MAY, named for the Roman goddess Maia, who oversaw the growth of the plants. Also from the Latin word maiores, "elders," who celebrated during this month.
Our Chef of the Month
Chef Gavin Kaysen

Chef Gavin Kaysen moved back to Minneapolis because he values community. After heading the kitchen at El Bizcocho in San Diego, competing in The Next Iron Chef, and serving as Executive Chef at Michelin-rated Cafe Boulud in Palm Beach, Toronto and New York, he decided to go all-in on his own concepts. The James Beard Award-winner sought to meld high-end French culinary techniques with seasonal Midwestern flavors. The results: Spoon and Stable and Bellecour. His restaurants have become go-to Twin Cities eateries (with a third, Demi, newly opened) borrowing storied gastronomical traditions combined with Gavin’s profound respect for individual ingredients. He was drawn back to Minneapolis and the Upper Midwest for its fleeting seasonality and soulful spirit. He’s battled in the culinary world’s most prestigious competitions, including Bocuse d’Or, won 2018 a James Beard Award was for Best Chef: Midwest and is a founding mentor of the nonprofit Ment’or BKB Foundation. After all that, he’s a passionate, down-to-earth guy who’s as comfortable competing for Top Chef as he is picking zucchinis in his backyard. .

Chef Gavin signature dishes.

Tortellini
Tortellini with stracchino cheese, crushed zucchini, and sauce arrabiata.
Pheasant
With Itasca county wild rice, black mission fig, ember-roasted rutabaga, and saba
Bellecour Burger
Double patty, Époisses and Fontina cheeses, braised red onion, Bibb lettuce, sauce Périgourdine
Porchetta
Porchetta, apple and fish sauce caramel, fennel salad
Grandma Dorothy's Chicken & Dumplings
Satsuma Creamsicle
Buttermilk cake, buttermilk foam, local citrus, vanilla meringue and satsuma sorbet.
Roasted white chocolate
Speculoos sauce, chocolate hazelnut parfait , salad of toasted hazelnuts , gianduja, and sugared brioche hazelnut ice cream and buttered brioche .
Marshmallow Fluff
Banana buttermilk cake, banana pudding , caramelize bananas , peanut butter powder , banana meringue , and nilla wafer ice cream .
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Chef Gavin in Action

Ways to Get Vitamin "D"

7 ways to reduce stress and keep blood pressure down

Food link to better brain power

Just as there is no magic pill to prevent cognitive decline, no single almighty brain food can ensure a sharp brain as you age. Nutritionists emphasize that the most important strategy is to follow a healthy dietary pattern that includes a lot of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. Try to get protein from plant sources and fish and choose healthy fats, such as olive oil or canola, rather than saturated fats.

Excerpts from “True North” by Bill George

Bill George thinks that most people struggle to understand the purpose of their leadership. What purpose will it serve? In order to find their purpose, leaders must first understand themselves and their passions. Typically some of you will take months, perhaps several years to determine what you want to do, as you gain valuable work place experience. Now for some of us it takes years to find the right place to devote our passions, the purpose and the source of our leadership. I urge you periodically to ask yourself; “what do I want out of my life?” If you continue to look inwardly, your ‘internal compass’ will point the way to the purpose for your leadership, the difference that you can make in the world, and the legacy that you leave based on your internal compass, your ‘true north’. You’re prepared to succeed, to take reasonable risks, to know the great enthusiasms and great devotions, and to commit yourself to a worthy cause. This is what Bill George called the fulfillment of leadership. You cannot find that fulfillment by observing leaders from the sidelines. He says that you must get in there, get your face marred by dust, sweat and blood. That is what life and leadership are all about.

Notes from a Purchasing Pro by Robert Dennerlein.

I am excited to post my first tip, on Purchasing for Profit. It is my desire that this information will assist the industry with practical wisdom and best practices.
Quality/Cost Control/Yields: For any operation to succeed it is important to provide customers with a consistent quality at a cost that allows profitability. Your distributor can assist with both quality and cost control. Request your distributor to do food cuttings and provide yield analysis, so you can determine the actual cost of product (EP vs AP). What matters is your EP, which can be 15% higher from one label to another. For example, a #10 can of diced tomatoes may contain 15% more tomatoes than a lesser AP/quality label. If the tomatoes of the higher label were 10% more expensive you have a 5% savings by utilizing the higher-grade product due to the yield or edible tomatoes.

 Robert Dennerlein, Robert is a Past President of the Las Vegas Branch many years ago, and has recently rejoined IFSEA.  Welcome back Robert and thank you for allowing us to publish this edited article.  

“The Beginning of Cooking as We Know It”
Taillevent (real name Guillaume Tirel, ca. 1312-1395) wrote the first cookbook (with some sections bearing a close resemblance to a book written before he was born). He is an inspiration to anyone in the cooking profession. He began at the bottom of the kitchen ladder as a spit roaster; endlessly turning the meats on the spit in front of an open fire. But he worked his way up quickly and was given a house, a tide, travel allowances, and a coat of arms—three little cooking pots. He ended his life as master cook to King Charles VI of France. .
Hot off the Press
The Aegean Group and UNLV, and Las Vegas Food Project, presented the 2nd "Turkish Culinary Competition "
Chef Noe Banuelos
Competition Judges
Chef Rick Moonen , Chef Michelle Vietmeier, Chef Luciano Pelegrin
Chef Oliver Brown
Chef Gonzalo Garzo
Chef Charles Bartlett
Chef Enrique Garcia
Chef Rudy Janeo with Celebrity Judge Rick Moonen
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The Nevada Restaurant Association is thrilled to announce the return of the Epicurean Affair at the Red Rock Resort, Casino & Spa May 12, 2022. Las Vegas’ finest restaurants, nightclubs and beverage purveyors will come together for this tasty event. This gourmet event featuring savory cuisine and succulent cocktails is set poolside for an elegant and fun evening. Join us for a night of divine indulgence.
Leading Changes and the Sense of Urgency to Adapt to Challenges
Ever-changing Landscape We all know that embracing new technologies is one of the best ways companies can create opportunities for more efficiency, especially as it relates to the Internet transformation. Creating an Internet-era Mindset in Your Organization Organize • Structures based on deliverables, not function Self-managing teams that take responsibility for their output. Provide •Access to information. Rewards based on team and individual performance. Education and development opportunities to assimilate the necessary personal organizational changes. Create• Stimulating development experiences for each employee. Off-line time to think. Exposure to challenging input about changes in other organizations and the environment. Convey• A of shared meaning. Authenticity and genuineness. Respect. Encourage • Innovation, creativity, and collaboration. Consultative practices. Personal and professional growth. Career opportunities and F challenges. Fun. Learn • To communicate and lead in a virtual environment. To make sense of the Internet-era possibilities and create a shared reality with colleagues, including an intentional workplace of shared agreements, understandings, and commitments.   .
Restaurants 21/22: The Year In Review + The Year To Come (by Zagat)

The movers, shakers, thinkers, makers, and innovators in this year’s stories are engaging with a restaurant industry radically changed by the pandemic. Last year’s pivots to delivery and outdoor dining have given way to major shifts in how the restaurant business talks about itself—from labor and compensation to kitchen culture, supply chains, pricing, and customer relations. Long-held assumptions are being re-examined and sometimes discarded in favor of ideas that would have been unthinkable just two years ago. And many people who work in hospitality are finding new strength and inspiration in reconnecting with community, service, passion, and purpose at the most personal level. As different as 2021 was from 2020 in the world of restaurants, 2022 promises no letup in the dizzying pace of change. Explore the Restaurants 21/22 storytellers below

Click here for more information

IFSEA
IFSEA news
I recommend to you a wonderful time saving tool created by- IFSEA Member, Executive Chef, F&B Director Lucio Arancibia – lnfoodsys is focused on inspiring and empowering Culinarians everywhere to exceed all challenges. They have tremendous resources at their disposal, but they face an acute scarcity in one critical area: TIME. The Recipe App will produce instant results, instead of riffling through complicated steps. One framework, one process. Full Story:

 Infoodsys Recipe App

A Kitchen Manifesto #1
RESPECT: All people are different – they bring their own set of baggage to work and to life. They may not agree with you or you may not agree with them but they deserve to be treated with respect as human beings. You can disagree, even disagree strongly, but they deserve the opportunity to look you in the eye and know that you do not feel superior because of that disagreement. Respect for the place where you work, those who own and operate the business and the physical property for which you are responsible is paramount. Just as is the case with the first paragraph – even though you may not agree with the actions of the business or those in charge – you should always respect that you work for them. You can disagree, take a stand, make your point, continue to have a unique opinion, but in the end – it is their business. If this violates your manifesto of beliefs and cannot be altered then look for another place to work – do not slip from your commitment to respect.By Culinarycuestblog.
Your Next Leadership Superpower
It’s easy, free, and requires no special equipment. Don’t underestimate the power of praise to motivate people. If done correctly, it builds social capital and even loyalty, so people will follow you even when things get tough. It may seem counterintuitive to tell an employee on a difficult day that they’re doing a great job. After all, when you’re alone at the top, no one offers such words to you. But as a leader you take the brunt of your team’s defensiveness, their worries, their insecurities, their annoyances.

TO ALL OUR MOMS, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY !!

"All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother." - Abraham Lincoln

Mothering Sunday ; In 16th-century England, a celebration called ‘Mothering Sunday” was inaugurated—a Sunday set aside for visiting one’s mother. The eldest son or daughter would bring a “mothering cake,” which would be cut and shared by the entire family. Family reunions were the order of the day, with sons and daughters assuming all household duties and preparing a special dinner in honor of their mother. Sometime during the day the mother would attend special church services with her family. .”

Food for Thought

The Impressive Health Benefits of MATCHA powder

Matcha is making its way onto the “superfood” scene, and if you’ve ever had Japanese green tea, you know exactly what it tastes like. Although the name may be unfamiliar, .•the ingredient isn’t. Matcha (pronounced MAH-cha) is made from dried green Tea leaves that are ground into a fine powder. Top-grade matcha comes from young, supple leaves and has a deep, slightly sweet flavor, like green tea, matcha offers a host of antioxidants-five times more than any other food, some claim-from L-theanine (which reduces anxiety and helps memory) to catechins (which have dancer-fighting properties). Unlike whole tea leaves, though, matcha is easy to blend into everything from smoothies to soups. Word to the wise: Watch out if you’re sensitive to caffeine. Because you’re eating the whole leaf, matcha contains higher levels of caffeine than green tea. .
The Culinary Institute of America expresses its deep appreciation for the Legacy Supporters of our 75th Anniversary.

We highly recommend this CIA site, please click on the image below.

Helping Hand

Your Business and your community can benefit from volunteers…taking your team out of the office to volunteer in the community.

For more related reading, please click here*

The Power of Repetition

Repetition has a bad reputation, We tend to think of it as dull and uninspiring. But this perception is titanically wrong. Repetition is the single most powerful lever we have to improve our skills, because it uses the built-in mechanism for making the wires of our brains faster and more accurate. Embracing repetition means changing your mind set; instead of viewing it as a chore, view it as your most powerful tool. As the martial artist and actor Brace Lee said, “I fear not the man who has practiced ten thousand kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick ten thousand times.’
A helpful sheet for accuracy in recipe costing/ click below
Hospitality doesn’t start at the restaurant, hotel or airline. It start at home. In everyday life. Because is all about being hospitable.

Click here for more info.

Cumulative 15 minute COVID-19 Exposure: What does it mean?

The CDC now defines close contact as somebody who has been within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24 hour period. If a person is a close contact, he or she must self-quarantine for 14 days from their last exposure to the positive person. All contacts should be tested for COVID-19, and a negative test results does not eliminate the 14 day quarantine period.    

provided by Aminta MArtinez – Food Safety and Nutrition Consultant

For more information click here

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

“If each of us hires people who are smaller than we are, we shall “become a company of dwarfs”. (David Ogilvy)
. .

Mediterranean- Healthy Diet !!
Considered one of the healthy diets in thee world, the Mediterranean way of eating cuts processed foods and red meats, focusing instead on fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, healthy whole grains and extra-virgin olive oil. Eating this way has been shown to reduce the risk for diabetes, high cholesterol, dementia, memory loss, depression and breast cancer and has been linked to stronger bones, a healthier heart and longer life.

WHAT’S COOKING TODAY?

Recipe provided by Chef Raymond Bar CEC-CCE-ACE

Twice baked Potatoes with ham

Yukon gold potatoes 2.5 lbs. Butter 5 oz. Egg yolk 4 ea. Diced Ham ¼’ 8 oz. Grated Parmesan cheese 2.5 oz. Grated gruyere cheese 3 oz. Sea salt as needed Ground pepper as needed Grated Nutmeg to taste Chopped Chervil 1 tbsp. Sliced green onions 1 tbsp.

Method

-Preheat the oven to 400F. 1- Lay the potatoes on a sheet pan and bake till soft all the way through, about 1 hour.. let cool for a few minutes, then cut in half, lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the flesh, leaving the skin intact. 2- Put the flesh into a bowl and mash with a fork, adding the butter, yolk, ham, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper a dash of the nutmeg. 3- Mix the chervil and parsley, stir well to make sure it is evenly combined. Lower the oven temperature to 350F. 4- Fill the allow potato skins with the flesh, smoothing the top of each with a spatula. 5- Arrange the potatoes into a baking dish and sprinkle with the gruyere. Bake for 20 minutes or So till the cheese has melted and has a golden brown color. Yield 4 portions/ portion size 12oz. / Calories per serving: 486.7 The Nutrition Facts for this Recipe was done utilizing the INFOODSYS Recipe App.


Enjoy it!! / any question, please send us an email at [email protected]
Think Positively (Leadership)
TRUE NORTH

Leaders can build accountability by spelling out what’s expected from employees in terms of results and behaviors, monitoring progress daily and applying positive and negative consequences based on outcomes, says S. Chris Edmonds. “Without consequences, clear agreements and monitoring do not ensure either results or respect,” he says.

LEADERSHIP IS NOT A POSITION OR A TITLE, IT IS ACTION AND EXAMPLE
Profiles in Leadership: J.W Marriott / Executive & Chairman of the Board of Marriott International . Below is Bill's "guideposts"
Were written on separate sheets of stationery. There were 15 of them. 1. Keep physically fit, mentally and spiritually strong. 2. Guard your habits-bad ones will destroy you. 3. Pray about every difficult problem. 4. Study and follow professional management principles. Apply them logically and practically to your organization. 5. 5. People are No. 1—their development, loyalty, interest, team spirit. Develop managers in every area. This is your prime responsibility. 6. 6. Decisions: Men grow making decisions and assuming responsibility for them. a. Make crystal clear what decision each manager is responsible for and what decisions you reserve for responsible b. Have all the facts and counsel necessary-then decide and stick to it. 7. Criticism: Don’t criticize people but make a fail appraisal of their qualifications with their supervisor only (or someone assigned to do this). Remember, anything you say about someone may (and usually does) get back to them. There are few secrets. 8. See the good in people and try to develop those qualities. 9. Inefficiency: If it cannot be overcome and an employee is obviously incapable of the job, find a job he can do. 10. Manage your time: a. Short conversations—to the point. b. Make every minute on the job count. c. Work fewer hours—some of us waste half our time. 11. Delegate and hold accountable for results. 12. Details: a. Let your staff take care of them b. Save your energy for planning, thinking, working with department heads, promoting new ideas. c. Don’t do anything someone else can do for you. 13. Ideas and competition: a. Ideas keep the business alive. b. Know what your competitors are doing and planning. c. Encourage all management to think about better ways and give suggestions on anything that will improve business. d. 1). Spend time and money on research and development. 14. Don’t try to do an employee’s job for him—counsel and suggest. 15. Think objectively and keep a sense of humor. Make business fun for you and others. , .
Click the image below to watch Leadership Guru, Chris Edmonds
ACF Culinary Corner

Form the American Culinary Federation, your chance to create spectacular dishes and contribute with inspirational new ideas.

Click below for more information:

The 2016 Menus of Change Annual Report was released at the fourth annual Menus of Change leadership summit on June 14. It includes an analysis of issues at the convergence of public health, the environment, and the business of food, plus and updated Dashboard of how the food and foodservice industries have progressed—or not—since last year’s report was issued.

The World Culinary Arts Video Series
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La Finestra: Trends Spotting

Just like fashion, food trends come and go in the blink of an eye. Every year, we see a rise in these fads that inevitably affect the way we eat and plan our meals. From superfoods to juice cleanses, the modern dining pattern has undeniably been influenced by the presence of a health-conscious effort, which we see continuing into 2020.

Learn more 2020 Food trends according Chefs

Perspective Theories of Leadership

If you’re feeling forgetful, it could be due to a lack of sleep or a number of other reasons, including genetics, level of physical activity and lifestyle and environmental factors. However, there’s no doubt that diet plays a major role in brain health.

The best menu for boosting memory and brain function encourages good blood flow to the brain — much like what you’d eat to nourish and protect your heart. Research found the Mediterranean Diet helps keep aging brains sharp, and a growing body of evidence links foods such as those in the Mediterranean diet with better cognitive function, memory and alertness

Learn more by visiting: Types of Foods to Help Boost Your Memory

Meeting the Demand for Safe, Natural Products

Lately, while shopping at my local grocery store, I have noticed the increasing number of food products marketed as organic or preservative-free. More and more, consumers are demanding green labels and ingredient lists they can understand. Yet food safety — preventing food spoilage and contamination from microbial pathogens — must remain a top priority for food producers. The food safety industry faces many challenges if it is to transition away from the use of refined chemicals toward more label-friendly preservatives.

By Suzanne Osborne, PhD
Wednesday, 30 April 2014

Kale is one of the cruciferous vegetables, cancer fighters full of fiber and antioxidants. great addition to salads or you can bake it with a spritz of extra virgin-olive oil and sea salt for a crispy potato chip alternative.

Hail to the Kale!!
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Late last year, we talked to dozens of chefs who predicted trends that ranged from family-style dining to tasting menus with non-alcoholic juice pairings. Of course, no one could have predicted the way 2022 played out.

Hungry for more, click below:

2022 food trends predictions

Nutrition, Eat Better

Salt, Consuming the right amount, Most Americans consume more sodium than is good for their health, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Learn more!

8 Tips For Avoiding Gluten Cross Contamination – PrimoHealthCoach

▪ Oils that have been used to deep fry battered foods will contaminate foods like French fries. Use separate oils, and ask the chef when dining out if the same oil is used for battered foods.

▪ Cutlery, utensils and potsand pans must be thoroughly cleaned before cooking gluten-free to avoid cross-contamination.

▪ Toasters and ovens that have been used for glutenous breads can contaminate gluten-free breads. At home try to keep two separate toasters.

▪ Grills and barbecues can easily cross-contaminate foods if not properly cleaned. Many sauces used to barbecue have gluten.

▪ Sifters used for both glutenous and gluten-free flours will cross-contaminate. At home if you use both types of flour, keep separate properly labeled sifters.

▪ Your mayonnaise, peanut butter jar, jams and jellies are easily contaminated when making sandwiches.

▪ Glutenous flours have a tendency to stay airborne for some time after use. Cooking in a kitchen shortly after preparing foods with glutenous flours is risky for the sensitive person. Because of this I find it very hard to believe that you can get a truly gluten-free pizza from a pizza restaurant that makes regular pizza as well.

▪ Any foods not prepared in a gluten-free facility, including your own home, runs the risk of getting cross-contaminated.

Goodness!!

Avocado oil; this silky fruit oil helps fight joint condition and promoted soft skin.

Click on the image below to enlarge
Categories: Food Safety

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