Ending its nationwide search for the hottest new food trend, US Foods declared Chef Sean Frye’s savory jumbo shrimp and lump crab “hushpuppies” the winner of its Next Top Product contest. After a thrilling head-to-head cook off against two competing finalists, Chef Frye’s Cajun hushpuppies prevailed as the crowd favorite and received the highest score at the US Foods Fall Food Lovers Forum. As the winner, Chef Frye has the opportunity to have his recipe appear on menus nationwide when US Foods unveils the next Chef’s Line product in the spring, in addition to receiving $20,000 in cash and prizes.
“There’s no question that my customers at Shuck N Jive enjoy these hushpuppies every day,” said Chef Frye. “Now, US Foods has provided me with a way to share one of Richardson, Texas’ favorite recipes with diners across the country.”
The three finalists traveled to Chicago from all over the country to compete in the grand finale cook off. Chef Frye faced off against Chef Patrick Rene Schaefer’s grilled shrimp with rotolo di spinaci with nut brown butter and shaved parmesan and Chef Jill Santa Lucia’s mini bak cheesecake.
Launched in June, the Next Top Product contest sought out flavorful, innovative recipes from US Foods customers to add to its Chef’s Line product offerings. The contest received hundreds of submissions from customers across the country and after naming the top 30 recipes, US Foods put the fate of the contest into the hands of its fans. US Foods’ Facebook fans voted for their favorite recipes, and the chef with the highest number of votes in each category was chosen to compete in the final cook off.
“The Next Top Product contest has given us the opportunity to really connect with our customers,” said Pietro Satriano, chief merchandising officer, US Foods. “Chef Frye prepared an outstanding dish, and his recipe will be a great addition to the Chef’s Line products.”
Chef Frye has served as the executive chef at the Shuck N Jive since July of this year. As executive chef, he is charged with food and menu development. When creating his contest-winning recipe, he looked to create a new style of hushpuppy to complement the Shuck N Jive’s Cajun menu. Featuring a fresh crab, shrimp and cheese blend from US Foods, these hushpuppies will start to hit menus nationwide next spring.
To find out more about the US Foods Next Top Product contest and Chef’s Line products, visit: www.usfoods.com <http://www.usfoods.com> .
