KRAFT Partners with Morrison Senior Living to Create a One-of-a-Kind Culinary Competition
Morrison Food Fight, powered by PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, A.1. Steak Sauce and GREY POUPON Dijon Mustard, drew 100 chefs from across the country together to compete in a series of regional culinary competitions, vying for four spots to the finals in San Diego. Matthew Doman, executive chef from Pine Run Village, Morrison Senior Living, in Doylestown, PA, was crowned champion in front of a cheering audience of 400 at the inaugural national competition on March 19, 2014.
The competition created a great forum to highlight the talents of the Morrison Senior Living chefs. “We needed a partner who understood chefs and food and how a product can be used in more diverse ways than its original intention,” recalls Jonathan Reico, corporate executive chef, Morrison Senior Living. “To me, it was about finding the right partner to work with and create a unique experience. I knew that Kraft was adventurous enough to take on the challenge.”
Competing chefs relied on their taste for adventure by incorporating Kraft products into their recipes. “We were blown away by how all of the chefs featured PHILADELPHIA, A.1. and GREY POUPON products in unexpected and delicious ways,” said Kraft National Account Manager and event judge, Glenn Yates. Fellow judge and nationally acclaimed chef, guest judge on “Chopped” and restaurateur, Jet Tila agreed. “The dishes were all great, especially considering the level of complexity of the challenges. It was awesome!”
The road to the finals was intense. After the initial Food Fight competition, nine chefs moved through the regional contests to compete in the semi-final rounds. Two chefs each from the eastern and western semi-finals earned the right to compete in the national competition.
- Matthew Doman, Executive Chef at Pine Run Village in Doylestown, PA
- Amanda Coburn, Director of Dining Services at Taylor Community in Laconia, NH
- Travis Ringler, Executive Chef and Director of Dining Services at Maple Village in Bloomfield Hills, MI
- Robert Morton, Sous Chef at Eskaton Village in Carmichael, CA
“I felt honored to have the opportunity to compete with these incredible chefs,” said Amanda Coburn, director of dining services at Taylor Community. “The Morrison Food Fight was a great learning experience. It felt good to know I still had the skills to compete and reminded me how vital it is to stay energized and keep up with the ever changing foodservice industry.”
Each chef had the opportunity to visit three San Diego restaurants, where the local chefs prepared some of their favorite signature dishes. For the finals, the competing chefs were asked to prepare two dishes inspired by the local cuisine they were served the prior day, adding their own signature spin and at least one of the Kraft ingredients – PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, A.1. Steak Sauce or GREY POUPON Dijon Mustard. Throughout the competition, the energy and excitement soared as the audience cheered for their favorite chefs. The final dishes were judged on several key elements including flavor, appearance, skill level and creativity by a panel of judges, including:
- Jet Tila, Nationally Acclaimed Chef and Restaurateur
- Barry Miles, Kraft Senior Corporate Chef
- Glenn Yates, Kraft National Account Manager
- Kevin Svagdis, President, Morrison Senior Living
Chef Matthew Doman’s award-winning dishes utilized all of the featured Kraft ingredients:
BBQ Pork made with A.1. Steak Sauce and GREY POUPON Dijon Mustard served over a fresh corn compote made with Piquillo pepper, PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, heavy cream, Sriracha Sauce and fresh cilantro.
Lobster poached in butter with miso broth, white wine and lemon thickened with PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, heavy cream and lemon zest.
Sweet Napoleon featuring Tuilles layered with fresh strawberries and a mixture of PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, Mascarpone cheese, heavy cream, powdered sugar and a touch of GREY POUPON Dijon Mustard for a little bite!
Apple Cake made with PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, whipped until light, and blended with shredded Honeycrisp apples, chopped almonds, panko breadcrumbs, A.1. Steak Sauce and GREY POUPON Dijon Mustard for a savory umami taste.
“It meant everything to make it to the finals,” said Chef Doman. “There are a lot of talented chefs here competing on behalf of Morrison Senior Living. Everyone showcased a range of diverse flavors and the versatility of the Kraft ingredients. I knew that if I was going to win, I had to focus on contrasting flavors, textures and presentation. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to go to Chicago and work with Chef Barry Miles in the Kraft kitchens.”
Partnering with Kraft means more than bringing best-in-class products and brands to your kitchen, it means bringing a business partner to the table to support your individual goals and initiatives. For more information on Morrison Senior Living, please visit www.MorrisonSeniorLiving.com. Visit www.kraftfoodservice.com for the brands, products and service that only Kraft can deliver.
ABOUT KRAFT FOODS GROUP
Kraft Foods Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: KRFT) is one of North America’s largest consumer packaged food and beverage companies, with annual revenues of more than $18 billion. With the spirit of a startup and the soul of a powerhouse, Kraft has an unrivaled portfolio of products in the beverages, cheese, refrigerated meals and grocery categories. Its iconic brands include Kraft, Maxwell House, Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia, Planters, Velveeta, Capri Sun, JELL-O and Lunchables. Kraft’s 23,000 employees in the U.S. and Canada have a passion for making the foods and beverages people love. Kraft Foods Group is a member of the Standard & Poor’s 500 and the NASDAQ-100 indices. For more information, visit kraftfoodsgroup.com and facebook.com/kraft.
ABOUT KRAFT FOODSERVICE
Kraft Foodservice is a division of Kraft Foods Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: KRFT), one of North America’s largest consumer packaged food and beverage company. Kraft Foodservice provides a diverse portfolio of brands, marketing and sales expertise, and resources to the U.S. foodservice industry. Visit kraftfoodservice.com for more information.
ABOUT MORRISON SENIOR LIVING
Morrison Senior Living, a member of Compass Group, is the nation’s only company exclusively dedicated to providing food, nutrition and hospitality services to the senior living industry. Morrison has over 150 registered dietitians, 200 executive chefs, 400 hospitality associates and 7,000 professional food service team members. Actively committed to fostering ways to enjoy great-tasting, healthy food through socially responsible practices and superior customer service, the Atlanta-based company serves more than 450 senior living clients in 41 states, including some of the largest and most prominent senior living communities in the United States. Visit www.MorrisonSeniorLiving.com for more information.
