Jan 13, 2015

Food Marketing Institute to Sponsor Live Competition at FMI Connect

 

JANUARY 13, 2015 – ARLINGTON, VA – Fifteen top grocery store chefs from around the country will compete to be named the Grand Champion of the 2015 Supermarket Chef Showdown during the annual FMI Connect conference in Chicago, June 8-11.  

 

“One of the most exciting areas in the supermarket today is the fresh prepared case,” said Rick Stein, vice president of fresh foods at the Food Marketing Institute. “FMI started this competition as a way to recognize the talented chefs who work behind the scenes there, and to let consumers know what terrific prepared foods they can purchase at their local stores, and at good values.”

 

Supermarket chains and their chefs have until February 28 to submit recipes to the Showdown in one or more of the following categories: Breakfast to Go; Holiday Party Platters; Ethnic Dishes; Affordable Family Meals; and Desserts. Professional recipe evaluators and testers will narrow the field of entries to three from each category. Those 15 chefs will win a trip to Chicago to prepare their winning recipes at the 2015 Showdown, to be held June 10 at McCormick Place.

 

The winning store chef will receive an expense-paid trip for two to the Italian Culinary Institute in Calabria, and five additional category winners will each receive a $1,000 cash prize. All finalists will win a trip to FMI Connect to take part in the competition.

 

 “We are pleased to offer classes at the Italian Culinary Institute to one of America’s top supermarket chefs,” said Stein. “This opportunity will expand the chef’s professional knowledge and further develop skills to inspire more and more creativity in the prepared foods case. Food shoppers will be the ultimate winners.”

 

Supermarket chefs or their corporate representatives can enter the 2015 Supermarket Chef Showdown at www.supermarketchefshowdown.com.

 

Winners of the 2014 Supermarket Chef Showdown include Rachael Perron, Kowalski's Markets; Keoni Chang, Foodland Super Market;  Andrew Kintigh, Hy-Vee, Inc;  Erin Horton, Orchard Fresh; and Michael Brady, FRESH by Brookshire's Grocery.

 

The FMI Supermarket Chef Showdown is made possible by sponsors, including McCormick & Company, Campbell Soup Company, The Hershey Company, Hillshire Brands Company, The J.M. Smucker Company, Mondelez International and The Pictsweet Company. Visit www.supermarketchefshowdown.com for complete rules and participation.