McCain Foods Launches Culinary Competition

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OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill. — McCain Foods has announced a one-of-a-kind culinary competition challenging four chefs from across North American to an EPIC Throwdown culminating at the 2023 National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show in May.

For four consecutive weeks, four operator chefs will battle each week to create mouth-watering menu concepts featuring award-winning McCain Mini Mashers potato bites. Three highly experienced judges will select one chef’s dish to win that week’s themed battle. With a crispy outside and delectable creamy inside, these bite-sized products are a versatile potato option for restaurant operators. The variety of applications will showcase the customizability of the product and how operators can serve the potato bites as apps or entrees. The four themes are: global appetizer, entrée, comfort food appetizer and out-of-the-box appetizer.

The chefs with the winning concepts from each week will compete in a final EPIC Throwdown during the NRA Show in Chicago. Competitors include Brian Jupiter from Frontier in Chicago; Spike Mendelsohn from PLNT Burger in Washington, D.C.; Jen Carroll from Spice Finch in Philadelphia; and Victor Jacinto from Courtside in Vancouver.

“Innovation inspires everything McCain does – from research to new product development to marketing. This dedication to innovation ensures that every product developed is the result of new thinking, invention and improvement,” says Tracy Hostetler, VP, head of North American Potato Marketing at McCain Foods. “The goal of this competition is to show off the product’s versatility and demonstrate the wide array of culinary creations that can be brought to life using the same signature product.”

“McCain Mini Mashers potato bites may be small, but they’re a pretty big deal for restaurant operators, which is why the National Restaurant Association Show is the perfect place to host the final EPIC Throwdown showdown,” says chef Mark Slutzky, director of Culinary at McCain Foods. “Customizable with minimal prep, they provide a canvas for culinary creativity, streamline back-of-house prep and make it easy for restaurant operators to create signature dishes that keep their customers coming back for more.”

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