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CHEF PROFILES 14, 20

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CHEF PROFILE

Jennifer Zambrano

Lirica:

900 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611 Birthplace: Chicago, IL

Current Position:

Executive Chef. First Foodservice Job: My first professionally paid food service job was as a prep cook and dishwasher at Midway Airport working for their concession company back in the 90s. It seems like forever ago! Favorite Food: That’s a hard question because I love it all! If I had to pick, I would say authentic homemade Mexican food from my family’s own recipe books. We have an out-of-this-world mole recipe and I think I could eat chicken mole almost every day! Worst Part of Job: I would say the most challenging parts of the job, because I love what I do, are the long hours and time spent away from my family. Most Humorous Kitchen Mishap: Well, there are a few because that’s how we in the kitchen learn sometimes! I would say there are two incidents that stick out, though. The first is starting a small kitchen fire by accident, while trying to multitask and second, accidently locking a colleague in the walk-in cooler. Don’t worry, he survived to tell the tale. Favorite Food to Prepare: It is so rewarding knowing that people have spent their hard-earned money on your food and enjoyed it. It’s very special when you get to be a part of a guest’s day, whether it’s at breakfast sending them off to their activities or winding them down at night with a special dessert.

If you couldn’t be a chef, what would you be and why?

I probably would be an accountant. I was raised by an accountant surrounded by numbers and was able to pick up on it from a young age. Where do you like to vacation? New York City and Hawaii. New York because I was born and raised in Chicago, and it has a familiar feeling only on a bigger scale. I love the bustling atmosphere and all the amazing food! On the opposite spectrum Hawaii because it is so laid back and serene, and the people are so friendly — and of course, the food. Who was your greatest culinary influence? I remember around the age of 6 or 7 seeing Martin Yan on his show “Yan Can Cook” on public TV and after watching him cook, I knew that was what I wanted to do. It was magical to me watching the process of a dish being created from beginning with basic ingredients to the very end with the finished plate.

Join us at our next event...

Our quarterly events bring together 200 to 400 local

industry professionals who attend to network, learn, sample and meet with top vendor co-sponsors in a fun MINI-TRADE SHOW environment. Engage buyers, influencers and those intimately connected to our local $34 billion market. While our events are free to attend, we ask you to consider one of our co-sponsor options.

Call Cary Miller today at 847-602-9620.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 5

WITH SPECIAL GUEST: Dan Costello

5-9 p.m. Moretti’s Chicago (Edison Park)

6727 N. Olmsted, Chicago, IL 60631

Raffles • Direct Vendor Contacts • Food & Liquor Samples

Dan Costello is the CEO of Home Run Inn, an iconic Chicago Pizza Company dating back to 1927. The fourth-generation family business currently owns and operates nine Chicago area restaurants and two USDA factories that supply frozen pizzas to retailers in more than 40 states. The current operations also include a fully branded licensed Home Run Inn Pizza concept in Chicago’s Midway Airport. Dan has been with the family business since 1996 and through his leadership, the brand has flourished, with their retail pizzas being the #1 best selling frozen pizza in our region. Join us as at our December 5th Shmoozefest, as Dan shares his insights into profitably operating 9 restaurants and leading the frozen pizza division of Home Run Inn.

Event Co-Sponsors

Chicago Named Performance Foodservice Operating Company of the Year

Performance Foodservice – Chicago sales and leadership team accepting the award. Kneeling: Ted Behen (President) and Brian Keith (Executive VP)

Performance Foodservice-Chicago was named 2022 Operating Company of the Year by Performance Foodservice, a segment of Performance Food Group. Chicago ranked first out of 66 Performance Foodservice finalists for multiple criteria including independent restaurant case growth, exclusive brands growth, safety record, associate turnover rate, and financial improvements.

Chicago president, Ted Behen, said, “The PerformanceChicago team culture and commitment to our customers allowed us to outperform our market and competitors in fiscal year ‘22. The team’s “all in – get it done” attitude provided the base for our success leading to our win. The team, the team, the team – it was all the team.”

Nationwide, Performance Foodservice delivers more than 200,000 food and related products to over 125,000 locations every day. The Chicago operating company has been in foodservice distribution since 1956. The original parent company, Fox River Foods, Inc., became part of Performance Foodservice in 2012 and officially changed its name to Performance Foodservice-Chicago in 2018.

See “Performance” on page 40

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On Monday October 3rd, the ACF Chicago Chefs held their monthly chapter meeting at Eli’s Cheesecake World

in Chicago. Attendees were treated to insights into the humble beginnings of the company which started in the restaurant business, with a legendary deli on Chicago’s west side, and then a fine dining steakhouse downtown and then, thanks to their legendary

dessert, has blossomed into a third generation family-owned bakery, specializing in cheesecake and desserts that are sold to foodservice and supermarket accounts across North America, and which are also purchased and shipped nationwide through

their website. The ACF Chicago Chefs represent all who learn, practice and craft the art of gastronomy in greater Chicago. Members uphold the highest standards of cooking while supporting a vibrant culinary community through education, professional development and promoting the renowned foodways that make Chicago the envy of the world. Upcoming meeting dates are November 7, 2022 at Joliet Junior College Culinary School, and their Annual Holiday Party to be held December 6, 2022 at La Villa Restaurant and Banquets.

For more info visit: acfchicagochefs.org.

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Atlas Expands to Meet Demand

To accommodate its growing list of food manufacturing, e-commerce and industrial clients, Atlas Employment Services recently expanded its Atlanta offices to help with hiring and servicing its clients in the growing industrial hub. Through this office, Atlas will service the entire Atlanta manufacturing market with its team of highly experienced and eager to work employees. Atlas is based in Schiller Park, Illinois and operates 8 offices across Chicagoland, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Florida and even more with its on-site recruiting offices. The company offers short term, long term and temporary to permanent employees making it easier for food suppliers and manufacturers to meet growing demand and effectively manage their HR challenges.

– Find the Atlas Employment Services ad on page 23.

“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” — Virginia Woolf

Plant-Based Eating Fueled by Chefs

The next phase of innovation in the plant-based food industry is bringing an array of new and diverse products to the market in an effort to cater to a wider group of consumers, experts said at the Plant Based World Expo earlier this mwvonth. Chefs are playing a growing role in developing creative plant-based dishes, and food makers are turning ingredients such as mushrooms and artichokes into meat alternatives.

– Source: SmartBrief/Food

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