Top Chefs Join Pork Board's Role of Honour
US - America's National Pork Board has five new culinary ambassadors for its Pork Checkoff and Pork: The Other White Meat® campaigns.
21 January 2008
3 minute read
The top chefs have been enlisted to NPB's Celebrated Chefs program, which now boasts a 50-plus membership of leading culinary experts.
"The Celebrated Chefs program, developed in 1996, is designed to keep pork at the forefront of the latest menu trends," says Larry Cizek, Director of Culinary and Niche Market Development. "This program connects some of the best chefs in the nation to pork, a top protein they are all passionate about."
The Celebrated Chefs program highlights pork's variety among chefs, food-service operators and distributors. Through industry speaking engagements, participation in operator workshops, cooking demonstrations and innovative menu development, Celebrated Chefs maintain a focus on pork as a customer-pleasing and profitable center-of-the-plate protein.
This years chefs were selected for their culinary excellence, creativity and originality of their pork menus and originate from both independent and chain restaurants.
They are:
"The Celebrated Chefs program, developed in 1996, is designed to keep pork at the forefront of the latest menu trends," says Larry Cizek, Director of Culinary and Niche Market Development. "This program connects some of the best chefs in the nation to pork, a top protein they are all passionate about."
The Celebrated Chefs program highlights pork's variety among chefs, food-service operators and distributors. Through industry speaking engagements, participation in operator workshops, cooking demonstrations and innovative menu development, Celebrated Chefs maintain a focus on pork as a customer-pleasing and profitable center-of-the-plate protein.
This years chefs were selected for their culinary excellence, creativity and originality of their pork menus and originate from both independent and chain restaurants.
They are:
- Mark Orfaly of Pigalle, Boston, Massachusetts
Named one of Food & Wine’s 10 Best New Chefs, Mark offers internationally influenced cuisine. - Debra Paquette of Zola, Nashville, Tennessee One of Gourmet magazine's 'Top Sixty Restaurants', Debra speci
alises in Southern European and New South cuisine. - Kent Rathbun of Abacus and Jasper’s, Dallas, Texas
A James Beard Award nominee, Kent introduced President George Bush's 19,000 Inauguration guests to authentic Texas cuisine. - Joseph Royer of Saturn Grill, Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
Twice winner of the National Taste of Elegance, Royer creates all menu items at Saturn Grill, from scratch. - Charlie Torgerson of Famous Dave’s, Rogers, Minnesota
Graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Torgerson owns and operates the Famous Dave’s franchisees in Minnesota and is principal of American Restaurant Consultants.
