to move everyone through to the next round. All student teams and individual competitors have advanced to the National Competition!

Having this many competitors at Nationals is something we have never done before, and we want you to be a part of it. So ACF is re-opening competition registrations until January 15. Applications and more details can be found at acfchefs.org/ awards. We’ll see you in Dallas!

Master Plan

Thinking of taking the Certified Master Chef exam? Those who are interested in testing are invited to go through the preapproval process ASAP in order to be eligible to register for upcoming exams. Visit bit.ly/2SdGmDj to get started.

Kid Stuff

Childhood Nutrition Day and International Chefs Day saw great success in 2019. ACF awarded 11 grants supporting outreach events in October to chefs and chapters across the nation, educating more than 3,000 children and families about childhood hunger, proper nutrition and obesity issues. Thank you to everyone who participated in Childhood Nutrition Day this year!

While Childhood Nutrition Day is celebrated only in October, we hope you’ll use this excitement to continue to reinforce proper nutrition and healthy choices in school-aged children throughout the year. Visit acfchefs.org/CCF and click “Programs” for tools to help make a difference in your community.

Good as Gold

The 25th Internationale Kochkunst Ausstellung (IKA), also known as the “Culinary Olympics,” will take place at Messe Stuttgart in Stuttgart, Germany on February 14-19. ACF Culinary Team USA, ACF Culinary Youth Team USA, ACF Regional Culinary Team USA, as well as the U.S. Army Culinary Arts Team and many other individual and regional U.S. competitors, will compete in various categories for gold medals and the right to be called World Champions.

If you’re not able to attend the event in person, we’ve got you covered. Representatives from the ACF will be on hand in Stuttgart to capture photos and videos that we will share on our social media accounts. Follow the hashtags #roadtoIKA and #IKAolympics on Instagram to see posts from those preparing to compete. Additionally, portions of IKA competitions will be live-streamed on the event’s website, olympiade-der-koeche.com.

Salut

Members of the ACF Columbus Chapter, alongside apprentices and students from Columbus State Community College, prepared over 150 turkeys on Thanksgiving to raise funds for Fry Out Cancer, a charitable organization dedicated to fighting cancer and feeding families in need during the holiday season.

On November 12, Vince Blancato of the ACF Tampa Bay chapter participated in the Great American Teach-In at Northwest Elementary School in Hudson, Florida. Throughout the day he gave tours through the school’s vegetable garden to all the children in kindergarten through second grade classes. One lucky second grade class got to harvest carrots.

Jay Christmas, CEC, AAC, was named the general manager of culinary services at Salemtowne, a retirement community in WinstonSalem, North Carolina.

Lance S. Cook, CEC, CCA, was named a silver medalist in the ACF Central Florida Chapter’s Duck Signature Recipe Competition, part of its 23rd annual Culinary Arts Competition, which took place at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando on September 15. Cook prepared sous vide duck breast roulade with pistachio-fig goat cheese, duck leg croquette, crisp cracklings, pan roasted vegetable dice, cherry jus, glacé.

The Professional Chefs and Cooks Association of Rochester, New York held its 11th annual brunch to benefit CURE Childhood Cancer Association

on September 19 at The Arbor at the Port on Lake Ontario in Rochester. To date, the chapter has raised $650,000 for CURE. The Chef de Cuisine was John A. Venturo, CEC, AAC, the chapter’s director of operations.

Six secondary students from the Lorain County JVS Culinary Academy, all ACF members, competed in the ACF Columbus Annual Competition on November 2-3. Each individually competed in the Practical and Contemporary Hot Food Cooking portion. McKenna Grimes, junior, received a bronze medal; Cody Hale, junior, received a bronze medal; Rebecca Perrine, senior, received a silver medal; Megan Rataj, senior, received a gold medal; Kali Seddon, junior, received a silver medal; Michael Wooley, junior, received a certificate.

On November 10, ACF Professional Chefs Association of South Jersey Chapter held its 11th annual Serving Those Who Have Served Us Brunch at the Veterans Home in Vineland, New Jersey. Over 300 veterans were served.

ACF Cleveland Chapter members John Selick, CEC, CCA, AAC (left) Jeff Jarrett (middle) and Vishwatej Nath (right) participated in the 13th annual Autism Speaks Celebrity Chef Gala on October 15 at the Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. Selick, Jarret and Nath were amongst a group of accomplished chefs from around the country who were invited to cook at the event. The gala helps fund vital research as well as services that meet the diverse needs of people with autism.

We tip our toques to ACF chefs and chapters who have recently won an award, accepted a new position, taken part in charity work or achieved another notable accomplishment. If you believe your name should be listed in the next issue of Salut, please send an email to pr@acfchefs.net.

Let’s Connect

Have you registered for ChefConnect yet? We’ll be in Seattle on March 1-3 and in Nashville on March 22-24 with presenters like Jonathan Waxman and Ludo Lefebvre in Seattle and Sean Brock and Justin Sutherland in Nashville (not to mention tons of food, friends and fun).

If you haven’t registered already, prices will go up to the “onsite” rate February 3 and February 24, respectively. Professional ACF members can save up to 20% by registering before those deadlines. Visit acfchefs.org/events to get started.

Kaya Gross, VP kgross@bonchef.com Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach & Miami

Adel Salem, VP                            asalem@bonchef.com   St. Louis

Morris Simmons              msimmons@bonchef.com TX & OK

Brian O’Connor & Conrad Karbowniczak boconnor@bonchef.com ckarbow@bonchef.com Northeast & Mid-Atlantic

Deborah Odell dodell@bonchef.com PNW, CA, HI, AK

Early Registration Ends

November 20

The American Culinary Federation is hosting ChefConnect: Seattle and ChefConnect: Nashville, two can’t-miss events where chefs can explore new ideas and flavors, share ideas with fellow culinarians, and stay up to date on the latest in food trends and technology. Early registration ends soon!

Register today at acfchefs.org/events

NASHVILLE

Early Registration Ends

December 13

March 1-3

March 22-24

MORNING IN AMERICA

By Suzanne Hall

Customers want breakfast to be fast and easy. The leisurely bacon, eggs and biscuit morning has been relegated to the weekends or special occasions. Instead busy commuters grab a latte and a pastry or a breakfast sandwich. Smoothies are also a common breakfast — not only in the U.S. but throughout the world.

The English love green smoothies made with leafy green vegetables. So do the Chinese. They are among the new breakfast trends there, especially in Chinese cities. Others include "jianbing," often hailed as China’s most popular street food. Crepe-like and made from a batter of wheat and grain flours, jianbing is topped with fillings and sauce such as ham, chopped pickles and scallions, hoisin or chili sauce.

“Jianbing also is popular in New York City and on the West Coast,” says Lucas Sin, chef and culinary director of Junzi Kitchen with three locations in New York City and one in New Haven, Connecticut. Sin wants to spread the word about modern Chinese cuisine throughout the U.S., and jianbing is one dish that helps do that. It’s on the menu in various places in New York City including Mr. Bing on Park Avenue where the crepe is filled with a variety of ingredients from kimchee to maple bacon, eggs and cheese.

Hong Kong French toast is another Chinese breakfast item taking root here. Typically it is made from thick slices of bread spread with coconut jam, dipped in eggs and milk and deep fried. It is crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. Fillings vary. At My Favorite Café in San Francisco, peanut butter is a popular choice.

Clockwise from top left: Mark's Scramble at Global Café; Carved whole smoked lamb shoulder at Safta; fresh bagels; Santa Fe Burrito at Global Café; Reina Pepiada Arepa at Global Café.

Breakfast dishes from around the globe are ready to make their U.S. debut

An armchair tour not only to China but around the world turns up a cornucopia of breakfast ideas. Already popular in the U.K., chia pudding is a breakfast food of choice for South Koreans in hurry. Made from almond flour, chia seeds and a sweetener, it could fit right into the current keto rage in the U.S. The flavor can be altered with coconut milk, chocolate, vanilla or other ingredients as the sweetener. Blueberries are used at Zeal Foods in Boulder, Colorado. Maple is the special touch at Seattle’s Chaca Canyon Café.

Mexico’s breakfast burritos have been pleasing American palates for some time. Kate and Rafael Gonzalez serve them at their Global Café in Lawrence, Kansas. They also serve breakfast quesadillas and borrachos, a combination of scrambled eggs, chorizo, sweet corn, avocado, caramelized onions and Cheddar Jack served in a corn taco.

Café customers also have been introduced to arepas. Traditional in Venezuela and Columbia, these are filled cornmeal pockets. Global Café offers nine fillings including chopped chicken, organic spinach and salmon with a fried egg.

Kate Gonzalez describes her customer base as “somewhat diverse. The majority are white but we also have a lot of Native Americans and Hispanics,” she says. The arepas are popular with all of the above. So are the banh mi loaded potatoes, a spin on the popular Vietnamese sandwich. The dish is made from griddled potatoes, pork, pickled cabbage, carrot and radish with jalapeño mojo.

BREAKFAST DOESN'T HAVE TO PLAY BY THE RULES. -LUCAS SIN

Gonzalez says they try to keep up with breakfast trends, but most often, “we follow what our customer base is asking for.” Borrachos are an example. “They started out as a special. They were so popular we put them on the regular menu,” she says.

When it comes to ethnic offerings on the menu, Alon Shaya, chef owner of Safta in Denver and Saba in New Orleans advises chefs to try new things. “Korean, Japanese and even Russian dishes could be really popular,” he says. “Also, explore your own cultural heritage and do what you are passionate about,” he adds. Born in Israel, Shaya offers a brunch menu that includes Malawach, a flatbread, and Shakshouka, a Libyan dish popular in Israel. “Eggs, pepper, onions, and tomatoes are all cooked together seasoned with zhoug, a hot sauce and allspice. It’s the perfect breakfast dish,” Saya says.

In Australia, they make sweet potato waffles. Indian chefs add red chile powder, chaat masala, dry mint leaves, cumin and black pepper to milk to make a savory French toast.

A traditional breakfast in Japan could be rice, grilled fish, miso soup, pickles and Tamagoyaki, a Japanese-style rolled omelette flavored with mirin, soy sauce, parsley and any number of other ingredients. Onigiri is a fast and delicious substitute. Wrapped in paper and purchased at convenience stores, it’s a rice ball filled with flaked salmon, tuna with mayo or maybe pickled plum. Ochazuke, a bowl of rice and toppings with hot tea or broth poured over it is another convenient dish.

“Breakfast doesn’t have to play by the rules,” Sin says. “Diversity breeds excellence.”

Suzanne Hall has been writing about chefs, restaurants, food and wine from her home in Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee, for more than 25 years.

Above: Shakshouka, a Libyan dish with eggs, peppers, onions, and tomatoes, served at Safta.

Below: Caramelized grapefruit at Safta; the breakfast bowl at Global Café.

Greek Lamb and Potato Hash

by Chef Jonathan Poyourow, MA, RD, LD, CSCS, Assistant Professor, Johnson & Wales University, Providence, Rhode Island

Makes 12 servings

Ingredients

4 pounds Ground American Lamb

4 pounds red bliss potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes

1-1/2 cups olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

3 red onions, julienned

4 green, red and yellow bell peppers, julienned

24 garlic cloves, crushed

1/2 cup dried oregano

1/2 cup dried basil

1/4 cup kosher salt

1/4 cup black pepper

3 tablespoons butter

12 eggs

1-1/4 pounds goat cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup chopped parsley

2 tablespoons lemon zest

Method:

1. Place potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; let cook for 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes; place to the side to cool.

2. I n a large frying pan, heat oil; cook ground lamb until it is almost fully cooked. Remove lamb from pan; drain excess liquid. Add lemon juice to the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Add potatoes, onions, bell peppers, garlic, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Add lamb back to pan; mix until incorporated and lamb is fully cooked.

3. A fter lamb and vegetables are cooked, portion hash onto serving plates.

4. R eturn pan to medium heat, add butter. Crack eggs into pan for sunny side up or whisk together then add to pan for scrambled. Heat eggs until cooked to desired temperature and texture; remove from heat.

5. Top hash serving plates with egg and sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese, parsley and lemon zest.

This dish may be served as a breakfast dish or dinner entrée. If serving as a dinner entrée, consider adding additional available seasonal vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini or others) rather than egg.

Recipe and image provided by the American Lamb Board

THE RISE OF RYE

It’s a grain that’s tough to work with — but for these bakers, it’s worth it

By Robert Wemischner

For bakers, rye can be a complex beast of a grain. But the best of the continent’s hardy and fearless bakers are taming it in beautifully nuanced savory and sweet applications — from whole grain hearth breads and madeleines to chocolate studded cookies and much more.

Stanley Ginsberg’s book “The Rye Baker” (2016, Norton) ranges widely over the history of rye from its past in ancient history to the present moment when artisanal bakers are rediscovering the often-overlooked grain. “In the United States, rye baking is on the cusp of a renaissance. […] more and more bakers are adding rye to their repertoires — and not just classic American light ryes, but the high-percentage traditional rye breads of western Finland, Latvia, Germany and France.” Indeed.

Take the example of Brennan Johnson, owner of The Walnut Schoolhouse in Asheville, North Carolina, where he bakes breads using rye and other grains, sells his wares through a bread subscription program and teaches workshops about food writing and baking. Passionate about spreading the gospel of using whole grain, he says: “Coming from the world of wheat baking, rye presented a steep learning curve. It's an entirely different grain and dismisses typical baking trends like pushing hydration and slow fermentation. Tacky and temperamental, it demands that its own needs are met. Push the hydration too much and you'll end up with a dense and gummy brick. If you over-ferment, you'll be left with a collapsed loaf.”

With all its challenges, rye — from coarse whole grain to finer milled versions — announces its presence in a host of Johnson’s breads, from the flatter round loaves scored to resemble a milling stone, to ovals brushed with sorghum syrup as they emerge burnished from the oven. Historically, rye has played a role in sweet goods such as the intensely spiced French pain d’epices, gingerbread and lebkuchen where honey plays an important role, along with spices including cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and pepper.

“I'm drawn to rye because it requires a certain tact and grace. Delicate hands, an intuitive touch,” Johnson says. “The full possibilities of rye are a thrill for a baker coming from the wheat world, where scalding rye can bring out a lovely sweetness, where coarse rye meal is as versatile a component as the flour, and where hefty additions of seeds, nuts, fruit, beer, and more are right at home.”

Baker Sophie Williams, based in Bellingham, Washington, runs Raven Breads, a small low-tech bread business, and agrees that rye in breads fits into a healthful diet as a substantial food. “I eat like my European peasant ancestors. I do everything by hand and am working hard to dispel the consumer’s perception that rye equals caraway-flavored bread,” she says. “It’s a much larger world than that. For me, the magic of rye is its flavor. Learning from my mistakes, I realize that the key to good rye bread is proper fermentation and that is at the heart of rye’s challenges and using commercially made yeast does not fit into my bread baking philosophy.”

Photo credits: Brennan Johnson

Unlike others who see the advantage of retarding breads in coolers, Williams’ carbon footprint is light, and she is “environmentally thoughtful” in her avoidance of electrically-powered retarders. Like Johnson, Williams is sensitive to visual cues when deciding if the dough has been sufficiently fermented both before and after forming it into its final shape. “Rye dough feels so different from wheat and so judging it can be hard. You are looking for a breakdown in strength and catching the bread as enzymes start to break down.”

“Rye proteins are weaker than wheat proteins and have only a very limited ability to form gluten, which means that rye breads can’t depend on gluten to hold them together,” says Ginsberg. Wheat’s abundance of proteins allow wheat doughs to trap gases and give breads their characteristic texture and flavor, resulting in a more direct route to structure. That’s why we see the proliferation of wheat-based breads in the marketplace and far fewer which feature the more demanding and finicky rye. But as the bread-buying public’s taste for new flavors and textures grows, rye-based products are ascendant.

The emphasis on using locally raised grain runs through all of these bakers’ operations. Beyond bread, . Dawn Woodward, owner of Evelyn’s Crackers in Toronto, Ontario, likes to draw on rye’s inherent sweet character and makes madeleines, a delicate spongy cookie with its French heritage. Using only

grains from Ontario-based growers, she presents a line of baked goods emphasizing terroir.

“From whole grain rye which can be anything from golden to a deeper grayish color, I love the extra depth of flavor that all rye gives to baked sweet goods. Treating grain as a flavor component in the baked product, I find that rye also plays well with other grains,” Woodward says. “For instance, I make a shortbread cookie dough with rye and toasted barley and I also mix rye with emmer for streusel-topped cakes.”

Woodward also remarks that rye can thrive in growing conditions that other grains cannot which has been a key to its survival over many centuries. Prevalent in cool climates in northern Europe and even in the Arctic parts of Scandinavia, rye therefore has had a long history in the breads of Germany, Poland and Sweden and historically has been a mainstay among immigrant populations in the U.S.

The future looks bright for bakers willing to take the rye challenge, yielding breads and sweet goods of distinction with an appealing cachet pitched to consumers who wish to go beyond the caraway-studded light ryes perfect for that deli pastrami sandwich.

Rye Madeleines

Courtesy of Dawn Woodward, Evelyn’s Crackers, Toronto, Canada

540 grams whole grain rye flour

24 grams baking powder

4 grams salt

1 T. anise seed

664 grams eggs

320 grams organic cane sugar

532 grams unsalted butter

50 grams honey

1. W hisk together the dries, excluding the anise seed. Melt butter and honey together.

2. W hisk eggs and sugar until tripled in volume. Add anise seed and then fold in half of the dry ingredients gently but thoroughly.

3. G ently fold in the remaining dries and then fold butter and honey mixture into the bowl. Allow the batter to refrigerate overnight, covered.

4. T he next day, deposit into buttered madeleine or other molds of your choice.

5. B ake at 325 degrees F for 10 minutes. (Baking time may vary depending on the size of the molds you are using.)

Sources for many forms of rye: gristandtoll.com

ny bakers.com

• centralmilling.com

• b obsredmill.com

Robert Wemischner is a longtime instructor of professional baking at Los Angeles Trade Technical College and the author of four books including The Dessert Architect and Cooking With Tea. He also teaches a course in restaurant management.

PURPLE HAZE

How one pizza chef worked hemp into his dough //

Pizza has taken on a new look in recent years. Chefs are experimenting with bases that go beyond flour and yeast. While cauliflower may be the most popular ingredient for out-of-the-box crust, those catering to the health-conscious market are increasingly looking at hemp.

Hemp, along with marijuana, contains a compound called cannabidiol, or CBD, and both plants are cropping up on menus across the country. In fact, the National Restaurant Association’s annual What’s Hot survey of ACF members found that three out of four chefs named CBD and cannabis-infused foods as a hot trend for 2019. But this isn't the stuff that can get you high. Instead, it's carefully curated hemp that's protein- and fiberrich, sustainably grown in the U.S., and loaded with potent health benefits.

At Burattino Brick Oven Pizza in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, Lee Kim may be the first pizza chef to incorporate hemp flour into his dough. Appealing

By Amy Paturel

to the health-conscious consumer base inherent in California's beach cities, Kim turned to hemp in attempt to meet the demand for dough that is not only healthy but also tasty and unusual.

“It tastes a bit like dough made from Hawaiian sweet potatoes,” he says. There's a hint of hearty whole grain and wheat. The texture is both crispy and chewy. And there's a nutty pop that tickles the palate. What throws some people off is the color — Kim's dough has a deep purplish hue.

“Making dough is tricky,” says Kim. “You have to let it sit and knead it a bit and then let it sit again. It took me about a week of daily experiments to figure out the right consistency and proportions for the hemp dough.”

In the end, he settled on a formula that boasts 30 percent hemp flour, an ideal canvas for Burattino's eclectic toppings, including carefully curated meats that are essentially greaseless (think wild boar pepperoni, bison sausage and duck prosciutto). With hemp-based pies like these, pizza is primed to reach new heights.

Read more about the rise of hemp-based food on wearechefs.com.

Amy Paturel, M.S., M.P.H., lives in Murrieta, California, where she writes about food, health and wellness.

From top: Hemp pizza dough and sandwich bread at Burattino Brick Oven Pizza

THE NEXT FOODSERVICE INFLUENCERS

By Jody Shee

For all the focus on Millennials over the past several years, a Gen Z tidal wave is right behind them. The newest group already makes up about a quarter of the U.S. population — roughly ages 6 to 23 years old in 2020, according to The NPD Group, Port Washington, New York. Gen Z accumulated 14.6 billion restaurant visits in 2018, representing a quarter of foodservice traffic. Smart operators will figure out what this rising demographic wants and make sure to comply.

Chicago-based Honey Butter Fried Chicken co-owners and co-chefs Christine Cikowski and Josh Kulp (pictured above) have found the secret sauce to attracting the demographic by leveraging a combination of flavorful food and social media savvy with established causes that resonate, all in a fast-casual setting. For one, to demonstrate environmental sensitivity, they work with the Chicago Resource Center to compost 80 percent of all waste produced in the restaurant.

Its web and marketing messages tout humanely raised, antibiotic-free chicken sourced from a single Amish family farm in Indiana. The restaurant received Chicago Magzine’s Reader’s Choice Award for Best Fried Chicken in 2017.

Cikowski gives her views on Gen Z and her operation’s menu and

philosophy that have drawn the youngest demographic since its founding in 2013.

NCR: From your observations, what stands out about the young Gen Z?

CC: They are very well informed with a lot of access to information — much more than my generation [Gen X]. They are very savvy in terms of knowing about businesses, food and culture, and they share it with others. They use the information in choosing where to spend their time and where to dine and what they talk about on their social media platforms. They tend to use Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube and Reddit.

NCR: What about your food appeals to this generation?

CC: It’s wholesome and craveable. We put honey butter on fried chicken. The food

From left: The interior of fast casual eatery Honey Butter Fried Chicken; HBFC's Pimento Mac ‘N Cheese with Wisconsin cheddar and breadcrumbs Opposite from top: HBFC's fried chicken comes with honey butter and Instagrammable waffle-shaped corn muffins; A wide variety of dipping sauces is available, including candied jalapeno mayo, garlic aioli, sweet chili, honey buffalo and herby ranch.

Generation Z is spending their money on food. Here’s how one outlet brought them in.

is easily identifiable comfort food that they can relate to, including mac and cheese and corn muffins. We add spice to the fried chicken batter, so it’s fullflavored. We also have a curated selection of cane sugar sodas and a small selection of local craft beer. We believe our food is a good value for the price, and we use responsibly sourced and local farm ingredients, which appeals to their ethics.

NCR: Aside from the food, what about your operation appeals to Gen Z?

CC: Our sense of responsibility to our people and the planet. This generation votes with their dollar, and they make sure it has meaning in this world. We have great employee benefits, an inclusive, diverse workplace culture, and friendly and welcoming customer service. Everyone is treated with respect and kindness.

NCR: Talk about your profitability.

CC: Our sales have increased substantially every year. We attribute our success to our good food, which is Instagrammable, but also to the fact that this is such a great workplace. The staff feels well taken care of with a fair wage and health insurance, and they take good care of the customers.

NCR: What is your marketing strategy?

CC: First, our message is pretty simple. We want others to understand our food, ingredients, farmers and that this is a great workplace. We try to have fun with our social media presence. We keep it light and delicious through images. We work with marketing professionals who help us craft our posts, which we plan two weeks in advance. We mainly post on Instagram, but also on Facebook.

NCR: How will Gen Z change the future of foodservice?

CC: They already have. The speed of which they communicate information is much faster than it used to be. They demand more ethical, approachable, quicker, easier and accessible food with big bold flavors. That influences what we serve.

Who is Gen Z?

Many are still in school and have never known a life without cell phones and social media. Besides being tech savvy with all its implications (web and app usage, digital ordering and social media interaction), there are many other things that set this demographic apart. See how your operation addresses or could address each of these Gen Z characteristics compiled from numerous reports and studies.

• T hey have sophisticated palates for their age and like comfort foods with a twist. (School Nutrition Association)

• Eating is a social experience, thus they like shareable food. (IDDBA/Y-Pulse)

• More than half like watching The Food Network and “Tasty”-style videos on Facebook and Instagram. (IDDBA/Y-Pulse)

Nearly half (48 percent) are racial or ethnic minorities, making them the most multicultural generation. (Pew Research)

Food is the No. 1 thing most (78 percent) spend their money on, and half spend up to $20 per order. (genzinsights.com)

T he generation has a growing interest in vegetarian and vegan food for ethical reasons. (forbes.com)

• A mong teens, interest in plant-based meals nearly doubles from junior high to high school graduation. (Smartbrief)

• They enjoy experimenting with new diet styles, testing out gluten-free, paleo or dairy-free, for example. (millennialmarketing.com)

• T hey most favor organic, natural and foods without additives. (Packaged Facts)

• T hey value brands with a perceived social cause. (School Nutrition Association)

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.

Classical

While living in Europe around the turn of the 19th Century, Sir Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford (whose other inventions include the double boiler, the sous vide cooking method, thermal underwear, a kitchen range and a drip coffee pot) discovered that the whipped egg whites in meringue made it a very good insulator.

By the 1830s, French chefs were using his discovery to create a dish called the “omelette norwegge,” consisting of layers of cake and ice cream covered in meringue, then broiled, writes Maya Silver in a 2016 NPR story entitled “Baked Alaska: A Creation Story Shrouded In Mystery.”

The classic baked Alaska we know today is often attributed to Charles Ranhofer, the chef at Delmonico’s in New York City. In 1867 Ranhofer served a dessert called “Alaska, Florida” in honor of the recent Alaska Purchase. His version was extravagant, consisting of of banana ice cream (an expensive import at the time), walnut spice cake and meringue torched to a golden brown.

“While making Baked Alaska today is much easier because of modern conveniences such as electric mixers and blowtorches, it was once an incredibly opulent dish, requiring a full kitchen staff and a significant amount of time,” Silver wrote.

Modern

Today, bakers have realized that this classic dessert offers plenty of opportunity for experimentation. A quick internet search will get your creative wheels turning: several flavors of baked Alaska cupcakes; a version with brownies substituted for the cake; a “double chocolate peanut butter Oreo” baked Alaska and dozens more.

“People love this dessert in many forms, so I find that interesting,” Summer says. “I’m always excited to take the classics and modernize them.”

Summer’s modern Baked Alaska is essentially the same recipe as the classic, though she substituted a powder meringue mix for the fresh meringue to further showcase the quick possibilities afforded by modern culinary tech — offering a stark contrast with Ranhofer’s original over-the-top production.

Additionally, she reduced the size of the dish (Baked Alaska is most commonly made as a full-size cake which is sliced and served) into a single serving, individually browned with a kitchen torch. The final result is served in a Madagascan vetiver root basket.

“The unique look comes from earth elements in the presentation rather than overly complex technique,” Summer says. “I enjoy to present many desserts with branches or moss from nature and our gardens, or with a one of a kind plate.”

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

Photos credit: Eliesa Johnson

Betting on the Balkans

The region is an up-and-coming (and largely undiscovered) culinary powerhouse

by Jodi Helmer

At Balkan Restaurant, the map on the wall is as important as the menu.

“A lot of people don’t even know where the Balkan region of Europe is,” admits chef/owner Boryana Dineva.

Before ordering foods like ćevapi, burek, urnebes, sataras and lepinja , guests at the Richmond, Virginia, restaurant often point to the map and ask about the origins of the traditional dishes, giving Dineva, who was raised in Bulgaria, and the servers who work at Balkan Restaurant a chance to share some information about the traditional cuisine.

The Balkan region is made up of 12 countries: Albania, BosniaHerzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, Romania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia. The European part of Turkey is also considered part of the Balkans.

Balkan food mirrors the diversity of the region, drawing influences from its

Eastern European and Mediterranean neighbors, according to Vladimir Ocokoljic, owner of Kafana NYC, a restaurant in the East Village that opened in 2008. Dishes tend to be either heartier fare — think meat, potatoes, bread and thick sauces — or healthier foods featuring fresh ingredients such as cabbage, red peppers, tomatoes, beets, spinach and feta cheese.

Even though diners might not be able to name the countries that make up the region or point to them on the map, Les Dames d'Escoffier named the Balkans as one of the global regions destined to have the biggest influence on the world food scene in the coming years, thanks to its distinct foods and

Left: Paprikash, a traditional stew made with chicken and vegetables; stuffed cabbage rolls and sataras, a mix of fresh onions, garlic, tomatoes and peppers seasoned with spices and served with rice, are just some of the Balkan dishes served at Balkan Restaurant in Richmond, Virginia.

flavors. Chefs across the U.S. are also starting to see a growing interest in their traditional foods.

One Region, Multiple Influences

At Kafana, Ocokoljic features recipes traditional to his native Serbia but notes that diners from all Balkan countries will recognize the dishes. Some specialties are common across the region, he adds, but different countries put their own twist on the foods.

In Serbia, caseless sausages called ćevapi tend to be made with lamb or

pork while ćevapi prepared in Bosnian kitchens are often made with beef. Regardless of the regional twists, most countries serve the sausage in a flatbread called lepinja and sometimes add chopped onions, minced red peppers and kajmak , a dipping sauce similar to clotted cream.

All Balkan cuisine emphasizes traditional recipes that have been passed down for generations.

“This is not modernist cuisine,” Ocokoljic says.

The menus also tend to focus on fresh ingredients and made-fromscratch dishes. In addition to wanting to honor traditional preparation

methods, the chefs at Balkan restaurants cannot just call food service companies and order frozen ćevapi or tubs of premade kajmak or traditional flatbreads like lepinja

At Balkan Restaurant, Dineva makes sausages, bread and hand-stretched puff pastries in house. Appetizers like Croatian cornbread served with kajmak , ajvar, a paprika mousse, and kalamata olives; bread with urnebes , a Serbianspread made with roasted red peppers and feta cheese; and burek , puffed pastries stuffed with meat, cheese or spinach, are among the most popular Opposite bottom: A traditional beef stew known as goulash gets its reddish coloring from paprika.

“In poor countries, food has to be filling so we like to eat heavier foods like meat.”

items on the menu. Lepinja , a flatbread that Dineva describes as “similar to pita bread but crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside,” is served alongside most dishes.

Meat is also a mainstay across the Balkan region.

“In poor countries, food has to be filling so we like to eat heavier foods like meat,” Ocokoljic explains. “We might not eat it every day at home but when we go out, we expect to see it on the menu.”

When Ambar opened in Washington DC in 2013, restaurateur Ivan Iricanin hired Serbian chef Bojan Bocvarov to reimagine some of the classic recipes, which tend to be meat-laden and high in fat. American diners, he believed, would

embrace modernized versions of oldfashioned favorites.

The menu at Ambar includes favorites like pileći raznjic , chicken skewers served with kajmak; šnicla , stuffed veal with aged kajmak; and multiple different kinds of sausages that earned Ambar multiple awards, including inclusion on the Michelin Bib Gourmand list. Small plates, seafood and vegetableforward dishes provide modern twists on traditional dishes. Vegetarians can order gibanica and zeljanica , cheese or spinach pies, or a traditional baked bean dish called prebranac .

The emphasis on traditional flavors remains strong but some chefs are embracing modern additions to their

ingredient lists. Shellfish is almost never found on menus (or in kitchens) in the “old countries” but Ambar devotes an entire section of its menu to dishes like dagnje (drunken mussels) and lignje (grilled calamari).

Simple Spices Rule

The traditional seasonings in Balkan countries are common: Salt and pepper. Chefs might also turn to fenugreek, cumin, lovage and garlic, but no seasonings are used as often as salt and pepper.

Paprika is also a mainstay. The spice, made from ground peppers, has a deep red-orange color and, depending on the varieties used, can add heat or sweetness and is used in foods ranging from bread

and cheese to soups and stews. Paprika is one of the main ingredients in sharena sol or colorful salt, a spice mixture that includes salt, summer savory and, of course, paprika.

The red peppers are used to ajvar, a paprika mousse that is regarded as the national dish of Macedonia. Traditional recipes are made with bell peppers, eggplant, kalamata olives, garlic, salt and hot paprika. Ajvar can be used as a sandwich spread or stirred into pasta. At Ambar, the spicy spread is served with bread as a starter.

Some chefs use paprika for its color as much as its flavor. The peppers are the reason that Hungarian goulash has a slight red color, Ocokoljic says.

Spread from left: Burek is a popular dish made with homemade, handstretched pastry dough stuffed with meat, cheese or spinach; Boryana Dineva uses an old Eastern European recipe to make torte, a multi-layer chocolate cake; Fresh ingredients are a mainstay in Balkan cooking. Balkan Restaurant features cabbage salad and Bulgarian feta cheese salad on its menu; Cevapi is popular throughout the Balkan region. The sandwich, made from skinless sausage links and spices, is served with Lepinja bread and a feta cheese spread called kajmak.

“We use paprika in almost all of our stews,” he adds.

Spreading the Love

The foods might not be familiar to American palates (yet) but the interest in Balkan cuisine is growing — and chefs like Dineva are eager to share their passion for their traditional foods — dishes that have stood the test of time and provide an important connection between nations.

“About half of the people who come in [to Balkan Restaurant] are from the Balkans and want a taste of home but the other half are Americans; some traveled abroad, fell in love with the food and came back to the U.S. looking for it and some just want to try something new,” Dineva says. “It is the old-fashioned grandma cooking that people love … and once they try it, they come again and again.”

Balkan Burgers (Pljeskavica)

Courtesy of Kafana NYC

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef

1 pound ground veal

1 ground pork, preferably neck or jowl meat; or use 1/3 pound pork belly and 2/3 pound regular ground pork

½ cup finely chopped onions (plus minced onions for serving)

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon black pepper (or 2 teaspoons sweet paprika or one teaspoon black pepper)

¼ cup sparkling

6 pita breads, warmed or toasted

Directions

1. In a large bowl, place meats, ½ cup of chopped onions, salt, pepper and sparkling water. Using your hands, lightly combine ingredients. Cover and refrigerate at least three hours or overnight.

2. D ivide mixture into six equal balls. Place one ball between two sheets of plastic wrap and use the heel of your hand to pound it into a thin patty (about ¼-inch thick) and six inches in diameter. Repeat with remaining meat, refrigerate patties for about one hour.

3. Heat grill or heavy skillet to very hot. Cook patties, turning often, until well browned on both sides, about five minutes total. Cut pita breads in half horizontally and serve burgers between pieces of pita. Sprinkle with onions and spread with kajmak.

Jodi Helmer is a North Carolina-based food writer whose work has appeared in Hemispheres, National Geographic Traveler, Farm Life and American Way, among others.

STAYING SWEET

Sugar replacements deliver the sweetness customers crave in savory and sweet recipes. // by Rob Benes

Sugar is a key ingredient in so many foods we eat. Many of them, like fruit, vegetables and dairy items, contain natural sugars. Manufacturers, on the other hand, tend to add refined cane sugar to foods, which more and more consumers are trying to minimize or avoid altogether. According to Technomic’s 2018 Healthy Eating Consumer Trend Report, 80 percent of consumers say that items described as low-sugar are slightly or much healthier.

When asked to choose among common health claims, consumers say they’re most likely to buy items that are lowsugar, though many also say the taste of these items is not as desirable. Restaurant operators menuing low-sugar items should emphasize how these dishes are just as satisfying as their higher-sugar alternatives. The question, then, is how can operators deliver the sweetness and indulgence consumers crave while not using refined cane sugar? Here are a few ideas.

IS REFINED CANE SUGAR NECESSARY?

Refined cane sugar plays an important role in savory and sweet applications. In baking, it provides structure, moisture, browning (better known as the Maillard reaction) and adds a distinct flavor. In savory recipes, it’s a key ingredient, for example, in marinades, brines and dressings. But it’s not a required ingredient in either application.

“The beauty in baking is that most recipes include proteins, such as eggs, milk or both, that provide the structure, moisture and browning,” says Suzy Singh, corporate executive chef, Now Foods, Bloomingdale, Illinois. “But, when it comes to adding some sweetness, say to a muffin batter, you can opt for a cane sugar replacement. The same principle applies to savory items.”

The issue for a lot of chefs with using a sugar replacement, such as a sugar alcohol like Erythritol, Xylitol or Sorbitol, is the same level of sweetness is not always achieved, so there needs to be an understanding of the usage rate of those ingredients as a replacement. “It’s not a one-for-one ratio when replacing,” says Singh. “Most of the time, restaurants do not have the luxury to spend time experimenting with recipes to find the perfect sweetness combination.”

To help chefs, some suppliers are making it easier to use sugar replacements. For example, Now Foods created Sugarless Sugar that can sweeten foods just like sugar — without all of the calories. Ellyndale Naturals™ Sugarless Sugar™ revolutionizes the way to bake as a one-to-one sugar replacement. Of course, as with any recipe, a little experimentation may be needed to get the desired taste. Made with BetterStevia®, granulated Sugarless Sugar™ is extremely versatile for many recipes, has a low

glycemic index and can be used by mixologists in making cocktails and mocktails that call for sugar.

Now Foods also makes Organic Monk Fruit zero-calorie liquid sweetener that comes in neutral, chocolate and vanilla flavors, with a ratio of approximately three to five drops to two teaspoons of sugar. “The vanilla flavor is ideally suited for baking applications as a one-to-one replacement for vanilla extract and it can reduce the overall need for sugar in baked goods,” explains Singh.

All three monk fruit sweeteners work well with beverage programs, too, to help reduce the amount of sugar in cocktails. Using the liquid sweetener is a way to sweeten a cocktail — or mocktail — without adding more sugar, which generally comes in the form of a simple syrup.

Allulose, manufactured by Ingredion, is another sugar substitute that restaurants can use to reduce calories and grams of sugar in recipes. Offering a similar sweet taste profile without the calories or sugar, Allulose is about 70% as sweet as sucrose and offers similar functionalities, like bulking, browning and freeze-point depression.

CASE STUDY: THE BAKERY & CAFE AT FAT RICE, CHICAGO

The Bakery & Cafe at Fat Rice is a Macanese restaurant that uses ingredients from China, Portugal and South Africa. Many of these cuisines use something other than white sugar, such as unrefined palm sugar made from the Palmyra palm, date palm, sugar date palm, sago palm and sugar palm — all which have a low glycemic index. Fat Rice favors Indonesian coconut palm sugar in block form as a key ingredient in making sweet soy sauce and other savory items.

Above:

Ashley Robinson, head chef, uses the palm sugar to make two desserts. The first is Portuguese meringues — better known as suspiros. “We learned by substituting with coconut palm sugar the production process is harder because it takes a longer time for the meringues to dry out due to the sugar’s higher moisture content.”

The palm sugar meringues, which are the base for Robinson’s version of an Eton mess, are baked to a light caramel color and caramel taste. Traditional meringues made with white sugar are bright white and just sweet. The meringues are broken into pieces, placed in a serving vessel and topped with whipped cream, fresh herbs and seasonal fruits.

The second dessert is Palm Sugar Black Sea Salt Cookies, which are served plain or garnished with a variety of rotating

toppings, such as white chocolate, roasted cashews, apricots, and crystallized ginger, or figs and cream cheese.

“We were working on a basic gluten-free cookie that included brown sugar, but after a few batches I was getting bored with taste and thought to try palm sugar,” Robinson says. “It was a turning point because palm sugar behaves differently during the baking process compared to brown sugar and resulted in a pleasant surprise.”

She explains that brown sugar is normally soft and scoopable. The palm sugar block is cut with a knife and pulsed in a food processor, then added to the cooking batter. From there it’s a pretty straightforward cookie recipe, but some differences remain. “The palm sugar never gets as fine as brown sugar, which ended up being a good thing,” Robinson explains. “The tiny pieces turn into what can be compared to butterscotch pieces, which adds a depth of flavor and a crunchy component.”

Left: Ashley Robinson uses coconut palm sugar to make meringues for the Eton Mess, which is similar to a Pavlova and topped with whipped cream, fresh herbs and seasonal fruits (shown here with poached pears, compressed pears, mint and edible flowers). (Credit: The Bakery & Cafe at Fat Rice)

The Bakery & Café at Fat Rice serves Palm Sugar Black Sea Salt Cookies prepared with ground coconut palm sugar that turns into what could be thought of butterscotch pieces, which adds a depth of flavor and a crunchy component. (Credit: The Bakery & Cafe at Fat Rice)

Rob Benes is a Chicago-based hospitality industry writer. He can be reached at robbenes@comcast.net

Creamy Alaska Seafood Chowder

by Chef Tom Douglas of Dahlia Lounge, Seattle

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons olive oil

1 leek, split in half, washed, and finely chopped, white and light green parts only

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 cups dry white wine

2 cups canned tomato purée

5 cups ham hock stock, hot (can substitute chicken stock)

2 medium thin-skinned potatoes (about ¾ pound), such as Yukon gold, cut into ½ inch dice

1 cup heavy cream

¼ cup finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon Tabasco, or to taste

1 pound local clams, scrubbed and rinsed

1 pound local mussels, scrubbed, debearded, and rinsed

½ pound large Alaskan scallops, sliced in half horizontally

½ pound Alaska cod filets such as halibut, cod, or yellow eye rock fish, cut into 1 ½ inch pieces

8 cups loosely packed, spinach leaves

3 cooked Alaska king crab legs (about 1 to 1½ pounds), thawed if frozen, each leg cut into 3 sections crosswise and split in half lengthwise

½ lemon

Smoked paprika rouille or your choice of rouille

12 Parsley scones or bread of choice, and unsalted butter, softened for serving

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the leek, onion, celery, and carrot and sauté until the vegetables are starting to brown, about 6 minutes.

2. Add the garlic and the ham hock meat and sauté a few more minutes. Stir in the wine and the tomato puree and bring to a simmer.

3. Stir in the ham hock stock and the potatoes, adjusting the heat to keep the mixture at a simmer.

4. Cover the pot and cook until the potatoes are just tender, about 12 minutes.

5. Stir in the cream and herbs, season to taste with salt and pepper, and add the Tabasco. Add the clams and mussels, cover the pot, and cook until they open, about 4 minutes.

6. Season the scallops and fish with salt and pepper, then add them to the pot, using a big spoon to submerge everything as much as possible in the simmering liquid. Cover and simmer 2 more minutes.

7. Open the lid, stir in the spinach, then put the crab legs on top of the chowder, split sides up so the crabmeat doesn’t fall out. Cover and continue to simmer 1 more minute.

8. Turn off the heat and let the pot sit, covered, 5 minutes. Open the lid and check that the scallops and fish are cooked through and that the crab is warm.

9. Squeeze the lemon into the pot and season to taste with salt, pepper, and Tabasco.

10. Using a slotted spoon and a ladle, divide all the fish, shellfish, and chowder among 6 large shallow soup plates, discarding any clams or mussels that have not opened.

11. A fter plating, split 6 of the scones in half, dollop the cut side of each half with rouille, and balance 2 halves on the rim of each soup bowl. Scrape the rest of the rouille into a pretty dish and pass with the chowder, also passing the remaining 6 scones, split and spread with butter.

Photo credit: Todd Rotkis/Tom Douglas Seattle Kitchen Recipe and image provided by the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.

HALL OF MIRRORS

As food hall numbers skyrocket, developers and marketers attempt to avoid cookie-cutter syndrome.

By Liz Barrett Foster

It’s no secret that opening and running a restaurant is difficult. It’s for this reason that food hall developers have been courting entrepreneurs with promises of an easier entry into the industry. In food halls, chefs and operators can test a restaurant idea with minimal startup and operational costs. Real estate developers also benefit by offering a collection of interesting eateries that attract local consumers.

Global real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield predicts 500 food halls will exist in North America by the end of 2020. Garrick Brown, vice president of Retail Intelligence for the Americas at Cushman & Wakefield in Chicago, says that by the end of 2020,

the number of food halls will have quintupled in the span of five years. “The food hall trend has probably been one of the fastest moving trends that I’ve seen in commercial real estate in 25 years in the business,” says Brown. “However, when something works, we tend to overdo it.”

Trends expert Daniel Levine, director of the Avant-Guide Institute in New York City, says he recently counted 24 food halls in New York City alone. “I see food hall growth happening because of two things: market pull from consumers looking for fast casual options, and, perhaps more so, because of market push from developers,” says Levine. “Real estate developers see food halls as Spread from left: Eataly, while not technically a food hall, is credited with starting the ethnicthemed food hall movement; Food halls typically contain an alcohol anchor accompanied by vendors serving coffee, tacos, pizza and more, like here at Gotham West Market in New York City; Waikiki Yokocho Food Hall is a Japanese-themed food hall in Honolulu, which offers a selection of 16 food stalls and restaurants.

an attractive option for anchoring the ground floor of their buildings.”

With so many food halls expected to be in operation or development by the end of this year, experts like Brown and Levine have been watching how new developments differ and how many are following past examples.

Food halls are becoming the new food courts, according to Levine. “We’re starting to see, in places like New York, the same outlets coming to several food halls,” says Levine. “The so-called ‘McDonaldization’ of food hall culture is a threat, I think.”

“We’ll finally start to see more food hall failures,” says Brown. “In some cases, food halls have become a panacea for developers, but if you don’t adhere to what makes a food hall work, it won’t.”

So, how can food halls stand out — or survive — in what could eventually become a sea of sameness?

FOOD HALL EVOLUTION

“The first wave of food halls didn’t really have a theme other than

artisanal,” says Brown. “You had an alcohol anchor, coffee service and a taco guy along with fast casual Asian, etc.” Now, Brown says savvy developers are realizing they can’t just go with the initial food hall template of 20,000 square feet, a bunch of artisanal guys and an industrial-chic dining room. “People are realizing that not all food halls have to have the same model,” he says. “We’re going to see a lot more diversity. Food halls are a food fad delivery system and will continue to pivot and evolve.”

ALL-DAY DESTINATIONS

“A food hall can’t just be for the breakfast and lunch office crowd,” says Brown. “In the evening it needs to bring people in with entertainment.” Brown points to Assembly Chef’s Hall in Toronto, located at the base of the Google building, which, he says the tech guys love. “In addition to the breakfast and lunch trade, Assembly Chef’s Hall is a hot night spot that’s packed in the evenings.”

“ THE FOOD HALL TREND HAS PROBABLY BEEN ONE OF THE FASTEST MOVING TRENDS THAT I’VE SEEN IN COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE IN 25 YEARS IN THE BUSINESS.”

ETHNIC THEMES

Ethnic-themed cuisine food halls are currently one of the biggest trends in food halls, according to Brown. “Eataly, although not technically a food hall, laid the groundwork for the celebration of one ethnic cuisine,” says Brown. “We’re starting to see Korean-themed food halls, Japanese-themed food halls, Chinesethemed food halls and Mexican-themed food halls.” Examples include Latinicity, a Latin American food hall in Chicago; Waikiki Yokocho, a Japanese food hall in Honolulu; and La Centrale, an Italian food hall in Miami.

SMALLER CITIES

Levine says the cosmopolitan nature and adventurous appetites of those in bigger cities has, up until now, been the reason for a concentration of food halls in places such as New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, but we’re starting to see food halls open in smaller cities across the U.S. as developers and operators realize the model’s potential. Examples include The Pizitz Food Hall in Birmingham, Alabama; The Barn in Lexington, Kentucky; and Omaha, Nebraska’s Flagship Commons.

Brown says he’s seeing more food halls popping up in markets like Tucson, Arizona, Boise, Idaho, and Niagara Falls. “There’s currently a food hall in development in North Carolina, off of I-95, that will serve as an oasis for those traveling through the area,” he says. No matter where food halls are located, operators will still need to tune in to local tastes if they want to succeed.

CONTINUED FOCUS ON LOCATION AND SELECTION

Levine says that most consumers choose a food hall because of location first and selection second, so food hall marketers and

operators should not lose sight of their importance. “There’s nothing big enough that’s such a differentiator that’s making people go across town,” says Levine. “Offering a yoga class is nice, but it will only marginally attract more people to a food hall; it’s not the hall’s bread and butter.”

More Than Just Food

Some of the extras food halls are adding to attract consumers, and keep them there, include:

• C elebrity chefs (Graham Elliot and David Chang at SocialEats in Santa Monica, CA)

L ive entertainment (The Box Garden at Legacy Food Hall in Plano, TX)

Classes (Viking cooking classes at La Centrale in Miami)

C o-working space (Transfer Co. Food Hall offers the adjacent Transfer Co. Work Hall in Raleigh, NC)

• Rotating chefs (Test Kitchen at The Street Food Hall by Michael Mina in Honolulu)

Private party event space and planning (The Proud Bird, Los Angeles)

• O nline ordering (Elevate Food Hall in Minneapolis)

Levine adds, “There is not a lot of innovation happening in food halls. The way that any food hall stands out is by hoping to attract big name chefs, making the space stand out architecturally, and by having lots of options.” Three food halls that boast great architecture, location and selection, according to Levine, are Chelsea Market in New York City, Faneuil Hall in Boston, and the Ferry Building in San Francisco.

• C entral ordering kiosk (Aster Hall in Chicago)

M edia tie-ins (Munchies Food Hall, coming soon to the American Dream Mall in New Jersey)

• Food halls at major universities (Crave Food Hall at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana)

At the end of the day, regardless of additional bells and whistles, Brown says there are essential aspects of food halls that must be in place if they expect to be successful. “A food hall needs foot traffic, whether it’s in a tourist area or a financial district,” he says. “And, unlike traditional food courts, which were designed as places to refuel and continue shopping, a food hall needs to be created in a way that makes people want to show up, hang out and socialize.”

Liz Barrett Foster is an award-winning business journalist specializing in the hospitality industry. Learn more at lizbarrettfoster.com.

Food halls typically contain an alcohol anchor accompanied by vendors serving coffee, tacos, pizza and more, like here at Gotham West Market in New York City.

Sponsors

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Seattle Airport March 1–3, 2020

TWO GREAT CITIES

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Seattle Airport

March 1–3, 2020

JOSEPH LEONARDI

Joseph M. Leonardi, CMC, is the director of culinary operations at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts. Leonardi is one of 66 master chefs in the country, having earned this designation in October 2017.

In July 2009, he was named U.S.A.’s Chef of the Year at ACF National Convention in Orlando, Florida. Previously, Leonardi was the manager for ACF Culinary Team USA and oversaw two national culinary teams. He served as team captain of ACF Culinary Team USA when it earned a silver medal in the hot-food kitchen and received a silver medal in the cold-food presentation at the 23rd Internationale Kochkunst Ausstellung (IKA). He also led the team to bring home two gold medals from the Villeroy & Boch Culinary World Cup 2010.

DINA ALTIERI

Dina Altieri graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1991 with an associate degree in occupational studies. Her work in higher education spans coast to coast as department chair at Le Cordon Bleu programs in Pasadena and Chicago, associate dean at New England Culinary Institute in Vermont and dean of the School of Culinary Arts at Kendall College in Chicago.

Altieri was named ACF national Chef Educator of the Year in 2011 and earned the Cutting Edge Award in 2015. She has been a master class presenter at the Center for the Advancement of Culinary Education (CAFÉ) and the University of New Mexico’s mentoring conference.

KRISTEN MOSS

Kristen Moss graduated from West Virginia University where she developed a TV network, “Sea TV,” during her Semester at Sea in 2005. She was working her way up the ranks in hospitality at the W Hotel in Scottsdale, AZ when she discovered casting and never looked back.

Today, Moss has cast shows such as “Cupcake Wars,” “The Biggest Loser,” “MasterChef,” “MasterChef Jr.” and many more. She has also been developing shows and speakin g at various conferences on the benefits of branding yourself in reality television.

TWO CAN'T MISS EVENTS

Sheraton Music City Hotel March 22-24, 2020

SHAWN LOVING

Shawn Loving, CMC, is a 1991 graduate of the Schoolcraft College Culinary Arts Program and has served as its culinary arts department chair and full-time faculty since 2008. In October 2017, Loving successfully passed the rigorous eight-day ACF Certified Master Chef exam. He is one of 66 CMCs in the United States.

Chef Loving has won numerous awards and medals in culinary competition. As a member of the Michigan Culinary Olympic Team, he won a bronze medal at the October 2012 Culinary Olympics, and in 2015, Loving earned two gold medals and one silver medal in mystery basket cooking.

FRAN COSTIGAN

Pioneering pastry chef Fran Costigan, chef, author and director of vegan baking and pastry at the Rouxbe Culinary School is internationally renowned in the field of vegan desserts.

Dubbed the Queen of Vegan Desserts, Costigan is a professional member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, Women Chefs and Restaurateurs, Les Dames d’Escoffier and Association of Food Journalists.

Her most recent cookbook, “Vegan Chocolate: Unapologetically Luscious and Decadent Dairy-Free Desserts,” follows the classic “More Great Good Dairy Free Desserts.”

SANDOR KATZ

Sandor Katz’s interest in fermentation grew out of his overlapping interests in cooking, nutrition and gardening. It started with sauerkraut. He found an old crock buried in the barn, harvested cabbage from the garden, chopped it up, salted it, and waited.

Since his book “Wild Fermentation” was published in 2003, Katz has taught hundreds of workshops demystifying fermentation. His latest book, “The Art of Fermentation” (2012), received a James Beard award and was a finalist at the International Association of Culinary Professionals.

Visit acfchefs.org/events to register now!

NCR Quiz

January/February 2020

By LeeAnn Corrao

What color is Chef Lee Kim’s hemp flour pizza dough?

a. R ed

b. G reen

c. Yellow

d. Purple

Lee Kim’s pizza dough contains what percentage of hemp flour?

a. 15 %

b. 20 %

c. 30 %

d 40 %

Gen Z represents of the foodservice traffic.

a. a quarter

b. ha lf

c. 20%

d . 40%

Which of the following is not a way in which Honey Butter Fried Chicken attracts Gen Z customers?

a. Social media

b. Flavorful food

c. Culturally diverse menu

d. Environmental sensitivity

Rye proteins are weaker than wheat proteins and therefore, .

a. have a limited ability to form gluten

b. create a much lighter bread

c. create a sweeter tasting bread

d. w heat bread is healthier

The increase in the number of food halls is due to .

a. consumers looking for fast-casual options

b. their minimal start-up costs

c. their appeal to real estate developers

d. al l of the above

Who is credited with inventing the sous vide cooking method?

a. Sir Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford

b. William Lyman

c. Paul Bocuse

d. Thomas Keller

Traditional in Venezuela and Columbia, , are filled cornmeal pockets.

a. quesadillas

b. bor rachos

c. arepas

d. malawach

The Balkan region of Europe is made up of how many countries?

a. 7

b. 11

c. 12

d 13

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

ADD US TO YOUR QUEUE

With ACF Conference On-Demand, learn from some of the biggest names in the industry, wherever you are. Chefs like Bryan Voltaggio, Duff Goldman, Elle Simone Scott and JJ Johnson share recipes, demonstrations and more—direct from our main stage to your laptop. Visit acfchefs.org/olc today!

When I Dip, You Dip, We Dip

How 10,000 chocolate-dipped strawberries made a difference in the lives of disabled Tennessee kids

By Heather Henderson

ChefConnect: Nashville is right around the corner, but it won’t be our first event in the Volunteer State. Twenty years ago, before the era of ChefConnect, ACF Chefs Forum 2000 was held at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville. There were competitions, cooking demonstrations, a trade show, and even a Bill Clinton impersonator (who delivered the keynote address). As exciting as that speech must have been, one of the biggest standouts of the week was a special ACF Chef and Child Foundation (ACFCCF) initiative.

On July 29, 2000, the ACFCCF held a fundraising event during the convention called “Taking a Bite Out of Hunger.” During the event, 50 people made history by dipping 10,537 strawberries in chocolate in just 41 minutes — about 257 strawberries dipped each minute! A representative from Guinness World Records was on hand to verify that this stunt set a new world record. The only other world record for strawberry dipping was set in 2013 by a single person who dipped 59 strawberries in one minute.

It sounds like a bizarre activity to hold at an ACF event, but it was a fun and unique way to raise awareness of the important work that the ACFCCF does. The foundation was immortalized in the record books forever, and as far as anyone can tell, the record our chefs set in 2000 has not been broken by anyone else yet. Those 10,000-plus strawberries were later sold by the ACF Middle Tennessee Chapter to benefit Outlook Nashville, a local charity which was dedicated to helping children and adults with disabilities.

As we return to Nashville in a new decade, this tidbit from our past is a great reminder of the reason these ACF events and initiatives exist in the first place. It’s not about the strawberries. It’s about chefs gathering together to have fun, do good, and educate future generations.