Every year, chefs from leading foodservice and retail chains meet at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley to engage in some friendly competition and creativity with potatoes. This year, the USPB collected those ideas in a photo-gallery to help chefs in all foodservice channels spark their own creativity.
“Each time we host the Menu Innovation event, we’re so impressed by the creativity of our guest chefs,” said Kathleen Triou, USPB Vice President, Domestic Marketing. “We get to experience all these incredible potato dishes and want to share the inspiration with all the other great chefs cooking with US potatoes. We know chefs tend to be highly visual, and they’re often just looking for something to trigger a new idea for their operation. The Idea Gallery is exactly that, a quick click to spark an idea.”
The ideas photographed for the Idea Gallery were generated by 14 of the top minds in the industry, in fact, these fourteen professional chefs represented over 8,800 units and $3 billion in annual sales. The ideas demonstrate some of today’s hottest trends and are available to help any chef capitalize on the versatility and profitability of potatoes.
Why are potatoes the ideal ingredient? Because potatoes are far and away America’s favorite side dish (vs. rice and pasta) and provide a familiar, satisfying way for consumers to try something new. Their versatility and consumer appeal make potatoes ideal for cooking with new flavors and trends your customers crave. That’s one of the reasons why potato side dishes have increased 12% since 2006 – a testament to potatoes selling power on menus. They are economical, easy-to-use and well-loved, making them a profit powerhouse for creative chefs in all foodservice segments and day-parts.
Source: U.S. Potato Board
