At the 9th-annual CAFÉ Leadership Conference, four educators earned recognition and professional development for unleashing creativity in the culinary classroom.

The Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) recognized four educators in the 2013 CAFÉ-Idaho Potato Commission Innovation Awards at the 9^th-annual Leadership Conference of the Center for the Advancement of Foodservice Education (CAFÉ) in Miami, Fla., in June.

“From making farm-to-table a reality to harnessing technology as a teaching tool, thinking ‘outside the box’ leads to new ways of learning, greater understanding of fundamentals, and breakthroughs in process and application,” says Don Odiorne, IPC vice president-foodservice. “The Idaho Potato Commission is proud to support these extraordinary educators.”

Two educators from Johnson & Wales University’s College of Culinary Arts, North Miami campus, received the top award. Dr. Colin Roche, CEC, CCE, CHE, FMP, department chair and assistant professor, and Bruce Ozga, CEC, CCE, CHE, dean of culinary education, won with the Edible Landscape Project. The first phase of the project, which launched in 2010, replaced existing campus landscaping with various edible plants and spice and fruit trees such as cinnamon, mango, banana and citrus. Phase two, to launch this autumn, will erect a community greenhouse and garden. The project not only exposes culinary students to foods in their natural forms, but also supports the growing global farm-to-fork movement.

Two students’ winning dishes featuring Mexican avocado were enjoyed by attendees of CAFÉ’s 9^th-annual Leadership Conference.

Mexico is the leading source of fresh avocados in the United States. To celebrate the versatility and goodness of Mexican avocados in foodservice, Avocados From Mexico (AFM) hosted a recipe competition among students enrolled in the two schools that served as sites for CAFÉ’s 2013 Leadership Conference in Miami, Fla., in June: Johnson & Wales University, N. Miami campus, and Miami Culinary Institute at Miami Dade College.

Dilia Capuzzo, representing Miami Culinary Institute, won with her Avocado Crème Brûlée. Her goal was to create something tropical, summery and cool to say “Miami.”

Ruben Santa-Robles, representing Johnson & Wales University, wowed judges with his Mediterranean Avocado Flatbread, which paired creamy avocado with the complementary tastes of salt from prosciutto and brine from capers.

Both dishes were served at the welcome reception on June 20, eliciting delight from conference guests. (Recipes with accompanying photos may be downloaded using the links below.)

AFM is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association (MHAIA), formed for the purpose of advertising, promotion, public relations and research for all stakeholders of avocados from Mexico. Under agreements, MHAIA and the Mexican Avocado Producers & Packers (APEAM A.C.) have combined resources to fund and manage AFM, with the intent to provide a focused, highly effective and efficient marketing program in the United States. AFM is headquartered in Denver.

Photo:Students Dilia Capuzzo from Miami Culinary Institute and Ruben Santa-Robles from Johnson & Wales University won the recipe contest sponsored by Avocados From Mexico at CAFÉ’s 9^th-annual Leadership Conference in Miami, Fla., June 20-22.

DOWNLOAD, Avocado Crème Brûlée

DOWNLOAD, Mediterranean Avocado Flatbread

At the inaugural Menus of Change™ summit co-presented by the CIA in June, experts in foodservice, health science and social change presented information on topics relevant to what today’s health- and environmentally conscious consumers expect from corporations, foodservice operators and business leaders.

Attendees at the inaugural Menus of Change™ leadership summit, which opened June 10 in Cambridge, Mass., are examining the future of food and the challenges facing our country in terms of health, healthcare and our food systems.

Co-presented by The Culinary Institute of America and Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), Department of Nutrition, the Menus of Change program and accompanying annual report (www.menusofchange.org) provide a “GPS” for today's foodservice executives at a time when the food industry is being reshaped by concerns about obesity and healthcare costs, how food is produced and sourced, and declining global resources.

“It has been exciting to see the leaders from different sectors—foodservice, the environment, nutrition science and business—interact with such drive and commitment,” says Dr. Tim Ryan, CMC, president of the CIA. “Menus of Change is helping them find common ground at the intersection of some of the most pervasive issues that face our industry and our world, and we are setting a meaningful course of action toward solutions.”

Emmi Roth USA announces winners of the Grand Cru® Recipe Contest for culinary students, held in conjunction with CAFÉ.

Emmi Roth USA, a leading provider of specialty cheeses based in Monroe, Wis., recently announced the winner of its Grand Cru® Recipe Contest for Postsecondary Culinary Students. The contest, presented in conjunction with CAFÉ, challenged culinary students to create a unique and flavorful recipe highlighting Roth Grand Cru, a classic Alpine-style cheese.

Alex Hartfelder, 21, of Brentwood, Tenn., submitted the winning recipe—Grand Cru Pistachio Crisps with Spicy Red Pepper Jelly (pictured). As a second-year student at Nashville State Community College, he has been cooking since age 10. Hartfelder will soon realize one of his longtime culinary dreams and use the $1,000 prize money for travel to an internship in Italy. 

The winning recipe was inspired by his father’s favorite holiday cheese straws, which Hartfelder traditionally prepares using cheddar and walnuts. After sampling Grand Cru, the smoothness and earthiness of the cheese inspired him to re-conceptualize his cheese-straw recipe as a savory cracker with Grand Cru and pistachios, rounded out with homemade pepper jelly. Emmi Roth USA judges were impressed with the sophisticated combination of sweet, savory and spicy flavors, praising the buttery texture and the Grand Cru flavor that comes through in the cracker.

In 2013, bright flavors, “free from,” healthier horizons and the “new” convenience took center stage at the biggest foodservice tradeshow in the nation, held in Chicago in May. And are advances in ordering technology taking the “personal” out of service?

Courtesy of Olson Communications

The recent National Restaurant Association (NRA) Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show in May, like every year, provided a lot to be excited about. The show brings together operators across all segments of the industry. While talk among attendees focused on a number of the events away from McCormick Place, the NRA Show exhibit hall still delivered the latest products, flavors, equipment and technological advances.

The show featured several themes that are evident of the industry’s issues, challenges and trends. These themes could be found throughout the show floor and included healthy eating, beverages and flavor bursts.

Healthful and Uncomplicated Flavor
Complex, yet uncomplicated, was the flavor theme common to many new products. Preparations seen at the show in culinary demonstrations and around trendy Chicago restaurants that were a hit during the show featured simple ingredients, nothing fussy or overdone.