V1.Q2 • Fall 2015
CHEF
JayZ Teaching schoolchildren to eat colorfully
Official member of the American Culinary Federation
THANK YOU
TO ALL OF OUR SPONSORS AND PARTNERS!
PUBLISHER
American Culinary Federation North Carolina Chapter, Inc. PRESIDENT
Keith Gardiner, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/EDITOR
Wendy Dimitri
CONTENTS
CAROLINA CULINARIAN V1.Q2 • SPRING/SUMMER 2015 4 President’s Message 7 Thank you to our Sponsors
ACFNC BOARD OF DIRECTORS
8 The Family that Dines Together, Shines Together
Chris Donato, CEC, AAC, 1st Vice President Jonathan Elwell, CEC, 2nd Vice President Michael Rosen, CEC, AAC, Treasurer
Observe family meal times. Eat together whenever possible.
Stephanie Charns, Secretary
Jay Christmas, CEC, CCA, AAC, Chairman of the Board
Denny Trantham, CEC, CCA, MBA
12 5 A Day the Color Way in Charlotte
Robert Marilla, CEC David Bettendorf
Robert A. (Antoine) Murray, Sr., CEC, CCA Scott Margolis
Richard Kugelmann
Jeff Bacon, CEC, CCA, AAC Jeff Bane, CEC, CCE, CCA
Charles E. (Eddie) Wilson, CEC, PCEC
DESIGN & PRODUCTION
SPARK Publications
8
www.SPARKpublications.com ADVERTISE & SUBMIT STORY IDEAS
Wendy Dimitri
wlwdimitri@gmail.com
In 2015, ACFNC, through its Chefs Move to Schools program, partnered with The Green Teacher Network to help support its Grow the Plant (Schoolyard Garden Certification) initiative.
Teaching at Risk Youth Nutritional Values
P.O. Box 38841 Charlotte, NC 28278 704-617-0966
© 2015 American Culinary Federation North Carolina Chapter, Inc.
15 Green Teacher Program
16 Chef & Child:
ACFNC, Inc.
The entire contents of this publication are protected under copyright. Unauthorized use of any editorial or advertising content in any form is strictly prohibited.
A Colorful Way to Teach Portion Size & Nutrition to Schoolchildren. An Interview with Chef Jason Ziobrowski
12
18 Knife Skills
How the Perfect Knife is just like the Best Chocolate you’ve Ever Had
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE DEAR READERS,
T
he American Culinary Federation has many great programs! Certification, post-secondary and secondary accreditation, culinary competitions, the American Academy of Chefs, the seal of approval, ACF Culinary Team USA, regional conferences, national conventions and many other member benefits. In my opinion some of the best programs come from the philanthropic arm of the American Culinary Federation. According to
In my opinion some of the best programs come from the philanthropic arm of the American Culinary Federation. According to Wikipedia, “The difference commonly cited is that a charity relieves the pains of social problems, whereas philanthropy attempts to solve those problems at their root causes.” This describes the difference between giving a hungry man a fish, and teaching him how to fish for himself. Wikipedia, “The difference commonly cited is that a charity relieves the pains of social problems, whereas philanthropy attempts to solve those problems at their root causes” This describes the difference between giving a hungry man a fish, and teaching him how to fish for himself. The ACF programs that stand out for me are our Chef and Child and Chefs Move to Schools. When it comes to those programs we have two superstars that really stand out among the
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many that go above and beyond to make sure our children have a better chance to learn how to fish, so to speak. Actually, the children who are fortunate enough to take part in these programs are learning how to make better, healthier choices when it comes to food. Our two above mentioned superstars for ACFNC are Chef Jason Ziobrowski CEC (aka Jay Z), and Chef Donald McMillan CEC AAC. They go above and beyond and give countless hours to make sure children have the knowledge they need to make better food choices. Chef Jay Z is the chair for our Chefs Move to Schools program and helps to coordinate all of the Chefs Move to Schools activities in Mecklenburg County. He was instrumental in bringing the 5 a Day the Color Way to Charlotte, rallying many local chefs in the area to support and present the program in many schools. He also helped to expand it throughout the state, making sure we have the tools needed in all of the regions across the state to effectively go into schools and present the program using the posters and printed materials developed for the program. Because of Chef Jay Z’s influence, Renea Myers, from Greensboro helped to lead a 5 a Day the Color Way program at Irving Park Elementary in Guilford County for the entire year of 2014. We were able to do a large presentation for the entire school of over 600 students, doing a station with every color. We went back each month to meet with individual grades of students, and focus on an individual color. 5 a Day the Color Way teaches students about the importance of eating at least five different fruits and vegetables each day, and to get five different colored fruits and vegetables a day. The posters are whimsical and the children leave excited to try new foods, eat a variety of colors, and encourage their friends and family to do the same.
This coming year we will again participate in National Childhood Hunger Day on October partners join in this effort and help make a real difference in the communities in 16th. I encourage all which you work and live. North Carolina, in particularly the Piedmont area, has some of regions and all chefs the highest food insecurity in the country. In this day and age, with all of the access we to get involved. I also have to food at every turn, it is just wrong ask that our industry that children are going hungry and we have got to put an end to this. Each one of you can partners join in this make a difference! This is one area as chefs we can all agree, NO CHILD SHOULD EVER GO effort and help make a real difference in the HUNGRY in North Carolina or in this country. Each one of you can make a communities in which difference! This is one area as you work and live. chefs we can all agree, NO CHILD Chef McMillan has been leading the Chef and Child program in the Piedmont Triad SHOULD EVER GO HUNGRY in for over 20 years now where we teach at North Carolina or in this country. risk children in over 13 counties week long nutrition and hands on cooking classes. The children learn how to make healthy snacks, breakfast, lunch and dinner. This program culminates with a graduation celebration. We have been fortunate to partner with Lowes Foods for the past several years to help fund the cost of food for these classes. Graduates of the program have an opportunity to come to family oriented classes during the school year once a month in Winston Salam and make healthy eating a true family affair. This program helped lead to our chapter being chosen the regional, and national Chef and Child Foundation winners and receiving $10,000 in each case. This has helped us to fund many Chef and Child, and Chefs Move to School activities across the state. This coming year we will again participate in National Childhood Hunger Day on October 16th. I encourage all regions and all chefs to get involved. I also ask that our industry
Take some time and reach out to Chef Jay Z or Chef McMillan and find out what you can do to start a Chefs Move to School Program, or Chef and Child Program in your area. You can also go to the following link on the American Culinary Federation to find out more about the national programs and to get involved: https://www. acfchefs.org/ACF/Partnerships/ACF/Partnerships/ The children of North Carolina need you!!! How will you make a difference in your community and teach a child to fish? Sincerely,
Keith E Gardiner CEC CCE CCA AAC President American Culinary Federation North Carolina
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THANK YOU On August 30, 2015, a team of ACFNC chefs battled against a team of Piedmont Culinary Guild chefs in a joint fundraiser titled the Queen City Food Fight. A HUGE thank you to the below companies that gave us space and product donations to execute an amazing event!
FEATURE
THE FAMILY THAT
DINES TOGETHER, SHINES TOGETHER Observe family meal times.
Eat together whenever possible. By Chef Jeff Bacon
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O
bserving family meal times; this seems so simple. Today’s hectic society creates many roadblocks in accomplishing this seemly basic family ritual. Most of us do this at least a majority of the time, but there are questions to consider when analyzing the quality of the family meal time you and yours are experiencing.
4
Are we actually talking and learning about what is going on in each others lives?
1
Are we eating together, but mostly watching TV?
5
And, most importantly, What are our expectations for this time together?
2
Are we eating multiple meals together or only one a day?
3
Are we eating together, but at restaurants a lot?
My family scores well in the first two areas: we have a strict no TV rule and we usually eat at least two meals a day together. We do converse at meal times too, but often homework and other to do items enter into the mix. Eating out is probably our weakest area. We are on the move so much that we eat out at least once a week — often more. Overall, we are pretty close to our goal, but we certainly could improve. Family meals are beneficial for both children and parents. In fact, studies have shown that children who are members
Today’s hectic society creates many roadblocks in accomplishing this seemly basic family ritual. Most of us do this at least a majority of the time, but there are questions to consider when analyzing the quality of the family meal time you and yours are experiencing.
9
CAROLINA CULINARIAN | V.1 Q.2 | FALL 2015
Lasagna with Italian Sausage Recipe by: Jeff Bacon Serving size: 12 Preparation time 2:15
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound lasagna noodles 3/4 pound Italian sausage — sliced, cooked 1/2 cup chicken broth 6 cups marinara — or spaghetti sauce 12 ounces ricotta cheese 1 egg 1/2 cup parmesan cheese — grated 1/4 pound parmesan cheese — shredded 1 pound mozzarella cheese — shredded 1/2 pound cheddar cheese — shredded 1 dash vegetable oil spray 1/4 tablespoon Italian seasoning
PREPAR ATION:
repare marinara sauce then add 1/2 P cup of warm chicken broth and stir well. pray 1 -13 “ Lasagna pan S with non-stick oil spray. ake the ricotta cheese and stir T together with the egg, grated parmesan, and the Italian seasoning. lace 1 cup of sauce in the P bottom of the pan and shake the sauce around distributing over entire bottom surface of pan. ay uncooked noodles L cross-wise across bottom of pan, covering bottom. rizzle 1 cup sauce over noodles D and 2/3 cup ricotta mixture. pread evenly across noodles S with a rubber spatula.
ay top layer of noodles. Coat L liberally with sauce approx. 2 cups and spread with spatula. op each pan with 1/4 pound T shredded parmesan, 1/4 pound mozzarella, and 1/2 pound cheddar. over with plastic then foil and bake C at 300 for 1 hour 20 minutes. ook uncovered for the C last 20 minutes. llow to set up for at least A 1/2 hour before serving. ut in portions, 4 lengthwise and C 3 crosswise just at service time.
catter 1/3 of the sausage and S 1/4 pound mozzarella next.
note
ay another layer of noodles L and repeat previous process increasing sauce to 1 1/2 cups.
May be assembled and refrigerated the day before.
ay another layer of noodles and repeat L previous process but add 1 1/2 cup sauce on top of layer utilize all of the ricotta mixture that is left in this layer.
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Parents experience benefits as well. They often feel better connected and more informed when engaging in more frequent family meals, using this time to catch up on their children and spouse’s or partner’s activities. of a household that practices family meals develop faster, both mentally and socially, in direct correlation to the frequency of family meal times. Further, the children are less likely to engage in activities like illegal drug use, cigarette smoking and disciplinary troubles. These children are also likelier to make healthier eating decisions and are less likely to develop eating disorders. Parents experience benefits as well. They often feel better connected and more informed when engaging in more frequent family meals, using this time to catch up
on their children and spouse’s or partner’s activities. It is also a fantastic opportunity to pass down family values and proper etiquette as well as family stories and history. In looking at the importance of family mealtimes, I am also learning that all matters related to food are intertwined. Eating together directly supports the challenge of cooking a real meal at least three times a week which goes with the idea of trying a new recipe every week. It is important to keep learning as we always eat healthier, more
In looking at the importance of family mealtimes, I am also learning that all matters related to food are intertwined. nutritious foods and in better proportions when we cook and eat together at home. With that, I encourage you to try one of my family’s favorite recipes: Lasagna w/ Italian Sausage. Served with a tossed salad and some crusty bread, this makes the perfect family meal.
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COVER STORY
A DAY THE COLOR WAY IN CHARLOTTE
A Colorful Way to Teach Portion Size & Nutrition to Schoolchildren
AN INTERVIEW WITH CHEF JASON ZIOBROWSKI
F
irst Lady Michelle Obama’s Chefs Move to Schools campaign calls on chefs to join the fight against childhood obesity by adopting a school and working with teachers, parents, school nutrition professionals and administrators to help educate children
about food and to show them that healthy eating can be fun. Carolina Culinarian had the pleasure of spending time discussing the ACFNC Chef Move to Schools program with the Chef who leads it in the Charlotte area: Chef Jason Ziobrowski.
Tell me about the ACFNC’s Chef Move to Schools program. Chef Jason Wolf introduced me to “5 a Day the Color Way”, and we brought it to the North Carolina ACF chapter. It’s based on a popular program from the Produce for Better Health Foundation. In our version,
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Special thanks to Unity Farms Farmers Market
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COVER STORY 5 A Day the Color Way in Charlotte, we reach out to third graders in North Carolina. For now, the focus on third graders means that each year we present to a new class at each school. We hope to eventually expand the program to all grades.
(portion size being the size of your fist) of fruits and vegetables each day, and to make sure each vegetable or fruit consumed that day is a different color from the rest. In Charlotte, we work with the school kitchen managers to schedule presentations for third graders. We are armed with fresh vegetables and fruits in a rainbow of colors, and cardboard cutouts of Bradley Blueberry, Tommy Tomato, Claudia Cauliflower, Oscar Orange and Bobby Broccoli. With the help of these colorful characters, we show kids that eating five fruits and vegetables of different colors each day is not only healthy, it’s fun! We teach them the different colors and the varieties of each piece. For example, an apple comes in a plethora of different varieties, or that beets can be red or yellow. We also touch on the how different varieties taste, such as an heirloom tomato versus a store bought tomato. We stress proper portion size to kids: One portion is about the size of a third grader’s fist. And we discuss cooking techniques, tastes, and
We teach them the different colors and the varieties of each piece. For example, an apple comes in a plethora of different varieties, or that beets can be red or yellow. What interested you the most in getting involved with this program? According to the American Heart Association, nearly 24 million children in the United States are overweight or obese. The percentage of 6 to 11 year olds who were obese in 2010 was 18%, up from just 7% in 1980, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With numbers like that, I felt the need to be a part of the solution. As a parent, I am constantly trying to get kids to eat better through wholesome food and correct portion sizes. That effort even spills over to the neighborhood kids! And now, I get to present to Charlotte school children as well.
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Walk me through a typical program. What is taught and how? The message of 5 A Day the Color Way in Charlotte is to eat at least five portions
flavors, and even where the fruit or vegetable comes from (the farm or orchard, not just the supermarket.) We talk about seasonality and why locally grown fruits and vegetables often taste better than those that come from long distances. But we also talk about canned, frozen, and dried fruits and vegetables being perfectly fine. They may not be just picked, but that doesn’t mean they are bad. We also put together a lunch tray of all the fruits and vegetables offered that day in the kids’ own cafeteria and talk about them so that when lunch comes, the children can make a visual connection to the foods we were just talking about! How can other chefs get involved? With such a great program, I’m sure you could use some help! Unfortunately, most chefs cannot just easily walk into a school and ask to present to the kids.
Membership with ACFNC gives me credentials which the school administrators trust. My membership enables me to present to the children and gives me access to amazing chefs to assist me with the programs. If a chef wants to get involved, he or she should first get involved in his or her local ACF chapter! We have program guidelines the enable member chefs to create their own presentations, which gives the presenter the freedom to really have fun with the experience. What if I am not a chef? How can I help then? Donations. Hands down. Stores and colleges do not always donate. As a result, chefs often pay out-of-pocket to provide the product for the presentations. Becoming a regular supplier for the program and especially donating money to ACFNC allows us to put on quality programming now, but will also enable us to spread the program throughout the state. With over 100 elementary schools in the Charlotte area, even the cost of the smallest amount of product for the program starts to add up. Is there anything else you would like to add? As chefs, we have the knowledge to help kids in our communities make healthier food choices now—choices that can serve them well their entire lives. There are so many others who have dedicated their time and efforts to make this program a success: Chef Ashley McGee – Culinary Instructor College of Culinary Arts Johnson & Wales University Chef D. Megan Lambert, RD, CHE, CB, CEPC- Senior Instructor, College of Culinary Arts Johnson & Wales University, Charlotte Campus Chef L. Shane’ Marshall – Student – Graduate of Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) Chef Indigo Harold – Graduate of CPCC & Personal Chef Chef Philip J. Lloyd CEC ACE - Chef/ Owner~Certified Chef’s Cuisine & Instructor at Art Institute of Charlotte Chef Kimberly Stoll, CEPC - Chef/Instructor Central Piedmont Community College I strongly encourage all of my fellow chefs to get involved in this or programs like it. Nothing feels more gratifying than knowing you possibly made a difference in a child’s life!
I
n 2015, ACFNC, through its Chefs Move to Schools program, partnered with The Green Teacher Network to help support its Grow the Plant (Schoolyard Garden Certification) initiative. The Green Teacher Network (GTN) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving the Carolinas Piedmont Region (Charlotte surrounding region) to advance academics, health and environmental sustainability through school gardens and outdoor learning. Grow the Plant (Schoolyard Garden Certification) is one of three initiatives on which the GTN focuses. It engages students by guiding them through planting and harvesting their own actual seasonal gardens and tasting dishes from the harvested produce. Chefs Move to Schools is proud to play a role in this gardening to tasting piece of GTN’s campaign by providing chef driven, tasty dishes for the students to experience. The Green Teacher Network, lead by Edna Chirico, is currently engaging with over 1200 teachers and informal educators supporting over 185 area schools through three strategic initiatives designed to grow engagement in school gardening, tasting and outdoor learning to a sustainable level of participation. For more information visit www.GTNCharlotte.org.
For more information on the ACFNC Chef Move to Schools program, please contact Wendy Dimitri, Executive Director, and ACFNC at wlwdimitri@gmail.com. Donations for the program can be made through ACFNC’s website: www.chefsofnc.org or by mail at ACFNC, P.O. Box 38841, Charlotte, NC 28278. Chef Jason “JayZ” Ziobrowski, CEC, is the Corporate Chef, Eastern Division for InHarvest Foods. Jay founded the 5 A Day the Color Way in Charlotte program in 2012, and has since grown the program to include areas outside of the Mecklenburg County region.
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FEATURE
CHEF & CHILD: TEACHING AT RISK YOUTH NUTRITIONAL VALUES
G
By: Don McMillan, CEC, AAC
iving back to children and community is the standard nature of the North Carolina chapter of the American Culinary Federation. The Chef & Child program started out very simply: our member chefs were continuously cooking for other charities and we decided to create our own. We saw a great void in the Triad
The purpose of the ACFNC Chef & Child Foundation is to teach nutrition to young children, but each region in North Carolina could have a different focus. The Triad region’s goal was to be more proactive, thus, as a group we decided our program would teach children, ages eight to 12, to cook.
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community for teaching at risk children and families healthy food choices and cooking basics. Thus, we created the ACFNC Chef & Child Foundation. The purpose of the ACFNC Chef & Child Foundation is to teach nutrition to young
children, but each region in North Carolina could have a different focus. The Triad region’s goal was to be more proactive, thus, as a group we decided our program would teach children, ages eight to 12, to cook. What began in 1991 through a partnership with the Cooperative Extension Services to cook one class, the program tripled in the first year and then spread to all 12 counties in the Triad region. It has since expanded throughout the state. ACFNC’s Chef & Child Program has not only expanded in its own right, but has also mushroomed into other programs:
FARM TO TABLE COOKING CLASSES Partnering with the area career center, under the Chef & Child program, families are being taught to cook with farm to table ingredients over a two day class. Thirty families (60 adults and children) cook together and learn about fresh ingredients and healthy cooking.
HEAD START COOKING CLASSES Based out of the local Head Start facility, fifteen families per month learn cooking
Stir-’n-Drop Oatmeal Cookies INGREDIENTS:
1 cup flour 1 cup brown sugar (packed) 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 cup plain oatmeal 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 2 tablespoons milk 1/2 teaspoon ginger 1 egg 3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
PREPAR ATION: Heat oven to 375°.
Lightly spray a baking sheet. tir first five ingredients (listed on the S left) together in a bowl. Add the brown sugar (packed) and oats. Mix in the oil, milk and egg. Stir in walnuts, if desired. rop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls D about 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Bake about 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
Yields: 2 dozen cookies
Further, the hugs I get from those enlightened children are what has kept me going with this program for the last 24 years! best practices. Any member of the family can participate in the classes being held during the school year, November –May. Most of the fundraising ACFNC conducts goes to help fund this and other programs like these within its Foundation. Without chef volunteers and monetary or product donations (or both), our families would not have these amazing learning opportunities available to them. When children are involved in the food choice and preparation process, they take ownership of their creation. Without question, this is the largest motivator in encouraging children to eat healthier. Further, the hugs I get from those enlightened children are what has kept me going with this program for the last 24 years! Chef Don McMillan, CEC, AAC, is a part of the Stocked Pot & Co. Cooking School and Simple Elegance Catering Company. Chef Don brings
a lifetime of experiences, stories, and travel to over 53 countries, amusing recollections, easy to follow instructions, and just pure fun to his cooking classes.
For more information on the ACFNC Chef & Child program, please contact Executive Director, Wendy Dimitri at wlwdimitri@gmail.com.
Donations for the program are accepted through ACFNC’s website: www.chefsofnc. org or by mail at ACFNC, P.O. Box 38841, Charlotte, NC 28278. The Chef & Child program is part of the ACFNC 501(c)(3) Education Foundation. All donations to the Foundation are tax deductible.
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How the Perfect Knife is just like the Best Chocolate you’ve Ever Had By Canada Cutlery Inc. (CCI)
For CCI, crafting the perfect knife is a lot like the process of making the best chocolate. As one of the main ingredients, it is essential to only get cocoa from the best trees found in the growing range of the Equator. The cocoa is brought to the factory where professionals run tests to ensure it meets or exceeds safety and quality standards. Then, computers and robotic systems transform the cocoa into one of the world’s most adored treats. As one of the largest sectors of the food industry, humans all over the world depend on chocolate for their livelihoods – to show love, perform rituals, cure sickness, bad moods, and much more! Now, how is this like creating the perfect knife? Just like in the process of making the finest chocolate, there are key ingredients required in the production of steel, a precise “recipe” to follow in manufacturing the knife and as a result, millions of people who depend on having the best quality product. The Key Ingredients It took decades of expensive research by large cutlery manufacturers to develop the right combination of alloys to produce the best grade of professional cutlery stainless steel that is used today. X50CrMoV15 is the ideal combination of high carbon stainless steel, containing the alloys, Chromium, Molybdenum and Vanadium. Just like farmers must grow top quality cocoa to make the best chocolate, it is crucial to use this very specific grade of steel to insure forging, tempering and o hardening to the ideal 57± 1 HRC can be achieved. o A Rockwell hardness of 57± 1 assures a high quality blade that needs very little maintenance to perform perfectly every time. These key ingredients are of utmost important because they will dictate the durability, strength and longevity of the blade, as well as resistance to rust and corrosion. The Special Recipe
The way in which the knife is forged and tempered is as important as the quality of the steel used. The hot drop hand forging process is the ultimate production method used to produce high quality cutlery. It combines the best of the old with the new. The old is the master cutler’s skill and expertise and the new is the latest in advanced steel processing technology. Master cutlers must hammer raw cutlery steel into the desired blade shape. This is just the beginning – the knife will go through many more different processes before it is finished. The forged blank is re-heated to red hot, and then hardened, tempered by re-heating and various other means such as ice tempering. Specialized techniques, like ice
tempering, creates a hardened blade that will help sustain its sharpness for prolonged periods and give the desired effect for easy re-sharpening. Blades are ground individually to refine the taper and produce the final form of the quillon/guard and bolster. The handle is attached and riveted with special compression rivets and the blade is ground to its final shape. Ground blades are then cleaned and dried ready for trademarks and logos. Final steps include sharpening, honing, cleaning and finally packaging. Does this sound like a complicated recipe? Well just like chocolate makers, today’s cutlery steel manufacturers have fully integrated operations, computerized processes and control procedures that enable them to yield the highest quality medical and cutlery grade steels. Some of these operations involve almost 100% hand work and the dedication and skill of a true craftsman able to blend his skills with modern technology. The Final Outcome To truly test the quality of a piece of chocolate, it is recommended to take a bite and really taste it. A chocolate confection can be very attractive to the eye yet disappoint in its taste and quality. Believe it or not, the same principle applies to knives (just without the tasting)! There are some professional looking knives in the market, which are in fact made from very poor quality steel and/or made using poor production techniques. These knives dull quickly, do not hold an edge and are not reliable in the long-term. For the professional chefs, the hobby chefs, food service workers and everyday cooks, a professional quality knife is something they depend on. The best professional quality knives will make their tasks easier, more productive and for the hobby chef, more fun!
CCI delivers the Perfect Knife Key ingredients and a special recipe are essential in order to create the best chocolate and the perfect knife. CCI can guarantee to deliver on all these levels. Crafted in Europe from the highest grade of German cutlery steel X50CrMoV15 steel used on ALL blades, from the smallest to the largest One piece hot drop forging by master cutlers in Europe Dependable customer service and experience CCI has been supplying professional quality knives and tools to professional chefs, the food service industry and culinary schools throughout North America for more than 60 years! Our years of working with professional chefs will enable us to help you make an informed decision regarding the purchase of the right professional kitchen knives and tools. Take the time to educate yourself before making a purchase. A high quality knife is an investment that should support your culinary passion and give you years of enjoyment and confidence! For more educational information, please visit our website at www.canadacutlery.com/education.asp.
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