National Culinary Review (March/April 2022)

Unbeatable: Crisp and delicious for 40+ minutes after cooking

Reheat-able: Your customers can microwave them for 15-20 seconds to restore temperature and crispness*

Satisfying: Crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside with great potato flavor

V t

Versatile: Use as your primary fry for both on- and off-premise customers

Profitable: Keep your customers satisfied and coming back for more fries

Rising Up

FEATURE STORIES 28

For up-and-coming chefs and students, veteran ACF members offer tips to fast-track your career. Plus, a Q&A with the ACF Young Chefs Club president about her mentors.

DEPARTMENTS

12

18

Management

Pairing the right wines with your menu for added sophistication and sales involves FOH and BOH collaboration.

Main Course

A Filipino chef discusses the history and regional variations of chicken adobo, the national dish of the Philippines.

22

24

26

On the Side

A tree-to-table look at how the ever-popular avocado is grown, harvested and processed.

Health

Chef and cookbook author Jim Perko, CEC, offers ways to boost flavor, texture and nutrition using plants in lieu of added salt, sugar and fat.

Classical vs. Modern

Nigerian Chef Blessing Chicah showcases two versions of egusi soup, a comforting, spiceforward dish traditionally eaten by hand with fufu.

38

46

Segment Spotlight

R&D chefs have been leaders in finding solutions for pandemic-driven culinary challenges.

Pastry

Natural whole-leaf teas from around the globe add romance and nuance to pastries and chocolate.

Cover photo: Assam tea- and curryinfused chocolate bonbons made by Master Chocolatier Luis Amado, CEPC, director of the culinary management program at Lake Michigan College in Michigan and owner of Luis Amado Chocolate Academy. Photographed by Jason Senatore-Roberts.

Editor-in-Chief

Amelia Levin

Creative Services Manager

David Ristau

Graphic Designer

Armando Mitra

Advertising and Event Sales

Eric Gershowitz

Director of Marketing and Communications

Alan Sterling

Contributing Editors

Liz Barrett Foster, Lauren Kramer, Jennifer Olvera, Jody Shee, Robert Wemischner

Copy Editor

Erica Demarest

American Culinary Federation, Inc.

6816 Southpoint Parkway • Ste 400 • Jacksonville, FL 32216 (800) 624-9458 • (904) 824-4468 • Fax: (904) 940-0741 ncr@acfchefs.net ACFSales@mci-group.com www.acfchefs.org

Board

President

of Directors

Kimberly Brock Brown, CEPC®, CCA®, AAC®

Immediate Past President

Thomas Macrina, CEC®, CCA, AAC

National Secretary

Jeff Bacon, CEC, CCA, AAC

National Treasurer

David Ivey-Soto, CEC, CCA, MBA

American Academy of Chefs Chair

Americo “Rico” DiFronzo, CEC, CCA, AAC

Vice President Central Region

Rajeev Patgaonkar, CEC, AAC

Vice President Northeast Region

Barry R. Young, CEC, CCE®, AAC, MBA

Vice President Southeast Region

Bryan Frick, CEC, AAC

Vice President Western Region

Greg Matchett, CEC

Executive Director

Heidi Cramb

The National Culinary Review® (ISSN 0747-7716), March/April 2022, Volume 46, Number 2, is owned by the American Culinary Federation, Inc. (ACF) and is produced six times per year by ACF, located at 6816 Southpoint Parkway, Ste 400, Jacksonville, FL 32216. 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: 6816 Southpoint Parkway, Ste 400, Jacksonville, FL 32216; (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®, 6816 Southpoint Parkway, Ste 400, Jacksonville, FL 32216.

Spring is here — what better time to spring forward? Snow may still be on the ground for some, but I’m taking this season to regroup, renew and revitalize. What does that look like for you? Maybe it’s trying something different creatively, learning something new in the ACF Online Learning Center or taking advantage of our changed rates to go after a certification or renew an existing one. Now is the time to invest in yourself. Remember: work, life, balance!

March is Women’s History Month. I’ll be celebrating by presenting at the upcoming MAPP (Mentorship. Advocacy. Pandemic relief. Power of women.) Restaurant Reset Conference in April. Women chefs have made a lot of inroads in our industry — just read about longtime ACF member Chef Ann Cooper (p. 34), with whom I had the pleasure of sharing the main stage at a past ACF National Convention. The statistics for women in the workforce have improved, but we still have a long way to go to stop the pay gap, gender discrimination and the lack of both leadership opportunities and support for work-life balance. Mindfulness, empathy and creative 21st century thinking around the issues we all face will be the key to successful working relationships in the long term.

March is also National Nutrition Month. Two years into a pandemic and many of us are finding ways to improve our health through food. Learn more about how one ACF chef is doing just that in his teachings about culinary nutrition (p. 24).

The ACF is in a unique position to encourage growth for all its members. A lot of that starts with our veterans, featured in the list of the American Academy of Chefs candidates for induction on p. 10, as well as in the article for rising chefs on p. 28. Mentoring up-and-coming chefs is something near and dear to my heart. Read more about how the ACF Student Chef of the Year has grown as a result of her mentors on p. 33. This month, we are excitedly kicking off our one-day MasterCraft Summit series. The first event on March 10 in Orlando, Florida, will cover advanced culinary techniques, and we are deep in the content development for additional in-person summits planned for the year. Starting in April, we’ll be offering a virtual Culinary Leadership Bootcamp summit every Monday. Don’t wait to register at acfchefs. org/events. These summits have limited attendance.

In the meantime, get involved! Connect with your chapter. Get engaged in community service, become a mentor for others or practice your craft in a competition (visit acfchefs.org to find local ones). Of course, it’s never too soon to start planning (and registering!) for the 2022 ACF National Convention in Las Vegas. Wait until you see the lineup of presenters! I am just giddy with excitement and hope to see you there! Happy Spring and Let’s GO!

Brown, CEPC, CCA, AAC

Llegó la primavera, ¿qué mejor momento para florecer? Puede que algunos todavía estén caminando sobre nieve, pero yo aprovecharé esta temporada para organizarme, renovarme y revitalizarme. ¿Qué hacen ustedes para renovarse? Tal vez les guste probar algo diferente con creatividad, aprender algo nuevo en el Centro de aprendizaje en línea de la ACF o aprovechar nuestras tarifas con descuento para obtener o renovar alguna certificación. Este es el momento de invertir en ustedes mismos. Recuerden: ¡trabajo, vida, equilibrio!

Marzo es el Mes de la Historia de la Mujer. Personalmente, celebraré con mi presentación en la próxima conferencia MAPP (Mentoría. Defensa. Alivio tras la pandemia. Empoderamiento de la mujer.) que se celebrará en el mes de abril. Las mujeres chefs han hecho muchos avances en esta industria; basta con leer sobre la Chef Ann Cooper (p. 34), miembro de larga data de la ACF, con quien tuve el placer de compartir el escenario principal en una Convención Nacional de la ACF. Las estadísticas de mujeres en la fuerza laboral han mejorado, pero todavía tenemos un largo camino por recorrer para detener la brecha salarial, la discriminación por género y la falta de oportunidades de liderazgo y apoyo para el equilibrio entre la vida laboral y personal. La atención plena, la empatía y el pensamiento creativo del siglo XXI en torno a los problemas que todos enfrentamos serán la clave para lograr una relación laboral exitosa a largo plazo.

Marzo también es el Mes Nacional de la Nutrición. Tras dos años de pandemia, muchos de nosotros estamos encontrando formas de mejorar nuestra salud a través de la alimentación. Conozcan más sobre cómo lo está logrando un chef de la ACF en sus enseñanzas sobre nutrición culinaria (p. 24).

La ACF se encuentra en una posición única para fomentar el crecimiento profesional de todos sus miembros. Una gran parte de esto comienza con nuestros veteranos, que aparecen en la lista de candidatos a la incorporación a la Academia Americana de Chefs (AAC, por sus siglas en inglés) en la p. 10, así como en el artículo para los chefs emergentes en la p. 28. Ser mentor de los chefs emergentes es algo muy cercano y querido a mi corazón. Lea más sobre cómo la chef estudiante del año de la ACF ha crecido gracias a sus mentores en la p. 33.

Este mes, nos complace dar inicio a nuestra serie de cumbres MasterCraft de un día. El primer evento, que se celebrará el 10 de marzo en Orlando, Florida, abordará técnicas culinarias avanzadas, y estamos inmersos en el desarrollo de contenido para más cumbres presenciales para este año. A partir de abril, ofreceremos una cumbre virtual de Bootcamp de Liderazgo Culinario todos los lunes. No esperen más para registrarse en acfchefs.org/events. Estas cumbres tienen cupos limitados.

Mientras tanto, ¡participen! Manténganse en contacto con su delegación. Realicen tareas de servicio comunitario, conviértanse en mentores para otros o practiquen su oficio en una competencia (ingrese en acfchefs.org para conocer las competencias locales). Por supuesto, nunca es demasiado pronto para comenzar a planificar (¡y registrarse!) para la Convención Nacional de la ACF de 2022 en Las Vegas. ¡Esperen a ver la lista de presentadores! ¡Estoy colmada de emoción y espero verlos allí!

¡Feliz primavera y VAMOS HACIA ADELANTE!

Kimberly Brock Brown, CEPC, CCA, AAC Presidente Nacional, American Culinary Federation

Online Exclusives at WeAreChefs.com

Visit WeAreChefs.com, the official content hub for the American Culinary Federation, for stories and news about ACF members, industry and menu trends, recipes and more.

State of the Industry

The National Restaurant Association released its 2022 State of the Industry report detailing operators’ challenges and expectations, evolving consumer preferences and more. Get all the highlights.

Nutrition Month Series

March is National Nutrition Month, an annual campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Visit WeAreChefs.com to read more about “clean cooking,” culinary nutrition, holistic health and more.

Student Spotlight

Meet Elijah Smith (right), one of the first students enrolled in J&W’s Sustainable Food Systems program. He plans to use his degree to advocate for changes to the way food is grown and distributed in the United States.

Women’s History Series

In celebration of Women’s History Month in March, we’ll be posting stories about the important contributions of women ACF members to the industry.

ACF ChefsForum Webinar Series

Executive Pastry Chef Jessica Craig (right) is just one of the many ACF members and industry professionals leading the ever-popular ACF ChefsForum Webinar Series. Sessions cover advanced pastry techniques, ideas for better brunches, Haitian cuisine and more. Missed a webinar? All recorded sessions are available online.

Ingredient of the Month

Each month, we highlight a different ingredient in the ACF’s Online Learning Center. Visit the center at acfchefs.org/IOTM to complete a quiz and earn one hour of continuing education credit toward ACF certification and recertification.

ACF’s Online Learning Center

The Culinary Insider, ACF’s biweekly newsletter, offers ACF news and links to recent articles, plus information about upcoming events, certification, member discounts, competitions, contests and much more. Sign up at acfchefs.org/tci.

Follow the ACF on your favorite social media platforms:

@acfchefs

@acfchefs

@acf_chefs

@acfchefs

@acf_chefs

American Culinary Federation

Tag us on Instagram!

Check out ACF’s Online Learning Center. There you’ll find NCR quizzes, videos of educational sessions from ACF events, practice exams for certification and more. Visit learn.acfchefs.org to get started and earn CEHs.

When posting your delicious creations on Instagram, tag #ACFChefs or send to @acf_chefs and we’ll repost our favorites here and online!

share generously. eat naturally. live deliciously.

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NEWS BITES

Check Out ACF’s Culinary Leadership Bootcamp and MasterCrafft Summit Series

The first one-day summit of the series, held on Thursday, March 10 in Orlando, Florida, and covering advanced culinary techniques, was a smashing success with solid attendance. Read on to learn about the upcoming, virtual Culinary Bootcamp Series and the next scheduled in-person Summit. Visit acfchefs.org/ events for more information about future MasterCraft Summits planned for this year.

Culinary Leadership Bootcamp (Virtual)

For one hour each Monday in April, join these presenters on Zoom for an in-depth study of various business skills. Sponsored by Smithfield Culinary. Speakers and topics include:

• R estauranteur Christopher W. Ridenhour will discuss how to “level up” amid ongoing global challenges

• K ara Maciel, Esq., will speak to the key issues in employment law impacting restaurants

• Chef Shawn Loving, CMC, CCA, AAC, will share insights on the power of saying “yes”

• Chef Michael Diehl, CEC, AAC, will offer best practices in costing and purchasing as supply chain challenges continue

• Chef Tom Griffiths, CMC, will offer tips on how to research food trends and create scalable recipes

• Chef Tim Recher, CEC, AAC, will present on how to lead the next generation of kitchen teams

• R estauranteur Elaine Chon-Baker will talk about the steps needed to embark on a new business venture

• Chef Victor Gielisse, CMC, consulting partner with the Culinary Institute of America, will discuss how to stay ahead of the competition

Advanced Pastry

The second in-person, one-day MasterCraft Summit event will take place on Saturday, May 14, at Dallas College in Dallas and feature the latest innovations in pastry. Speakers and techniques include:

• Chef Lisa Kirshner, pre-ferments for advanced bread baking

• Chef Lasheeda Perry, using natural food colors in pastry

• Chef Susan Notter, CEPC, sugar techniques

• Chef Francisco Migoya, Modernist Cuisine in pastry, design and art

Events are BACK!

Other In-Person Industry Happenings This Spring:

March 20-22 Women’s Foodservice Forum Annual Leadership Conference, Dallas

March 22-24 International Pizza Expo & Conference, Las Vegas

March 23-25 Research Chefs Association Annual Conference, Atlanta

April 10-13 Restaurant Leadership Conference, Phoenix

April 22-24 International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) Annual Conference, Pittsburgh

May 2-5 Catersource + The Special Event, Anaheim, California

May 6-8 National ProStart Invitational, Washington, D.C.

May 9-12 Food Safety Summit, Rosemont, Illinois

May 21-24 National Restaurant Association Show, Chicago

READ THIS!

At Home with Your Allergy Chefs: Cooking Up Gluten-Free and Allergy-Friendly Meals Everyone Will Enjoy

This is the second book published by ACF Chefs Joel and Mary Schaefer, both of whom live with food allergies and intolerances. The book features tips and recipes for those with celiac disease and people on gluten-free or vegan diets. Chef Joel Schaefer, CCC, CDM, CFPP, is an instructor at The Culinary Academy of Las Vegas who teaches classes in food allergen safety and cooking. Chef Mary Schaefer, CEPC, teaches classes in allergen- and gluten-free baking and pastry. Visit yourallergychefs.com for more information or to connect.

Salut

The Atlanta Chefs Association, Inc., held the 2022 ACF Atlanta President’s Gala in January after a pandemic-related hiatus. The event, held January 23 at The Hansen Group’s headquarters, featured a menu prepared by ACF Chefs Vagn Nielen, Jimmy Petracci, Ron Horgan, Ryan Whitten, Alex Bladowski and Chris Bladowski, along with staff from their businesses and students from North Georgia Technical College — plus a dessert course created by ACF Chef Frances Coffey. The 2022 Atlanta Chefs chapter awards handed out during the gala include:

• Chef of the Year: Chef Ashley Keyes, C.H.O.I.C.E.S

• Humanitarian of the Year: Chef Charlie Hatney, CEC, Hatney & Company

• Chef Educator of the Year: Chef Cheryl Williams, Tri-Cities High School

• Student of the Year: Branka Metz, North Georgia Technical College

• President’s Award: Bill Ray, US Foods

• Partner of the Year: Smithfield Culinary

• Lifetime Achievement Award: Chef Kurt Eisele, Kurt’s Euro Bistro

Atlanta Chapter President Nick Barrington, CEC, and Executive Director Polly Barrington (pictured above) recieved the first two presidental medallions of the year from ACF National President Kimberly Brock Brown, CEPC, CCA, AAC

ACF Middle Wisconsin Chefs Association held a fundraising dinner at Michele’s Restaurant in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, that raised $2,350 to support local Lincoln High School (Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin) career and technical student organizations, including ProStart (culinary arts) and the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA). Culinary arts students from the school worked alongside chapter members to prepare the meal service.

Do you have chapter news or member milestones to share? Email it all to communications@acfchefs.org!

2022 American Academy of Chefs and Honorary AAC Candidates For Induction

The American Academy of Chefs (AAC), otherwise known as ACF’s honor society, represents the highest standards of professionalism in our organization and industry. The AAC’s primary mission is to promote the education of all culinarians through mentorship, student scholarships and grants for professional chefs looking to further their career. We are proud to present our 2022 AAC and Honorary AAC candidates for induction. If you have any reason to disagree with these lists, please contact Americo S. DiFronzo, CEC, CCA, AAC, academy chair, difronzoa@aol.com, or Karen Stamper, AAC administrator, kstamper@acfchefs.org

AAC, Inductees

Richard Brumm, CEC, CCA

ACF Caxambas Chapter of Southwest Florida

Sponsored by: Ralph C. Feraco, CEC, AAC, and J. Kevin Walker, CMC, AAC

Adolfo Cabrera, CEC, CCA

ACF Chefs Association of Southern Arizona Tuscon

Sponsored by: Barry Infuso, AAC, and Elizabeth B. Mikesell, CEC, AAC

Kevin Charles Doherty, CEC, CCA

ACF Epicurean Club of Boston

Sponsored by: Anthony M. Graffeo, CEC, AAC, HOF, and Denise Graffeo, CEC, AAC, HOF

Jason A. Jones, CEC

ACF Idaho Chefs de Cuisine

Sponsored by: David W. Knickrehm CEC, AAC, and Stafford DeCambra, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC

Jerald "LJ" Klinkenberg, CEC, CCA

ACF Chefs de Cuisine of the Inland Northwest

Sponsored by: James R. Callison, CEC, AAC, and Christopher F. Donato, CEC, AAC

Jason E. Knapp, CEC, CCA

ACF Columbus Chapter

Sponsored by: James R. Taylor, CEC, AAC, and C. David Wolf, CEC, AAC

Greg Matchett, CEC

ACF Pikes Peak Chapter

Sponsored by: Thomas J. Macrina, CEC, CCA, AAC, HOF, HBOT, and Barry R. Young, CEC, CCE, AAC

Lawrence T. McFadden, CMC

ACF Cleveland Chapter

Sponsored by: Keith A. Coughenour, CEC, AAC, and Joseph M. Leonardi, CMC, AAC

Widjiono Purnomo, CEC

ACF Capital District - Central New York

Sponsored by: Reimund D. Pitz, CEC, CCE, AAC, HOF, and Michael Ty, CEC, AAC, HOF

Lenard R. Rubin, CEC, CCA

ACF Chef's Association of Arizona

Sponsored by: Walter W. Leible, CMC, AAC, HOF, and Bill W. Sy CEC, AAC, HOF

Matthew D. Schellig, CEC, CEPC, CCE, CCA

ACF Michigan Chefs de Cuisine Association

Sponsored by: Jim Churches, CEC, CCA, AAC, and Kurt A. Kwiatkowski, CEC, CCA, AAC

Christopher Sowa, CEC

ACF West Michigan Lakeshore Chapter

Sponsored by: Rajeev V. Patgaonkar, CEC, AAC, and Thomas F. Recinella, CEC, AAC

Lisa D. Tomecek, CEPC

ACF Greater Baltimore Chapter

Sponsored by: Curtis H. Eargle, CEC, AAC, and Eric Thomas Yeager, CEC, AAC

HAAC, Candidates

Greg Beachey, CCC

ACF South Bend Chefs and Cooks Association

Sponsored by: Linda S. Musch, CCE, AAC

John R. Coletta

National Member

Sponsored by: J. Kevin Storm, CEC, AAC

Joanne Madura

ACF Chicago Chefs

Sponsored by: John Kaufmann, CEC, AAC, HOF

Ryan Marquis

Canadian Culinary Federation, National President

Sponsored by: John Kukucka CCC, AAC

Andre Rush

Old Dominion ACF Chapter

Sponsored by: Alan L. Romano, CEC, CCE, AAC

William Schutz

ACF Chicago Chefs

Sponsored by: Hans Aeschbacher, AAC

Let your customers know you have their safety in mind.

New ACF COVID-19 Safety Training

Take the ACF COVID-19 Safety Training for Foodservice course and earn a certificate and verifiable digital badge that can be displayed on your website and social media channels.

Available in the ACF Online Learning Center. Visit acfchefs.org/OLC

Topics Covered:

• Key Features of COVID-19

• Minimizing Risk and Preventing Spread

• Best Practices for Foodservice

• Examples from Chefs in the Industry

WINE PAIRING 101

How to launch and manage a stellar wine pairing program

// By Liz Barrett Foster

There are many reasons to create a wine pairing menu. You may want to offer a new experience, introduce guests to local or international wines or simply sell more wine.

Regardless of the reason behind starting a wine pairing program, every aspect — from menus and kitchen coordination to staff education and loss prevention — must be managed if the program is expected to be successful.

Here, three experts walk us through what’s involved in launching and managing a wine pairing program from the beginning.

PRE-LAUNCH PREP

Before considering a wine pairing, start by identifying your audience. “Will this interest them, or would they prefer to choose their own wine adventure?” asks Justin Yu , director of food and beverage at Four Seasons Hotel Chicago. “Ask yourself what price point is most approachable, compared to the menu price, and how adventurous or traditional the selections should be.” Answering these types of questions can help you determine the structure of your wine pairing or whether you should offer one at all.

Second, how willing are you to do the work? “The clientele understands in the first 15 minutes if you’ve put effort into a wine pairing or not,” says Chef Brian Hay, CEC, CCE , a certified sommelier, founder of the wine consultancy Art of the Pair and department chair of culinary, pastry and hospitality at Dallas College in Texas. “If you’re just going to throw something together, it’s not going to work well.”

Finally, consider your staff’s knowledge and comfort level with introducing and serving wine. Can the staff answer guest questions about specific wines and the reasons behind the pairings? It can be a hindrance if there’s only one sommelier on staff and that person is not available every night. “You have to create a flight or pairing that you can very quickly incorporate and train

your team on,” says Kat Thomas, lead sommelier at Ada’s Wine Bar in Las Vegas. “Give them all of the tools they need to go out on the floor and feel confident to do it.”

SELECTING THE WINE

Menus, guest preferences, wine availability and price point all play into wine selection and food pairings. Some restaurants match the food to the wine, while others choose to match the wine to the food.

“Pairings are all about matching and marrying flavors, so we start with a menu then identify wines that will complement it,” Yu says. “However, in some specialty cases, we do work backwards and create a menu based upon a selection of wines if we have a wine dinner featuring a certain winery or portfolio.”

“I get the wines first, and I tailor the menu around the wines — always — because I can’t change the wine,” Chef Hay says. “Whatever is in the bottle is in the bottle.”

Chef Brian Hay, CEC, CCE, is a certified sommelier who consults businesses and menu developers on pairing wine with food.

At Ada’s, Thomas says the goal is to provide an experience for the guest. “It's an experience of traveling around the globe through different wines that you may not have chosen because you were scared to do so or you don't know how to pronounce the wine.” At the end of the day, Thomas says, you should choose wines that excite you and will excite the guest, not wines you need to move. Keep your specific guests in mind when choosing wines for a wine pairing menu. Are your guests already wine savvy or would they enjoy being walked through a wine selection with the help of a sommelier? The customers must like the pairings. “Everything is based around the clientele,” Chef Hay says. “If you don’t make the clientele happy, then anything you do is not going to work.”

KITCHEN COLLABORATION

Chefs who work closely with sommeliers and beverage directors create and execute the best possible wine-and-food pairings, according to Yu. From creating and managing menus to organizing the timing of food and wine delivery to the dining room, the relationship between chef and sommelier is crucial to the success of a wine pairing program.

While Yu says wine can be very subjective and everyone’s palate is different, it’s fun for chefs and sommeliers to collaborate on a tasting menu. “It's important to sit around the table and taste the dish you're attempting to pair or vice versa,” he says. “Everyone discusses what they feel are the predominant flavors and what will highlight both the food and the wine.”

Pairings require a synchronized dance between the front-of-house sommelier and back-of-house chef. Guests should never receive their wine pour unless the next course is on its way out of the kitchen. “I’m the chef’s eyes on the floor,” Chef Hay says. “The chef can’t see, so I’m in constant communication, checking on ETA, pulling plates and glasses and pouring the next wine.”

PRICING FOR PROFIT

Wine pairings won’t make you rich, but they should still make sense for your bottom line. Keep all your costs in mind when creating a menu: food costs,

Clockwise from left: A Napa Valley Zinfandel blend pairs nicely with the Mick’s Royale with Cheese burger at Ada’s Wine Bar in Las Vegas; Kat Thomas, lead sommelier for Ada’s (credit Ada's Wine Bar); The mouthwatering lobster roll at Four Seasons Hotel Chicago is paired with a French Chablis; Justin Yu, general manager at Four Seasons Hotel Chicago.

labor, marketing and the balance of high-end pours with valueoriented, lesser-known wines. If it costs you more than you’ll make, it may not be right for your restaurant.

“A wine pairing should be fair to the consumer from a value standpoint, but also make smart business sense when it comes to the financials,” Yu says. “All food and beverage items should be properly costed to what the business has determined for their cost of goods.”

At Ada’s, guests can expect to pay around $150 for a five-course wine dinner event. Every day at the restaurant, custom wine flights of three 3-ounce pours are available for $25 to $70. “Ada’s by the glass (price varies) and Somm Select ($35 for a flight of three wines) is very supportive of a profit,” Thomas says.

Try experimenting with different price points in the beginning to find the sweet spot. You can offer two versions of a menu — one with more affordable wines and the other with more unique or exclusive vintages. You’ll then be able to gauge which pricing structure your audience gravitates toward for future offerings.

Chef Hay says he never loses money with wine pairing menus and sees a lot of value in the marketing benefits of them. “I'm still looking at profitability; I don't want to lose money,” he says. “So, if I'm serving five wines with five courses, I've already worked the budget out to make sure I'm not losing money. But it's also marketing, because if you do a great dinner and you do a great pairing, the word of mouth is amazing. So, you'll probably sell out the next one.” The management team at Four Seasons Hotel Chicago recently introduced a caviar and sparkling wine service, complete with champagne-flavored potato chips imported from Spain, as a pop-up concept for the newly renovated lobby bar.

HANDLING THE UNEXPECTED

While rare, running out of wine or ending up with leftover wine from pairings does sometimes happen.

In the case of running out, Yu says he finds the next best alternative to the originally intended pairing and informs the guest of the situation. “It should be comparable in price, quality, style and flavor profile so that the vision of the pairing is still executed,” he says.

Too much leftover wine from a pairing is another issue altogether. There are wine preservation systems on the market that can help extend the life of wines and curb wine loss, but for the most part, leftover wine is rare if the wine pairing program is managed well.

“If we don’t go through an entire bottle, and it sits past three days, which is really unheard of, it sometimes goes into our sangria, or to staff education,” Thomas says. “Either way, the cost effectiveness is maintained.”

In the end, it’s always about the customer. Everyone likes a customized experience that feels bespoke and unique. Show customers that you’ve done your homework and can deliver on their expectations.

“EVERYTHING IS BASED AROUND THE CLIENTELE. IF YOU DON’T MAKE THE CLIENTELE HAPPY, THEN ANYTHING YOU DO IS NOT GOING TO WORK.”

-Chef Brian Hay, CEC, CCE

Caviar and wine paring at Four Seasons Hotel Chicago.

ACF RHODE ISLAND CHAPTER

By Amelia Levin

"BIG THINGS IN LITTLE RHODY."

That’s the phrase that ACF Rhode Island Chapter (ACFRI) President Ray McCue, M.Ed., CEC, AAC , CHE, says people use to describe Rhode Island — and his chapter.

“We’re a medium-size chapter, but we’ve always been very active throughout the years,” says Chef McCue, who is currently in his second term as chapter president, was ACF’s 2015 National Educator of the Year and works as an associate professor at the College of Food Innovation & Technology at Johnson & Wales University. “All organizations have taken a hit during the pandemic, but in years past, we’ve hosted a number of ACF and other industry conferences with upwards of 500 to 600 attendees. We’re also fortunate to have some great vendors that support us.”

ACFRI’s roots date back to 1969, when a small group of professional chefs and culinary educators from the nearby, highly respected Johnson & Wales University founded the Rhode Island Professional Chefs Association. In 1974, the group joined the ACF to become ACFRI. The chapter is a bit unique compared to others throughout the country in that

it brings in chefs and students from the entire state because of Rhode Island’s small size.

The current membership of between 100 and 150 members stems from combining the Newport and Providence chapters many years ago to form a single chapter, “seeing as you can get across the state in 40 minutes,” Chef McCue says. “We are small, but such a close-knit community that’s very committed to the culinary industry. Having a premier culinary institution like Johnson & Wales right in our backyard also helps.”

The university has also been the site of many national and regional ACF events. “When I joined in 1982, our chapter hosted the ACF Convention in Providence, and my wife and I were the registration chairs,” says Chef McCue, who notes that the host chapter had record registration that year and was able to recruit many new chapter members. “We were even able to give back $10,000 to the ACF. That was one of the first of our large donations, and we hosted quite a few regional conferences after that.”

Fundraising Efforts

Philanthropy has been the key driver of ACFRI’s planning over the years. Even amid an ongoing pandemic, the chapter managed to pull off a holiday party and impromptu fundraiser in December 2021 that raised $850 for a local food bank.

“It was the first time in two years that so many people got to see each other again face to face,” Chef McCue says. “At the holiday party, we traditionally do a ‘Yankee Swap,’ where we put gifts on the table, call out numbers and people can pick up gifts and swap with others. This year, though, we felt so blessed just to be together that we wanted to pay more attention to those less fortunate, so we just literally passed around a chef’s toque in case anyone had a few dollars they wanted to contribute. Literally at the ‘tip of the hat,’ we raised $550 in cash and as a chapter threw in another $300. We donated the money to the Rhode Island Food Bank, where we have volunteered in the past.”

Chef Ken Watt, CEC, puts the finishing touches on a menu using Gotham Greens, a Providence, Rhode Island-based produce supplier and host for one of the ACF Rhode Island chapter’s monthly meetings.

The food bank supplies to more than 40 pantries in the state and has an on-site culinary and workforce training center where ACFRI chapter members have volunteered training.

There have been other fundraising events in years past, including an annual scholarship barbecue named after founding member Geno Carelli at which chapter members raise funds (upwards of $15,000 in years past) for scholarships for local high school and college students. “We also support our local Skills USA and ProStart students and have paid for them to get to the national competition.”

In October, ACFRI teamed up with its sister chapter, the Epicurean Club of Boston, for a skiing fundraiser at Wachusett Mountain that ended up bringing in $10,000 for culinary scholarships. The groups split the fund down the middle.

Chapter members volunteer in other ways, as well, including preparing meals for families staying at the local Ronald McDonald House. ACFRI Chef Ken Watt, CEC , of Hoff’s Bakery, provided the October and December’s chef dinners. Many chapter chefs also volunteer regularly with One Less Worry

to cook, package up and feed healthy meals to local homeless people.

Educational Events

Education is also part of ACFRI’s mission.

In September last year, the chapter welcomed back members for the first in-person meeting in more than 18 months. Todd Snopkowski , CEO of Snapchef, discussed what the company does to help operations with labor shortages and culinary training.

At the October meeting, Scott Nicchia of Ocean State Provisions shared tips for dealing with ongoing supply chain issues and also presented a demonstration using Boar’s Head products.

The November meeting covering bacon pairings was hosted by Jones Dairy Farm and Chef Santos Nieves, a hospitality instructor at Davies Career-Tech High School, who brought many of his students to attend.

In January, ACFRI teamed up with the Epicurean Club of Boston to host an educational meeting at KeyImpact Sales & Systems, Inc., in Franklin, Massachusetts, where Chef Scott Guerin,

CEC , research and development chef at

An ACF Rhode Island chapter meeting at the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, which has a culinary training program and work placement program for local community members in need. Topics discussed during that meeting included what chefs can do to tackle food hunger and improve food security.

(Left to right: Chefs Andrew Schiff; Ken Desmarais; Matt Brittm, CEC; Heather Langlois; Ray McCue, CEC, AAC; Ken Watt, CEC; Mev Miller; Brandon Plemons, CEC, CEPC; Fred Faria CEC, CCE; and Uwe Werner, CEC).

Modernist Pantry, showcased advanced techniques for working with plant-based meats and other cutting-edge ingredients.

Staying Connected

The past two years have challenged many ACF chapter presidents and board members to stay connected with their members.

Chef McCue has tried to do his best — sending out a regular newsletter always packed with words of support, contact information, resources, chapter news and happenings and even local goings-on. He stays active on the chapter’s Facebook page and keeps the chapter website (acfri.org) updated. And he’s never shied away from simply picking up the phone and calling peers.

In his most recent newsletter, Chef McCue pointed to his chapter and all ACF members as those who can help enrich the next generation of chefs and help connect them with employers who are now hiring again. “Through creativity, understanding of employee needs, and a little generosity, we can create new frameworks that lead to both loyalty and gratitude from the culinary staff — two sentiments that are often hard to come by, but once earned, lead to longterm security for all,” he wrote, ending with, “I’m always a click away at rmccue@jwu.edu .”

Top: ACF Rhode Island and the Epicurean Club of Boston have partnered for the past several years to host the annual Wachusett BBQ Fest, where all proceeds go to culinary scholarships. (Left to right: Chefs Douglas Corrigan; Ray McCue, CEC, AAC; James Connolly, CEC, CCA, AAC; Santos Nieves; John Disessa, CEC, AAC; Daniel Van Etten; Ken Watt, CEC); Bottom: Chef Joseph Leonardi, CMC, AAC (right), who has his own apiary, presented on beekeeping and honey at an ACF Rhode Island chapter meeting at Johnson & Wales University, where ACFRI Chapter President Ray McCue CEC, AAC (left), is an instructor.

A FONDNESS FOR FILIPINO ADOBO

The national dish of the Philippines has a storied past and bright future //

By Jennifer Olvera

The national dish of the Philippines is adobo. Its name comes from the Spanish word “adobar,” meaning “marinade,” “sauce” or “seasoning.” And while some of adobo’s origins are hard to trace, other things are known. Malay voyagers — those who evolved into the Malay tribes dominating Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines — landed in the Philippines around 3000 B.C. The voyagers used vinegar and salt as preservatives to extend the life of food in the hot, tropical climate.

Filipinos were already preparing their proteins in a marinade of vinegar and salt before Chinese traders arrived during the late Tang Dynasty, around the 9th century A.D., bringing with them a number of foundational ingredients like pancit noodles and soy sauce, which were then adopted by Filipinos. Eventually, soy sauce all but replaced

salt in Filipino kitchens, a tradition that holds true to this day.

Later, when the Spanish invaded during the 16th century and settled in the archipelago (a Spanish colony from 1521 to 1898), Spaniards witnessed the way Filipinos used vinegar to marinate their chicken, pork and fish. Recognizing similarities to Spanish adobar, which employs paprika, oregano, salt, garlic and vinegar to preserve and enhance its flavor, Spaniards coined the term “adobo.” The rest, as they say, is history.

ADOBO VARIATIONS ABOUND

To this day, both soy sauce and vinegar are key ingredients in most adobo recipes. Traditionally cooked in clay pots, adobo nowadays is typically prepared in metal pots — even woks. Staple ingredients aside, though, there is much debate about the right way to make adobo. Not surprisingly, regional and homemade variations are endless.

At its most basic, adobo is seasoned only with garlic, bay leaf, whole or crushed black pepper and — region depending — vinegar. However, other common additions include onions, ginger,

sugar, hard-boiled egg, morning glory and other vegetables, such as potatoes.

Chef Rommel Mendoza , owner of the Hillsboro, Oregon-based online store Mendoza Food Alliance and author of “Prix Fixe: Made in the USA by a Filipino: Memoirs and Recipes of the Traveling Chef,” weighs in.

“My mom is from the northern region of the Luzon Province, and she taught me to add ginger to adobo,” he says. “It gives it a unique, slightly sweet and spicy flavor.”

By contrast, he notes , southern-style variations differ a lot.

Chicken adobo is the unofficial national dish of the Philippines (opposite); A take on Filipino chicken adobo using chicken thighs marinated in a vinegarbased sauce and then grilled until caramelized (above).

“I’VE MADE IT MY MISSION TO HELP FILIPINO CUISINE GET THE RECOGNITION IT DESERVES. I AM INSPIRED TO SEEK INSIGHT FROM PEOPLE FROM THESE DIFFERENT REGIONS, TO LEARN THEIR DISHES AND THEIR WAYS OF COOKING.”

-Chef Rommel Mendoza

“Coconut milk is a staple in this region,” he says. “So, there’s a milky, sweet taste to the finished dish.”

Adobo dilaw — or yellow adobo— hails from the southern Philippines as well.

“In this case, soy sauce is substituted for turmeric, giving it a nice peppery, earthy flavor,” Mendoza says. “Pork is at times used for this version, too.”

Meanwhile, the Visayan Islands are home to the original adobo. In other words, soy sauce is not used. As such, the dish is typically described as adobong puti, or “using only vinegar.” Among other popular adobo variations from this region are those that incorporate seafood, such as shrimp or squid.

Whatever the style, the popularity of adobo cannot be denied. Chef Mendoza suggests a few reasons why.

“It is quite easy to make and only takes 30 to 40 minutes to cook,” he says. “Plus, vinegar and soy sauce help preserve it. Home cooks make a big enough pot of adobo to enjoy throughout the week, without it spoiling. Then there’s the fact that adobo sauce over rice is so much better than gravy over mashed potatoes!”

MODERN VERSIONS ARE WELCOME, TOO

There are as many takes on adobo as there are Filipino households. So, naturally, the dish continues to evolve.

Chef Mendoza has substituted the vinegar with pineapple juice, for example. Other times, he swaps white vinegar for rice vinegar or adds both country-style pork ribs and chicken to the same pot. When he worked at a sports-centric gastropub in the past, he’d plate a quarter leg of chicken adobo, serving it with jasmine rice, stir-fry Filipino vegetables and pickled green papaya, the latter reinforcing the punchiness of the vinegar-spiked sauce.

“Along with bay leaf, I’ve also added dried basil — it’s my secret ingredient,” he says, noting it lends a slightly minty flavor and a hint of anise. “I have also peeled russet potatoes, adding them about halfway through the cooking process. The potatoes get stewed in the sauce, making it a great alternative for those who don’t want rice.”

Then there’s his preparation for chicken wings.

“I pull them out and place them on a hot grill to finish,” he reveals.

As the sauce thickens on the stovetop, he weaves in seasonings to spice it up, using half to toss the wings and the remainder for dipping.

WELL-DESERVED RECOGNITION

At the end of the day, Filipino cuisine remains largely undiscovered by the world at large.

“I’ve made it my mission to help Filipino cuisine get the recognition it deserves,” Chef Mendoza says. “I am inspired to seek insight from people from these different regions, to learn their dishes and their ways of cooking.”

Currently at work on his second book with plans to publish later this year, Chef Mendoza is also about to launch a jeepney truck serving Filipino barbecue. He’ll take his Filipino cuisine education on the road.

At its most basic, adobo is seasoned only with garlic, bay leaf, whole or crushed black pepper and — region depending — vinegar and other add-ins, according to Chef Rommel Mendoza (opposite); A Filipino spread featuring lumpia, adobo chicken, sinigang and lechon kawali (above).

ALL ABOUT AVOCADOS

Learn how this popular kitchen staple is grown, shipped and transported from the fields to the delivery door

// by Liz Barrett Foster

We know many of you want to know more about where your favorite ingredients come from, how they’re grown or produced and how they get to your kitchens — because your customers want to know too.

Enter: the ever-popular avocado.

One of Mother Nature’s most finicky fruits, avocados have earned a reputation for being high maintenance. They require rich rocky soil, perfect temperatures, lots of moisture (but not too much moisture) and hands-on care from Day One. An avocado tree’s bark, leaves and fruit are highly desirable to hungry gophers, deer and even insects that travel hundreds of miles to dine on them.

So, what’s the payoff for avocado growers? “Have you tasted a California avocado?” asks Rachael Laenen, assistant ranch manager and third-generation avocado grower at Kimball Ranches – El Hogar in Santa Paula, California.

Originating in Mexico and Central America, where the subtropical climate is ideal for highmaintenance fruit, avocados were introduced to California in 1871 by Judge R.B. Ord. Since then, more than two dozen varieties of avocados have been grown in America, with the pebbly skinned Hass becoming the most popular of the seven varieties still grown commercially in California.

Although most avocados eaten in the U.S. are imported, the majority grown in the U.S. come from California, where they are produced yearround. The state now grows 90% of the country’s

avocados, despite only using 1% of California’s coastline and select inland areas to do so. According to the California Avocado Commission, an average California avocado tree will yield 60 pounds, or 150 pieces of fruit per year, but in peak maturity can produce 200 pounds, or 500 pieces of fruit.

Hass avocados are the most commercially available, according to Laenen, which is why 99% of the avocado trees at Kimball are Hass. “Hass are reliable, ripen consistently, are easy for us to transport, and when you cut into one, you know what you’re getting,” she says.

Planting

Farmers get avocado trees from a nursery after they’ve already been grafted onto rootstock and grown into seedlings for a year or two. At this point, the trees are ready to plant, which can be an intense process, according to Laenen. “As soon as you expose the tree’s roots to the air, they die,” she says. “So, we put the root ball in the hole, pack it with dirt, and water it in with five gallons of water to fill in any air gaps.” It will take two years before the newly planted tree starts to bear any fruit and up to 15 years before the tree reaches full avocado production. In the meantime, since California rain is scarce, avocado trees are watered using groundwater. “We draw the water up for the avocados and then it drains right back to the aquifers,” Laenen says.

Harvesting

In central California, the typical harvest time for avocados runs anytime between April and October.

“We go around our ranch three times per year, and we’re always picking for 48s, which is a specific size of fruit between 7.5 ounces and 9.5 ounces,” Laenen says. “For us, it’s what the tree wants to grow and what the customer wants.”

Crews at Kimball harvest in April or May, then again in the middle of summer and again at the end of the year. “Once you pick off the 48s, the rest of the fruit will continue to grow,” Laenen says. “Luckily, avocados can survive on a tree for months, maturing but never ripening. The ripening process begins only when the fruit is picked.

Special shears, ladders and picking poles are used to reach and pick the avocados by hand, at which time they are placed into harvesting bags that hold 100 to 200 pieces of fruit. “Our employees have been with us for many years and are geniuses at feeling an avocado and knowing if it’s the right size or not,” Laenen says.

Packing

Once picked, it’s important to transport avocados quickly to a packing house where they can cool, ripen and be sized and sorted for shipment to retail and foodservice destinations. Kimball uses a local packing house and can have its avocados delivered within 12 hours after harvest. “We deliver our fruit directly to the packing house, three

bins at a time, each bin weighing about 1,000 pounds,” Laenen says. “The guys pick it, and our foreman drives it to the packing house the same day.”

Processing

At an avocado packing house, avocados are graded, sized, cooled to halt the ripening process or preripened for some customers. Because some restaurants need to use avocados immediately, pre-ripening them via a ripening chamber is often requested prior to shipment. Sizes range from 36 to 84 count, with 48 and 60 count being the most popular in foodservice. Avocados are sorted into grades #1 and #2; the #2 avocados are typically used in foodservice because the outer skin is slightly blemished. And because packers can halt ripening or speed it up, operators and chefs can tailor their order to any menu or recipe by requesting their avocados as firm/pre-conditioned, breaking or ripe.

“Avocados are primarily grown by family farms and small family businesses; my dad and I do it because we love it and we have a passion for it,” says Laenen. “There are a lot of things that make it very challenging that are outside our control, but every time you cut into an avocado and it’s perfect and beautiful and tastes delicious, it makes us proud of what we do.”

Clockwise from left: Grower Rachael Laenen at Kimball Ranches inspects her avocado trees; Once picked, it’s important to transport avocados quickly to a packing house where they can cool, ripen and be sized and sorted; budding avocado plants in a nursery; Crews at Kimball start harvesting in the Spring (April or May), then again in the middle of summer and again at the end of the year (photos courtesy of the California Avocado Comission).

CLEAN COOKING

An ACF chef and cookbook author shares tips on how to manipulate whole foods for added flavor and nutrition // By Lauren Kramer

When it comes to food, there’s one thing on which most of us can agree: Sugar, sodium and fat are highly addictive. We love our pizzas oozing with cheese, the deep richness of our creamy ice creams and the satisfying crunch of a fried salted snack. In short, we love food that tastes good.

Food can and should taste good — even “healthier” food, says Chef Jim Perko, CEC , executive chef of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Lifestyle and Integrative Medicine. With Drs. Michael Roizen and Michael Crupain , Chef Perko co-authored “The What to Eat When Cookbook,” a guide to whole-food cooking without the need for added sugar, salt or fat. “If it doesn’t taste good, it becomes impossible to sustain behavioral change over the long-term,” Chef Perko says. “Ours is a technique-driven curriculum that combines evidence-based science of food and medicine with the joy and art of cooking.”

How do you moisten without fat, you ask? Rather than adding oil, butter or cream sauces to grains, Chef Perko suggests using plants, some of which have more water content than others. “There’s so much moisture in a mushroom, for example,” he says. “So, load your grain with green beans, onions, peppers and mushrooms. You could add a small quantity of olive oil, but less is more, and even with a healthy fat, you’re still talking 120 calories per tablespoon.”

Instead of adding more and more salt, consider adding rich, roasted tomatoes for some acid and an umami boost — not to mention a dose of healthy lycopene. Even something as simple as an extra squeeze of lemon or citrus, fresh herbs or spices can balance out natural flavors in a dish better than just salt.

Instead of reaching for full-fat, dairy-based, sugar-laden ice cream, Chef Perko offers this suggestion: “Take a ripe banana, peel it, wrap it and freeze it. Then, blend it with almond milk, almond butter, vanilla and flax seed, and you’ll see it comes out just like a vanilla milkshake: totally delicious. You will love it, and it will love you back.”

Can’t resist chocolate? Chef Perko has an answer for that, too. “Slice that banana and freeze the slices on a skewer, Then dip it into melted dark chocolate, freeze it again, and you’ll have a healthy candy bar. That’s what culinary medicine does: It delivers flavor without sodium, density without a lot of meat and sweets without [added] sugar.”

Take salad dressing, for example. Chefs are trained that a classic vinaigrette dressing should be a ratio of oil to acid, but Chef Perko says there is another way. His recipe involves boiling and reducing figs and prunes before blending them with blueberries, vinegar, garlic, mustard and herbs. “This is a thick, sweet salad dressing sweetened by the prunes, figs and blueberries,” he says. “Since prunes have [natural] sugar, calcium and fiber, this way you’re getting sweetness but with the fiber attached to it.”

This way of eating, Chef Perko says, is “not just for people with health problems or who need to heal and sustain their behavioral changes – it’s also for prevention. We want to teach this to children so they can make the right choices while they’re still young.”

For recipes and more tips and tricks on how to boost the flavor and nutritional component of your dishes, visit WeAreChefs.com

Chef Jim Perko, CEC (right) co-wrote his book (left) to offer ways to use natural ingredients in place of added salt, sugar and fat.

Anytime Cauliflower Rissole

Reprinted with permission from National Geographic ©2020

The ascension of cauliflower as an alternative to potatoes has been impressive. Chef Perko’s rissole recipe doesn’t mash cauliflower, rice it or turn it into a pizza crust. Instead, he showcases centuries-old aromatic and enticing spices, chewy toasted walnuts and umami from reduced tomato in an amazing dish that is great warm or cold.

• 1 t ablespoon garam masala

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

• P inch of cayenne pepper

• 2 t ablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), trimmed, cut into small florets

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

• 3 t ablespoons tomato paste

• 1 t ablespoon almond butter

• 1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) walnuts, toasted, coarsely ground

1. I n a small bowl, combine the first five ingredients and set aside.

2. I n a large skillet over medium heat, swirl the oil to cover the bottom, then add the cauliflower and toss. Sprinkle with salt and mix well. Continue to toss and stir frequently until the cauliflower florets become golden brown and crisp-tender, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer the cauliflower to a medium bowl and set aside.

3. To the hot skillet, add the reserved spices, stir until lightly toasted, about 5 seconds, then quickly add the vegetable broth and whisk to blend. Add the tomato paste and whisk until incorporated and smooth. Add the almond butter and whisk until smooth. Return the cauliflower to the skillet and toss until all the florets are well coated. Add the walnuts and toss to coat.

4. A llow the cauliflower mixture to cool 10 minutes, then transfer to a bowl and serve.

Classical

When ACF Chef Blessing Chicah , a recent graduate of Bishop State Community College in Mobile, Alabama, emigrated to the United States from Nigeria in 2015, she missed the egusi soup enjoyed frequently in her birth country. Egusi is a West African name for the dried and ground, protein-rich seeds of squash, melon and other cucurbitaceous plants. For the classic version, Chef Chicah makes a paste with the egusi and some water, cooking the paste with crushed tomatoes, sweet peppers, onions and a touch of hot chili peppers for spice. She brings the mixture to a simmer with stock from cooking goat meat, along with beef bouillon, salt and ground dawadawa (African locust bean) for earthiness. Leafy greens and the reserved goat meat are added just at the end.

Modern

For the modern version, Chef Chicah presents a deconstructed, seafood-forward take of egusi soup. She starts off making the soup in the classic way but adds ground crawfish to the simmer. Traditionally, egusi soup is eaten with your hands by tearing off a piece of fufu, a semi-thick starch patty or soft dough made with pounded yam flour and hot water. In this case, the cooked elements of the soup are removed from the broth and served alongside the fufu. Blackened shrimp and shaved blanched carrots round out the dish.

For recipes, visit wearechefs.com

For budding chefs, veteran ACF members share the decisions they made that helped propel their careers

//

By Jody Shee

Have a plan and stick to it

In order to make a positive careerenhancing choice, you need to have a plan, says ACF Chef Chad Young , culinary arts educator at Greater Lafayette Career Academy in Lafayette, Indiana. “Know your passion and stick to it, trusting your gut feeling,” says Chef Young, who loved cooking from an early age, but pursued careers others thought were best for him. He first majored in voice performance and then elementary education before realizing that cooking was all he wanted to do all day, every day.

“I finally went to culinary school and never looked back,” he says. While he didn’t have the resources to go to culinary school early on, he now believes that those who are passionate about the trade will find a way to make it happen. “Had I known from Day One that I love culinary arts and cooking, I would have found a way versus jumping through hoops for others and being a people pleaser and not a me pleaser.”

Now, Chef Young combines education and culinary, teaching culinary students in a career tech education program. At 48, he is finally realizing a dream of opening a restaurant — without using a dime of his own. The school is opening a studentrun restaurant over which Chef Young has complete oversight, “and now I’m getting to do any- and everything I wanted to do without the burden and stress of financial backing. If you know what you want to do, follow it. Go for it.”

"GRASP THAT IT IS NOT ALWAYS ABOUT YOU IN HOSPITALITY AND CULINARY. YOU HAVE TO SUCK IT UP AND SWALLOW YOUR PRIDE AND DO WHAT’S BEST FOR THE CUSTOMER TO CREATE AN EXPERIENCE AND GET THAT GUEST TO WANT TO RETURN."

ACF CHEF CHAD YOUNG, CULINARY ARTS EDUCATOR AT GREATER LAFAYETTE CAREER ACADEMY, LAFAYETTE, INDIANA

Chef Chad Young, culinary arts educator at Greater Lafayette Career Academy, Lafayette, Indiana, works with student Jeremiah Skiles in the kitchen.

you’re reading this, chances are, the culinary arts are your passion. Perhaps you have sacrificed something to be where you are in your pursuit. But what does it take to actually achieve that dream job — sooner rather than later? Consider these five choices suggested by accomplished ACF chefs to put you on the path to quicker success.

Choose advancement over money

Some of the best career- and goaladvancing jobs may not pay well. Instead, choose based on the experience the job offers, says Chef J. Kevin Walker, CMC , AAC, executive chef at the 5-star Ansley Golf Club in Atlanta. After working for mom-and-pop restaurants in the early 1980s, Chef Walker landed a job at a small country club. But when the door opened for him to work at the esteemed Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix, he left his $12 per hour job to work at the Biltmore for $3.35 per hour. “I went from being financially OK to selling my car, having to walk home from work most nights and having only $20 to $25 to my name after paying rent for about three years just because of the experience,” he says.

One time, while living in New Jersey with his grandparents, Chef Walker walked up and down the street cold-calling restaurants looking for a job. “I got offers from a lot of places, but none seemed right,” he says. “Then, I walked into the back of a French restaurant, and it was clean, and they were all in uniform with hats and neckerchiefs. I realized I had been missing professionalism. They asked if I could work nights. I said ‘yes,’ and I didn’t even ask what the pay was. I just knew that’s where I wanted to be.”

Determine the ideals you’d like to emulate and choose jobs that will take you to those ideals.

Say yes to opportunities outside your comfort zone

Whether they be employment prospects or dish-creation challenges, jump at the chance to pursue new opportunities, setting aside fear of failure, says Chef Emilia Tomaszycki, CEPC . At 24, she became the youngest person to pass the certified executive pastry chef exam, and now, at 25, is the executive pastry chef at the renowned Bonita Bay Club in Bonita Springs, Florida.

“It doesn’t matter what the opportunity is, make yourself available to whatever may come your way,” she says. “Always be open to move, change or jump out of your comfort zone. Don’t ever get comfortable somewhere.”

"BE A SPONGE, OPEN TO EVERYTHING GOING ON AROUND YOU. AT WORK, IT’S TOO EASY TO FALL INTO YOUR OWN ROUTINE. BE WILLING TO LOOK AT WHAT OTHERS AROUND YOU ARE DOING AND NOT SEE THEM AS AN ADVERSARY LIKE YOU’RE COMPETING. YOU’RE ONLY COMPETING WITH YOURSELF. SEE WHAT THEY HAVE TO OFFER."

CHEF KEVIN J. WALKER, CMC, AAC, EXECUTIVE CHEF AT ANSLEY GOLF CLUB, ATLANTA

Chef Kevin J. Walker, CMC, AAC, executive chef at Ansley Golf Club, Atlanta

With that mindset, Chef Tomaszycki doesn’t refuse to take on a cooking challenge for fear of burning something. “You will make mistakes. Don’t be afraid of that. It doesn’t mean you failed. It means you found another way of how not to do something.” That’s the advice Chef Tomaszycki says she would give her younger self.

Train under a mentor

“Find a mentor to lead you through the disciplines of the fundamentals until they become second nature,” says Chef Jason Hall, CMC , vice president of research and culinary development for kitchen equipment manufacturer Southbend (a Middleby company) in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina. He was fortunate to

find such a mentor at age 19 or 20 when he went to work at a country club for a chef he knew little about. Chef Hall says he was grateful to learn scratch cooking from his mentor.

“Learning those skills from a young age set the roots for my path.” It turns out, his chef mentor was Chef Jimmy Corwell, CMC, who had just been selected for ACF Culinary Team USA to compete at IKA/Culinary Olympics. Chef Hall embraced the wealth of information he gained, including classical sauces, classical fabrication techniques and ways to use the trim.

“Fast forward to what I do now, and I couldn’t take a client’s recipe apart and build it into a piece of equipment if I didn’t understand a perfect poach or braise, for example,” he says. “Now those things are second nature.”

"BE HUMBLE, YET CONFIDENT IN WHAT YOU DO. IF YOU’RE BOASTFUL, PEOPLE WILL LOOK DOWN ON THAT AND WON’T WANT TO HELP YOU GROW."

CHEF EMILIA TOMASZYCKI, CEPC, EXECUTIVE PASTRY CHEF AT BONITA BAY CLUB, BONITA SPRINGS, FLORIDA

Chef Emilia Tomaszycki, CEPC, executive pastry chef at Bonita Bay Club, Bonita Springs, Florida

Build your network

Start with your mentor. “If you have good mentors, they have fantastic networks,” Chef Hall says. “Then, if you stand out in business or in their kitchen brigade, you will get involved volunteering, catering and traveling with them to help transport food to competitions, for example.” He became immersed in Chef Corwell’s network of master chefs and was invited to their master chef dinners.

This network of master chefs and competition teams was a guiding light for Chef Hall. In 2012, he successfully passed the certified master chef exam. He also was a member of the ACF Culinary Team USA 2016 that represented the United States in international cooking competitions across the globe. In October of

that year, the team dominated the cold food/culinary art category as world champions, placing first out of 42 countries and placing fourth overall at IKA Culinary Olympics in Erfurt, Germany.

While in culinary school, Chef Walker volunteered for any dinner that needed help as part of his strategy to meet people and network. He even got to cook an event lunch for renowned French Chef Paul Bocuse and was able to meet the legendary Julia Child.

“Work for reputable people who do things correctly and who are willing to teach you,” Chef Hall says. “Know the difference between something done right and with quality versus something that just gets done. Don’t sacrifice your own moral standard.”

"HAVE PATIENCE AND THE DISCIPLINE TO GO FORWARD. THERE WILL BE PITFALLS OR FAILURES WITH JOBS, FOOD PRODUCTS, SKILLS OR COMPETITIONS. FAILURE BREEDS SUCCESS AS LONG AS YOU PUSH FORWARD AND LEARN FROM THOSE MISTAKES."

-CHEF JASON HALL, CMC, VICE PRESIDENT OF RESEARCH AND CULINARY DEVELOPMENT FOR KITCHEN EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER SOUTHBEND (A MIDDLEBY COMPANY), FUQUAYVARINA, NORTH CAROLINA

Chef Jason Hall, CMC, vice president of research and culinary development for kitchen equipment manufacturer Southbend, Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina

ACF Student Chef of the Year Marissa Brazell Shares her Mentorship Story

At age 24, Chef Marissa Brazell is racing down the track to her future. A graduate of Oregon Coast Culinary Institute, Coos Bay, Oregon, she’s already earned ACF’s 2021 Student Chef of hte Year Award, been named president of the ACF Young Chefs Club and is in her second season as a pastry cook at Mountain Lake, a private club community in Lake Wales, Florida. Her next goal will be earning the executive pastry chef title. After that, she plans to try out for the 2028 ACF Culinary Team USA to compete on the global stage in Germany at IKA/Culinary Olympics. With three solid mentors helping her fill the wind for her sails, Chef Brazell has a leg up when it comes to reaching those goals. Her advice for culinary students is to find a few professionals you look up to as mentors and ask them to push you and help you become better. We caught up with Chef Brazell to ask more about her mentors and her views on mentorships.

Q: Who are your three most influential mentors?

A: The first is Chef Fred Wright, CEC, AAC. He was my high school chefinstructor at Academy of Arts, Careers and Technology in Reno, Nevada. He always encouraged me to continue with culinary past high school and to look at making it my career. He would make me sous chef of the baking class and taught me responsibility and confidence. The second is Chef Randy Torres, CEC, AAC, director of Oregon Coast Culinary Institute in Coos Bay, Oregon. He convinced me to try out for the school competition team when he was serving as coach. We won the 2019 ACF National Student Team Competition. He’s always believed in me, especially when I didn’t believe in myself. My third mentor is Executive Chef Patricia Nash, CEPC, at Mountain Lake, where I work. By her example, she has taught me about managing a team and what it means to be a leader in the kitchen. She has helped to train and refine my pastry skills, as well as coached me for the

Student Chef of the Year competition that I won in 2021.

Q: How do you define a mentor?

A: To me, a mentor is someone who gives advice, encouragement and support to those in the same position that they once were in. Interestingly, I never sought out mentors. I found my mentors because they were people I looked up to, and they saw I wanted more. They saw my passion and drive, and we built a close relationship because of that. They took me under their wing.

Q: What’s the value of having mentors?

A: You can go to them for advice, help and support. They have already done what you are trying to do. They can give you great advice based on their past experiences. Career-wise, my mentors have given me more connections and opportunities than I would have had otherwise, and they have helped increase my confidence and improve my skills in the kitchen.

Q: What does it take to be a good mentee?

A: You must be willing to work and be open to change. It’s not always comfortable to be pushed, but you have to realize it’s necessary for your growth. You have to be focused on the bigger picture of your goals and realize that your mentors’ support will help you get there.

Q: Other than connecting with your local ACF Chapter, what advice do you give to others to encourage them to find a mentor?

A: Find someone you look up to professionally and ask them to push you and help you to become better. Then be willing to put in the work.

Chef Ann Cooper, CEC

Founder, Chef Ann Foundation // B y Amelia Levin

glamorous side of chefdom for 25 years and wanted things to stay that way, quickly turned down the offer. The school’s founder, Courtney Ross, tried again, asking Chef Cooper to come visit, so she obliged. Turns out, Ross was a visionary who foresaw a new foodservice program showcasing organic, local and sustainable food — still a novel idea at the time, especially in the K-12 sector. It was even a goal to build a school garden and incorporate learnings from that into the academics. Chef Cooper, who had cooked for plenty of highend philanthropic chef events and had partnered with Share Our Strength and other major nonprofits, was intrigued.

People know her as the “Renegade Lunch Lady” who has helped transform school nutrition programs at tens of thousands of schools across the country, impacting millions of children and the communities surrounding them. But before that, Chef Ann Cooper, CEC , was a fast-rising chef in the white tablecloth world of the 90s.

From 1990 to 1999, Chef Cooper, a Culinary Institute of America graduate of ‘79, served as executive chef of The Putney Inn in Vermont. Little did she know that her career path would change drastically at the end of that tenure, when she was approached by Ross School, a private K-12 facility in East Hampton, New York, to develop a brand new foodservice program.

At first, Chef Cooper, who had been heavily immersed in the more

“So I did it. I left the white tablecloth world and became a lunch lady,” Chef Cooper says jokingly. “But I stayed in school foodservice from then until a year ago when I retired.”

As executive chef and director of wellness and nutrition for the Ross School, Chef Cooper fought to break the school foodservice mold that was (and dare say it, still is) heavily embedded in the throes of politics, corporate handouts and restrictive guidelines. She fought not only to feed children food that was grown sustainably without pesticides and preservatives but also to teach children about the importance of that food for their bodies and the planet — part of a movement toward sustainability before the term “farm-totable” was even a thing.

“Ross School had a high profile at the time,” Chef Cooper says, “so we got

a lot of press covering what we were doing. Alice Waters came out to see us, telling us this is what she wanted. She got me to go to California and head the foodservice program for the Berkeley Unified School District.”

It was there, in the mid-2000s, that Chef Cooper came up with the idea for The Lunch Box, a toolkit (now a web portal with free and accessible tools, recipes and resources) for foodservice directors and K-12 school leaders looking to develop from-scratch, healthy and sustainable school nutrition programs. Chef Cooper also became an integral part of Waters’ The Edible Schoolyard Project while serving as foodservice director for Berkeley Unified School District.

In 2009, Chef Cooper left to become the foodservice director for the Boulder Valley School District in Colorado. Looking to further her work on The Lunch Box, she subsequently founded the Chef Ann Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a mission of “helping schools take action so that every child has daily access to fresh, healthy food.”

And that’s where she became known as the “Renegade Lunch Lady,” a woman whose work has helped a whopping 4 million children in 12,000 schools across the country. Today, Chef Cooper remains a partner of Lunch Lessons, LLC, a consultancy for school districts going through large-scale food change. Prior to the pandemic, she was a regular speaker at industry conferences. She has written four books uncovering problems with America’s food supply chain and offering solutions for school food reform and a more sustainable future.

Chef Cooper also started the School Food Institute, an online education center for school foodservice program developers. “We’ve had thousands of people take the classes and have run apprenticeship and fellowship

programs in partnership with California Community Colleges,” she says. “You can spend a lot of time thinking about the food, but if you don’t have the staff to cook the food, it doesn’t do any good.”

Just as she was and is a pioneer in school foodservice reform, Chef Cooper was also a pioneer in the ACF

Chef Ann Cooper, CEC, known as the “Renegade Lunch Lady” and founder of the Chef Ann Foundation, is a long-time champion of nutritious, sustainable meals for school children.

community as one of the first few women members and certified executive chefs.

“When I first joined ACF as a young chef, I was really involved,” says Chef Cooper, who has come back as a presenter for events. “I went to a lot of the conferences, competed in many competitions and even won some gold medals.” But she was often the only woman competing — until she encouraged others to join her.

“I was once working on a cruise ship and had a chef literally tell me, ‘a woman’s place is in the bedroom, not the kitchen,’” says Chef Cooper, who even wrote a book by a similar name: “A Woman’s Place Is in the Kitchen: The Evolution of Women Professional Chefs,” published in 1997. She also spent years serving as president and board member for Women Chefs and Restaurateurs.

Knowing women bring many strong traits to a commercial kitchen — vision,

empathy, compassion, humility — Chef Cooper has been just as much a champion for women chefs as for school children.

“Everyone’s idea needs to be counted; it’s important to work toward inclusivity,” Chef Cooper says. “As a country, we need to do more to prioritize this, as well as education and healthy food. But I see many changes on the horizon.”

“YOU CAN SPEND A LOT OF TIME THINKING ABOUT THE FOOD, BUT IF YOU DON’T HAVE THE STAFF TO COOK THE FOOD, IT DOESN’T DO ANY GOOD.”

- CHEF ANN COOPER, CEC

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College and University Chefs Pave the Future

Student demands dictate the direction of the foodservice industry going forward // By

Jody Shee

To see the future of ingredients, food concepts and operational solutions, go to a university food hall. Different from what most career-established individuals remember, today’s college and university dining halls offer chefdriven student-critiqued fare on a city scale, every single meal. Based on what students demand and receive regularly at school, they will be disappointed with eateries that don’t offer highly authentic dishes, adherence to allergy and dietary protocol (think halal), total customization of dishes, plant-based options aplenty, great desserts and, of course, sustainable food and operations.

Assess and address

If pandemic shutdowns did anything positive, they gave college and university chefs a chance to stand back, evaluate and pivot. Michigan State University added phone app mobile ordering capabilities and expanded the amount and variety of both hot and cold graband-go items in its retail outlets, says Chef Kurt Kwiatkowski, M.S., CEC, CCA, AAC, senior executive chef of culinary services.

With operations back in full swing, the university navigates the volume for popular chicken tenders, for example, by pre-cooking the chicken via sous vide.

Per order, it takes no more than two minutes to take the chicken from the bag into the seasoning and gluten-free panko mix before frying the chicken just long enough to warm it up, Chef Kwiatkowski says.

MSU, which handles 40,000 to 50,000 meals per day, serves food from 11 units across the campus, which is broken down into neighborhoods. Each neighborhood facility operates with its own brigade system. A few decades ago, university dining strictly focused on the bottom line and serving people. “The mind for innovation wasn’t at the forefront,” Chef Kwiatkowski says. These days, the staff learns how to break down whole-muscle meat and sides of fish, “plus, any whole chicken on campus is halal.”

Chef Kwiatkowski focuses on staying up to date with trends and dealing with sourcing challenges, partly from the standpoint of securing authentic ingredients in foodservice quantities. For a unit to offer Korean ribs, for example, it

must source several tubs of gochujang, he says. Add to that general supply shortages that all of foodservice is facing, and the problem is amplified in large-volume universities. Currently, the ebb and flow of chicken parts makes adjusting the menu on the fly a daily exercise.

It’s also an exercise to assure that students’ biggest food values are adequately addressed. That means food that is globally authentic, sustainable and customizable, Chef Kwiatkowski says. Among MSU’s new or popular venues are international street food — serving the authentic dishes found in a region’s natural environment — and noodle bowls in which students can choose their desired protein and vegetables and select noodles or rice with sauce or broth. A popular chicken concept serves halal chicken or another protein along with a scoop of hummus and pita for an entrée served in a wrap, sandwich, on a bed of grains or as a salad with chopped lettuce.

Spread from left: Michigan State University’s Pangea platform features Pan-Asian dishes made to order with the choice of rice or noodles and a variety of housemade sauces (credit: Michigan State University); Chef Kurt Kwiatkowski, M.S., CEC, CCA, AAC, senior executive chef culinary services at Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan; Pasta al forno with pork sugo (credit: Michigan State University)

Menu smarts

Given supply fluctuations, universities that operate on a cycle menu face challenges that Rice University in Houston, more easily navigates. The 4,200-student campus operates with five kitchens, each with its own executive chef who writes the kitchen’s menu weekly, submitting it to Chef Johnny Curet, CEC, AAC , director of campus dining. He looks over menus to assure, among other things, that they don’t get too redundant, that all allergens are documented and that there is a solid plan for plant-based center-of-the plate dishes, he says. With a short planning window, the chefs are able to flex and pivot quickly based on supply.

Student desire for customization also makes menu planning a little easier. Rather than pre-crafted sandwiches and composed salads, students prefer

to select from ingredients to make their own version, Chef Curet says. With the rise of the food channel and food videos, today’s students are more food educated than those of yesteryear. “You have to be on your toes,” he says. “For us, the biggest thing, and growing stronger, is the desire for plant-based cuisine.” Rice University treats plantbased as a cuisine type the same way someone would French or Italian. “It’s not just an offering, but it’s incorporated in daily production.”

The university is building a new student center, and Chef Curet wants to include a station dedicated to 100% plant-based items. “That’s based on feedback we’ve gotten,” he says. “If you’re not working toward building a solid plant-based program, you’re behind.”

In the past five years, Chef Curet says, authentic international cuisine has risen more to the forefront. More than

Johnny Curet, CEC, AAC, director of campus dining with Rice University, Houston

90 nations are represented in Houston, so global cuisine know-how is among the top things he looks for in new chef hires. Applicants with foodservice experience working for airlines with international flights rise to the top for their experience with global cuisines.

Yet with all that’s new, “students will never stop loving desserts. We do some quality desserts,” he says. The units make cookies for lunch, while the pastry chef decides the dinner dessert.

Expectations dictate menu

In his 21 years with Grinnell College, a liberal arts college in Grinnell, Iowa, Chef Scott Turley, CEC, AAC , executive chef and chief culinary officer, has led a large transition from traditional college food to what students expect now. Top of the list is food that is highly authentic and non-processed. “We have over 7,500 ingredients in house at any time,” he says, noting that up to 99% of food items are scratch-made, including curries.

Not only does Chef Turley talk to international students about the dishes and ingredients of their cultures, but he and the staff also attend the school’s annual international food bazaar, which offers student-prepared samplings of their popular native dishes. When he sees potential for the school menu, Chef Turley calls the student in for further discussion. “Once on paper, we look at the nutritionals and yields to quantify it so we can scale it up,” he says. He does that because, “if you’re not true to the food and culture, the students will call you out on it.”

The sustainability focus at Grinnell College expands beyond purchasing local to using the entire animal and purchasing eggs and chickens from the same company to utilize the entire lifecycle of the animal.

Chef Turley can’t think of another venue that allows chefs to be exposed to so many cooking styles and cuisines. “In a restaurant, the menu might not change every day. Our style might change between meals. For someone really interested in culinary, where else could you get this variety and develop this skill set?”

Chef Scott Turley, CEC, AAC, executive chef and chief culinary officer at Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa (below), offers fried chicken steamed buns on his globally-inspired menu (above).

Service With a Smile

By Chef Mark Wright, CEC, AAC

restaurant with a small banquet facility in Buffalo, New York. I enjoyed many memorable dinners there and was quite impressed by the ambiance, service and food. Although the food was spectacular, I was more impressed by the service, which was well executed by an efficient team of waiters, food runners and servers’ assistants.

One day, when the chef was opening the second-floor facility for small meetings and other gatherings, he asked me to come in to carve and oversee the food for the opening function. It was fun, but when we were done, he asked me to come in again on Friday. This time, he said, “Wear your Sunday best,” and put me to work at the door. I had never really done front-of-the-house work before, but I had taken classes throughout the years on all types of service. I wore my Sunday best that day and began what would become my 15-year tenure as maitre d’ of the restaurant.

Research indicates the No. 1 reason people go out to dine is to be served. Service —not to be confused with servitude — is a demanding but oh-so-rewarding career. The National Restaurant Association’s top four reasons for clients to go out to dine, in order of importance, are: service, cleanliness, food and price or value.

A few years back, an experienced chef friend of mine opened an upscale

I have a thing for dressing up — pressed shirt, tie and sport jacket or suit — so this was right up my alley. Buffalo’s men’s shops have not been the same since. I’m only slightly kidding. All jokes aside, just looking good, in my opinion, is not all that is needed when it comes to high-class hospitality. You need to have a certain personality; you have to have a sincere and cheerful demeanor; and frankly, you need to like people.

Many of us chefs spend most of our time in the back of the house. We know

the time and effort taken to prepare certain dishes, the hours involved getting together your mise en place and, of course, the time spent researching the menu. We might think that servers, bussers and bartenders just walk in the door, punch a clock and wait for customers. Front-of-the-house work is not at all that easy. Changes to the menu need to be discussed, new wines on the list need to be tasted, and then there’s all the buffing, cleaning, ironing and station organizing that need to get done. This is all part of what I call front-of-the-house mise en place.

When I first started working the front of the house, I knew from my time as a culinary instructor that tables and seats had numbers, ladies were served first and so on, but little did I know that there is a science when it comes to serving guests that few people on the outside understand. Maybe “science” is not the correct word here; rather, maybe it’s the “art” of fine service that should be highlighted. We all know to serve the guest from the right, clear from the left and that beverages are served differently — but things like placing flatware and different dishes correctly and how the chef wants are just as important and also need to be followed to a T. Wine service in a fine dining establishment is also very important and can establish relationships with the guests to keep them coming back. Tasting the wine and being able to discern differences is part of this. You also need to be aware of the guests’ tastes, preferences and price points and make the right suggestions for that particular table. Even the most demanding customers require the utmost respect and service with a smile because they bring out the best in us. If you have done everything possible to ensure all guests have a positive experience, then you have done your job and that smile made it all worthwhile.

For a restaurant to be truly successful, in my humble opinion, there needs to be regular interaction and a lot of respect between both frontand back-of-the-house staff working together to build one cohesive unit. There might be real challenges with that, but things have changed and are going to continue to change. Right now, we all know the difficulty of recruiting staff in both back and front of the house. We need to give credit to the ACF for ensuring professionalism, education and respect in our industry and for opening up the doorways for employers to recruit trained, skilled chefs. Professionalism and a keen awareness of the unique workforce we encounter in our operations has been and continues to be a value we receive from membership.

The restaurant where I worked as maitre d’ — like so many across the country — was impacted by the pandemic and is currently on hiatus. Skilled front- and back-of-the-house staffers are slowly returning to the workforce, but many have found different careers. The industry is slowly and cautiously returning to normal but with a different mindset. I still believe that a career in our industry is highly rewarding. Until we settle on the “new normal,” I’ll keep putting on my Sunday best in dress and in spirit — and always, through the good times and the challenging — give service with a smile.

Chef Mark Wright, CEC, AAC, is a (partially) retired associate professor and former department chair in the hospitality management department at SUNY Erie Community College (North Campus) in Williamsville, New York, where he spent the last 25 years of his career. Prior to working in culinary education, Chef Wright served as executive chef at Transit Valley Country Club for 28 years. Most recently, Chef Wright served as ACF National secretary. He currently serves as ambassador for the American Academy of Chefs and has remained highly active in the federation for 50 years — since the early 1970s — when he joined the ACF of Greater Buffalo New York chapter as a junior member.

Robert Del Grande EXECUTIVE CHEF & PARTNER

The Annie | Houston, Texas

As a youth growing up in California, I thought that figs were little miracles that grew on trees. California Figs – how miraculous! Sweet and luscious with a mesmerizing flavor. Today, when I see California Figs in the market, I’m transported back to my youthful days of plucking a ripe fig from a tree and being transformed by that first bite. And with each bite, my mind still fills with a thousand possibilities for delicious sweet or savory dishes – from Prosciutto-Wrapped California Figs to California Fig and Fudge Cookie Sundaes.

Later in life, I became acquainted with California Dried Figs – little preserved miracles – and California Dried Fig Ingredients – whole, pieces (diced or extruded), paste, powder and juice concentrate.

I always keep California Dried Figs on hand to add a taste of magic to my favorite recipes – a few figs to a tomato sauce for some additional richness or some figs to elevate a simple dish of sautéed carrots. In the end, California Figs – either fresh or dried – are not to be missed. They can be a marvelous enhancement to almost any sweet or savory dish – breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert.

So cook more flavorfully with California Figs!

Robert Del Grande

Search “Robert Del Grande” for chef’s recipes at CaliforniaFigs.com

TEA TIME

Pastry chefs are sourcing natural teas from around the globe for delicate flavor infusions

By Robert Wemischner

Beyond filling our mugs, tea in all its variety can be a less-thought-of but impactful ingredient for both savory and sweet dishes. On the savory side, tea can add a layered and nuanced flavor to many dishes, announcing its presence confidently in braises, stocks, soups, sauces, rubs and smoking tinder.

On the sweeter side, pastry chefs are finding ways to use different types of tea

in fillings for chocolate bonbons, as well as in ice creams, mousses and sauces. While vanilla and floral-flavored teas — even those made with synthetic or the suspect “natural flavors” — have long been used in pastry kitchens, now is the time to consider premium whole-leaf teas and the delicate, nuanced flavors they impart.

Today, there’s greater access than ever to high quality tea leaves grown and hand-plucked from all over the world, including India, China, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, Africa, South America and even parts of the United States. Just like wine, coffee, cheese and vanilla, tea is a terroir-driven ingredient. It has unique smoky, fruity, citrusy or floral flavors influenced by the place where it is grown. The climate, the soil, the altitude, the air, the very geography — and even the other plants growing around it — all affect tea’s final flavor in a cup or, in this case, a dessert.

Chef and Master Chocolatier Luis Amado, CEPC (left), an instructor at Lake Michigan College with campuses in Benton Harbor, Niles and South Haven, Michigan, takes inspiration from his travels teaching chocolate making around the world. For a ganache infusion,

he uses Assam tea leaves from the northeast region of India with the same name. Tea from that region has a malty, mellow character, which Chef Amado says pairs nicely with the curry he uses in the bonbon-making process.

For one half of the two-part mold, he pairs 43% milk chocolate with teasteeped cream, making sure to avoid over-steeping, “which would make the ganache bitter or tannic,” he says. Chef Amado fills the other half of the mold with a homemade cherry pâté de fruit, although he says a fruit jelly or fig marmalade would also work well here. He then gently applies a little heat to each half-mold with a heat gun for a couple seconds before fusing the two parts together and freezing them until set.

During that time, he adds finely ground curry powder to just melted cocoa butter, allowing the mixture to sit at room temperature for about an hour before straining the mixture and pouring it into an airbrush sprayer. He then sprays the frozen bonbons with a light mist of the golden-hued blend, garnishing the bonbons with a line of tempered chocolate and some caramelized nuts.

“The cherry pâté de fruit filling enhances the floral notes of the tea,

Loose leaf teas need to be stored and steeped properly for use in pastry (top left); Tea-infused chocolate bonbons developed by Master Chocolatier Luis Amado, CEPC, an instructor at Lake Michigan College in Michigan (credit: Jason Senatore-Roberts) (above).

which are then contrasted with bitterness of the chocolate, he says.

Chef Ethan Howard , pastry chef at the Acacia House restaurant in the Alila Napa Valley Hotel in St. Helena, California, infuses an ice cream base with mellow-flavored, whole leaf black tea from parts of China and orange peel in a nod to the subtle bergamot flavors of Earl Grey tea as the final touch to a chocolate tart. “The classic combination of dark chocolate and orange and the tea’s floral notes all lead to a meld of flavors that cannot be beat,” he says.

Pastry Chef Nicolas Nayener uses delicate white, vibrant green and robust black tea for a classic Paris-Brest. He infuses the water, milk, butter, salt and sugar parts of the choux paste overnight with white tea leaves before boiling the

mixture the next day, adding flour and eggs and baking the round puffs. He adds bright green Japanese matcha tea powder to flavor and color a mousseline filling. For the finish, Chef Nayener replaces some of the flour in the buttery dough layer, or craquelin, with finely ground black tea leaves for extra flavor and dramatic color.

“Aware that the three teas used here have very different flavor profiles, I have been able to combine them in a ‘jeu de textures et de saveurs,’ a play of textures and flavors that reinforce each other,” says Chef Nayener, who oversees research and development and customer education for Eurogerm, a French ingredient company with an outpost in the Chicago area. “This dessert delivers a complex tasting experience and lets the person enjoying it perceive

Pastry Chef Nicolas Nayener (top left) infuses the filling of a classic Paris-Brest with bright green Japanese matcha tea for extra flavor and color (credit: Nicolas Nayener) (above).

the individual flavors of the teas in an overall harmonious way.”

Liberate tea from the cup, and your audience will be rewarded with new taste experiences. “I like to use teas in chocolates and desserts because I feel they are underutilized,” Chef Amado says. Pastry chefs are in a unique position to “take advantage of all the wonderful flavors that teas can offer, and they add a little romance and drama to a dessert menu.”

For pastry recipes using tea, visit WeAreChefs.com

Tips for Using Whole Tea Leaves

Chef Robert Wemischner offers tips for working with natural whole tea leaves from around the globe. He is the author of “Cooking with Tea: Techniques and Recipes for Appetizers, Entrees, Desserts, and More” and has spent years working as a pastry chef-instructor at Los Angeles Trade Technical College.

Study the variety. Take note of the diversity of global teas, including nonoxidized white and aged pu-erh teas from China, matcha and other green teas from Japan, oolongs from Taiwan, black varieties from India, Southeast Asia, Africa and Columbia and more. Source whole leaf teas from specialty vendors, as well as some broadline distributors, depending on availability. Remember: Herbal teas such as mint and chamomile are not true tea because they are made from herbs, not from the leaves of camellia sinensis or camellia assamica plants.

Taste first. To properly taste tea before adding it to your ingredient repertoire, brew 1 teaspoon of tea leaves per 8 ounces of water (unless otherwise specified) and watch out for scalding temperatures or under- or over-steeping the leaves.

Take notes. Record your flavor impressions. Is the brew light, robust, flowery, delicate? There are probably many other descriptors of note that can help you discover ingredient pairings. Taste the teas you wish to use with the main ingredients of the dessert you are making before embarking on the actual production, noting what works and what doesn’t. A little goes a long way if properly infused into a dish.

Store tea properly. Use teas when they are fresh. If they have little to no aroma, the same can be said about their taste, and it’s best to discard them. Otherwise, store teas away from heat, light and any foods, spices or other ingredients with a strong aroma. Always buy whole tea leaves in small quantities to use them while they’re fresh.

Top: An Assam- and curry-infused chocolate bonbon developed by Master Chocolatier Luis Amado, CEPC (credit: Jason Senatore-Roberts); Natural, loose leaf teas from around the world add a touch of terroir and nuanced flavor to pastries.

NCR Quiz

March/April 2022

By LeeAnn Corrao, CFC®

How does Chef Jim Perko suggest moistening grains without fat?

a. Ice

b. Plants

c. Skim milk

d. A pple juice

Who wrote “The What To Eat When Cookbook”?

a. Dr. Michael Roizen

b. Dr. Michael Crupain

c. Chef Jim Perko

d. A ll of the above

When were avocados introduced to California?

a. 1833

b. 1862

c. 1871

d 1890

Most avocados eaten in the U.S. are imported.

a. Tr ue

b. Fa lse

What is the most popular variety of avocado grown commercially in California?

a. Ha ss

b. Fu erte

c. Wurtz

d. Pinkerton

What is adobo?

a. The unofficial national dish of the Philippines

b. A d ish traditionally cooked in clay pots

c. A Spanish rub/marinade

d. A ll of the above

The National Restaurant Association’s top four reasons for clients to go out to dine, in order of importance, are: service, , food and price or value.

a. Atmosphere

b. Dr inks

c. Cleanliness

d. L ocation

How long does it take for newly planted avocado trees to start bearing fruit?

a. 6 months

b. 2 years

c. 4 years

d. 15 years

Which ingredient would not be commonly found in adobo?

a. Garlic

b. Bay leaves

c. Tarragon

d. Black pepper

Which of the following cuisines did not influence traditional Filipino cuisine?

a. A merican

b. Chinese

c. In dian

d. Spanish

What is fufu?

a. A frican locust bean

b. A semi-think starch patty

c. Ground melon and squash seeds

d. Ground nut paste

How should tea be stored?

a. Away from the heat

b. Away from other foods with strong aromas

c. In a dark space

d. A ll of the abov

ACF National Convention

Las Vegas, Nevada

Caesars Forum

July 25-28, 2022

Board of Governors Meeting

AAC Fellows Meeting and Dinner

July 24, 2022

July 26, 2022

Register now at ACFChefs.org/Convention