APUTO PREMIUM GOLD MOZZARELLA CHEESE SHOWCASED AT THE SAPUTO PIZZA COOK-OFF
Saputo Cheese USA Inc. held the Fourth Annual Saputo Pizza Cook-Off at The Culinary Institute of America Hyde Park campus on April 27, 2014. More than 25 students competed for a chance to win $1,750 in prizes by showcasing their pizza-making skills alongside CIA alumni and more than 500 attendees who watched the competition from the sideline.
All pizza cook-off contestants used only the highest quality, premium cheeses from Saputo; which included Saputo Premium Gold Mozzarella Cheese, Stella branded Italian hard cheeses, and other specialty cheeses from Saputo to develop their traditional pizza creations. CIA alumni and culinary judges selected winners based on the criteria of creativity, simplicity and taste.
“In four short years, the Pizza Cook-Off has become a signature student event at the CIA’s Hyde Park campus,” said Lee Ellen Hayes, CIA senior advancement officer for corporate relations. “Saputo Foodservice shares its enthusiasm and expertise with all the student teams and puts together an exciting and educational event.”
A total of six teams progressed to the final competition where judges tasted and critiqued signature recipes. The judges consisted of CIA alumni along with pizza and culinary experts. The winning team, Bombay Masala, took home $1,000 for its first prize pizza, featuring Saputo Premium Gold Mozzarella Cheese, Stella Parmesan Cheese and Stella Romano Cheese. Additional cash prizes were awarded to second and third place finalists.
The Pizza Cook-Off is not only a fun experience for students, it’s also an opportunity for Saputo and the CIA Hyde Park to educate students on industry trends. Saputo Premium Gold Mozzarella Cheese and Stella Parmesan Cheese are ideally suited to meet increasing diner demand for made-to-order pizza, which Mintel identifies as a 2014 foodservice trend among all U.S. operations that serve pizza. In fact, Mozzarella (79 percent), Parmesan (57 percent), and Pepperoni (55 percent) are the most popular toppings among consumers for pizza, according to the latest Culinary Visions Panel study with 500 consumers.
The Fifth Annual Saputo Foodservice Pizza Cook-Off will be held at the CIA in Hyde Park in the spring of 2015.
About Saputo
Saputo produces, markets, and distributes a wide array of dairy products of the utmost quality, including cheese, fluid milk, extended shelf-life milk and cream products, cultured products and dairy ingredients. Saputo is one of the top ten dairy processors in the world, the largest in Canada, the third largest in Argentina and among the top three cheese producers in the United States. Our products are sold in more than 40 countries under well-known brand names such as Saputo, Alexis de Portneuf, Armstrong, Baxter, Dairyland, Dragone, DuVillage 1860,Friendship, Frigo Cheese Heads, Great Midwest, King’s Choice, Kingsey, La Paulina, Milk2Go, Neilson, Nutrilait, Ricrem, Salemville, Stella and Treasure Cave. Saputo Inc. is a publicly traded company whose shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol “SAP.” For more information about Saputo Foodservice, please visit: www.saputousafoodservice.com
About The Culinary Institute of America
Founded in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America is an independent, not-for-profit college offering associate and bachelor’s degrees with majors in culinary arts, baking and pastry arts, and culinary science, as well as certificate programs in culinary arts and wine and beverage studies. As the world’s premier culinary college, the CIA provides thought leadership in the areas of health & wellness, sustainability, and world cuisines & cultures through research and conferences. The CIA has a network of 46,000 alumni that includes industry leaders such as Grant Achatz, Anthony Bourdain, Roy Choi, Cat Cora, Dan Coudreaut, Steve Ells, Johnny Iuzzini, Charlie Palmer, and Roy Yamaguchi. The CIA also offers courses for professionals and enthusiasts, as well as consulting services in support of innovation for the foodservice and hospitality industry. The college has campuses in Hyde Park, NY; St. Helena, CA; San Antonio, TX; and Singapore. For more information, visit www.ciachef.edu.
