Putting produce first

When it comes to showcasing fresh produce, six chefs and foodservice professionals stand out.

Named as United Fresh 2012 Produce Excellence in Foodservice recipients, they were chosen for incorporating fresh produce into menu development, following best practices for storage and handling of produce, leadership in community service and special events, and recognition by their company and peers.

Salad bars
For Jessica Shelly, director of food services for the Cincinnati Public Schools, it’s been a fresh produce revolution as she and her staff have worked to implement a salad bar in all of the district’s 53 schools and introduce children to new fruits and vegetables.

Fresh-cut produce has been key to making the salad bars work.

“While (fresh cut) might cost more, you can actually do it in a way that when your participation increases, it counteracts the cost,” she said. “And my salad bars, I’ve actually been able to reduce my food waste and reduce my labor cost. Part of that is by using value- added items.

“All of the items come in prewashed and precut.”

By purchasing fresh-cut lettuces, broccoli, cucumbers, radishes, cauliflower and green pepper strips, for example, “all my employees do is open the bag it comes in, put it into the quarter pan and put it on the salad bar,” she said.

“I might be paying a little more for value-added, but I’m saving labor in my employees not having to chop, cut, prepare. It’s also worth it to know I’m getting a product that is triple washed, and has already been inspected for quality.

“The value-added items have been an absolute must for us on our salad bars.”

Chefs get schooled
At the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Ill., Chef David Kramer said students in the Culinary and Hospitality program there spend a lot of time learning about fresh produce from day one. Instruction focuses as much on introducing students to types of produce they may not have known previously as it does on the proper care, handling and inspection of produce.

“Students are coming in just more aware of what produce is, what things are called, what they might be used for and understanding the nutritional value of some of these items,” said Kramer, who’s been teaching at the college for 11 years. “It’s exciting to see that. They’re more conscious of what they’re eating.”

Fresh counts
The Jersey Mike’s Subs chain based in Manasquan, N.J., cuts all of its produce fresh,every day, at each site. And the company is very particular about how that’s done, said Senior Vice President and Director of Jersey Mike’s Franchise Systems John Hughes.

“We slice our own lettuce every day, a couple of times a day,” he said. “We slice our own onions.”

Tomatoes are sorted daily and graded. Those that aren’t ready for prime time are set aside to ripen in house.

“We always say, ‘Don’t slice a tomato until it’s time,'” Hughes said. “A lot of people who buy into the brand, at first, kind of find it a little funny thatwe’re so passionate about the tomatoes, but we just really feel that we’re a premium brand and that everything is done fresh.”

Fine dining
Christophe Depuichaffray, area executive chef for the InterContinental Mark Hopkins and Hotel InterContinental San Francisco in San Francisco, said fresh produce is integral to his menus, too.

“I like to have the freshest,” he said, noting that he sources fresh, locally grown vegetables when he can. “I cook them in different ways. You can make them confit, roast them, poach them, marinate them – different ways to get their flavor.”

Herbs and other seasonings are meant to enhance – not dominate, Depuichaffray said.

“I want to keep the taste of the vegetables,” he said.

All of the award recipients were to participate in a panel discussion, “Top Chefs! Produce Excellence in Foodservice Award Winners,” held during United Fresh 2012 in Dallas May 1-3. The event was videotaped and available for viewing at www.UnitedFresh.TV.

                                                                                                         –Kathy Gibbons, Editorial Director

Pictured, at top: Jessica Shelly sits down to lunch with students in the Cincinnati Public Schools. Photo: Cincinnati Public Schools.

Pictured, center: Chef David Kramer works with students at the College of DuPage. Photo: College of DuPage.

Pictured, bottom: Area Executive Chef Christophe Depuichaffray of the InterContinental Mark Hopkins and Hotel InterContinental San Francisco. Photo: InterContinental Hotels of San Francisco.