The California Walnuts team has been busy, recently wrapping up an exciting handful of foodservice events.
Crisscrossing the nation from California to New York, with stops in between, we’ve been hard at work sharing our passion for the Hardest Working Nut.
Healthy Menus R & D Collaborative
The Healthy Menus R & D Collaborative was hosted at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) at Greystone in January, where the California Walnut Board (CWB) led a walnut kitchen solution session highlighting the benefits and versatility of walnuts. As a corporate member, CWB’s goal was to present delicious, innovative and nutritious California walnut dishes to operators who collectively feed millions daily. Practical and non-proprietary health-conscious dishes with the potential to drive profits – and meet the needs of operators and diners – were demonstrated within the session. Attendees also enjoyed a guided tasting by CIA’s chef Rebecca Peizer and sampled a variety of walnut-inspired dishes throughout the weekend, including:
- Chewy Blueberry Walnut Bars
- Whole Wheat Honey Walnut Flatbread
- Walnut Cauliflower “Meat” Tacos
- Agave Candied Walnuts
- Toasted Walnut Fried Green Olives
California Walnut Workshop
The California Walnut Board recently launched the first annual California Walnut Workshop, a comprehensive corporate foodservice education program designed to showcase the many benefits of this versatile nut. The workshop was developed to provide useful, impactful information about CA walnuts that could be easily and effectively utilized by busy foodservice providers.
The California Walnuts team visited several select foodservice operators who are striving to pave the way to a more healthful society through the introduction of new and refreshed menu items. Operator management and culinary staff engaged in the team’s complimentary, customized presentation, executed in partnership with the California Walnut Board’s creative culinary partner, Chef Adam Moore from Charlie Baggs Inc.,
The presentations were carefully tailored to the individual restaurants’ cuisines, and explored innovative ways to incorporate the Hardest Working Nut into a variety of savory and sweet menu items. Concepts introduced by the CA Walnuts team ranged from vegetable-based proteins like California walnut “chorizo” to simple, no-cook pasta sauces, and spanned all menu day parts.
In addition, each individualized program included:
– Targeted sensory tastings and exercises
– An overview of California Walnuts’ distinctive nutritional profile
– An inside look into the California Walnut industry
Please contact enordee@ehy.com if you have any questions or would like your restaurant corporation to be considered for next year’s program.
Menus of Change
The California Walnuts team has barely unpacked its bags after having just returned from the recent 2015 Menus of Change Summit, which was held at the beautiful Hyde Park, NY campus of The Culinary Institute of America (CIA). The vibrant, educational event attracted more than 350 chefs, food and foodservice leaders, industry consultants, academic researchers, and environmental experts. “Plant-forward” eating was a focal issue discussed at this annual leadership summit, which explores the business of healthy, sustainable and delicious food choices and encourages year-round collaboration amongst attendees. High points of the event included a popular Plant-Forward Burger Bash, featuring the traditional burger concept rethought in a variety of inventive ways; as well as a number of inspirational presentations from leading chefs, foodservice professionals, and other thought-leaders representing public health, environment, and business strategy.
