NEWARK, DE & WASHINGTON, DC - With a direct impact on what lies on the consumer’s plate, chefs and foodservice operators play a vital role in amplifying fresh produce consumption. In honor of this effort, the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) will spotlight nine foodservice aficionados for their excellence in using fresh fruits and vegetables in the culinary arts.
“At IFPA, we want to recognize and elevate the work from these foodservice professionals as they apply creativity to their dishes and drive consumption,” said Joe Watson, IFPA Vice President for Foodservice. “That’s the purpose of the IFPA Produce Excellence in Foodservice Awards.”
As a press release explained, the awards program honors nine chefs and foodservice operators for their masterful use of fresh produce, rewarding winners with global recognition and a trip to IFPA’s Foodservice Conference on July 25–26 in Monterey, California.
Award candidates are nominated by their peers. Nominations opened this month on January 16 and will close on March 8.
“While it’s important to give these culinary masters the recognition they deserve, we also want to raise overall awareness of what’s possible when creativity is applied to produce in foodservice,” said Steve Grinstead, Chief Executive Officer of program sponsor FreshEdge. “That’s one reason it’s important to highlight these winners at The Foodservice Conference, the only event dedicated to produce in foodservice."
The association will recognize one chef/operator in each of the following categories:
- Business and industry
- Casual and family dining restaurants
- Colleges and universities
- Fine dining restaurants
- Hospitals and healthcare
- Hotel and resort
- K-12 Foodservice
- Supermarket and retail operators
- Quick-serve restaurants
“FreshEdge is proud to be a company of customer-obsessed distributors. That’s why we sponsor this prestigious award,” Grinstead added. “Working with our customers, we can see they are plating innovative, patron-appealing dishes that feature fresh produce. And that’s a win for everyone in the supply chain, and especially for consumers.”
“The produce supply chain knows who’s getting the job done in foodservice,” Watson concluded. “We encourage them to nominate the chefs or foodservice operators in those nine categories for this award.”
Best of luck to all who are nominated!
