CHICAGO National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show. —More than 350 restaurant operators toasted, and sampled, their peers’ creativity at this year’s MenuMasters awards ceremony at the Drake Hotel here during the
MenuMasters, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, recognizes culinary innovation across the foodservice industry, from fast food to fine dining. —More than 350 restaurant operators toasted, and sampled, their peers’ creativity at this year’s MenuMasters awards ceremony at the Drake Hotel here during the
The program is sponsored by Ventura Foods. —More than 350 restaurant operators toasted, and sampled, their peers’ creativity at this year’s MenuMasters awards ceremony at the Drake Hotel here during the
Winning this year’s award for best single product rollout was Dunkin’ Donuts, based in Canton, Mass., for its Sausage Supreme Omelet Sandwich, which was dished up by the chain’s corporate chef, Stan Frankenthaler. —More than 350 restaurant operators toasted, and sampled, their peers’ creativity at this year’s MenuMasters awards ceremony at the Drake Hotel here during the
San Diego-based Jack in the Box’s Chipotle Chicken Ciabatta sandwich was named the best line extension, and MenuMasters attendees also declared it one of the hits of the party. —More than 350 restaurant operators toasted, and sampled, their peers’ creativity at this year’s MenuMasters awards ceremony at the Drake Hotel here during the
The award in the category of healthful innovation went to Chartwells School Dining Services. Staff members from the Rye Brook, N.Y.-based division of Compass Group dished up samples from their Balanced Choices menu, which has been made available to the 550 school districts where Chartwells operates. —More than 350 restaurant operators toasted, and sampled, their peers’ creativity at this year’s MenuMasters awards ceremony at the Drake Hotel here during the
Lines formed quickly at Golden Corral’s station, where Debra Olson, senior manager of recipe development for the Raleigh, N.C.-based buffet chain, and her colleagues were doling out plates of barbecue, one of the seven weekly specials offered in their limited-time offer, “Everyone Deserves a Good Meal, Every Day.” —More than 350 restaurant operators toasted, and sampled, their peers’ creativity at this year’s MenuMasters awards ceremony at the Drake Hotel here during the
Mark Miller, the chef involved in the revamp of Captain D’s Seafood Kitchen in Nashville, Tenn., passed out some of the chain’s new higher-end preparations. —More than 350 restaurant operators toasted, and sampled, their peers’ creativity at this year’s MenuMasters awards ceremony at the Drake Hotel here during the
Patrick O’Connell, chef-owner of The Inn at Little Washington in Washington, Va., which won this year’s independent operator award, carved rack of lamb served with tzatziki sauce. —More than 350 restaurant operators toasted, and sampled, their peers’ creativity at this year’s MenuMasters awards ceremony at the Drake Hotel here during the
Bert P. Cutino, chef-owner of The Sardine Factory in Monterey, Calif., who was inducted into the MenuMasters Hall of Fame, handed out calamari lollipops. —More than 350 restaurant operators toasted, and sampled, their peers’ creativity at this year’s MenuMasters awards ceremony at the Drake Hotel here during the
For dessert, attendees met with Clifford Pleau, culinary director of Seasons 52, a division of Darden Restaurants, based in Orlando, Fla. Pleau, who was honored as this year’s chef-innovator, passed out samplings of the chain’s “mini indulgences.” —More than 350 restaurant operators toasted, and sampled, their peers’ creativity at this year’s MenuMasters awards ceremony at the Drake Hotel here during the
The awards ceremony, led by Nation’s Restaurant News editor Ellen Koteff, included videos of the award winners that were produced specially for the event as well as presentations of the MenuMasters trophies. —More than 350 restaurant operators toasted, and sampled, their peers’ creativity at this year’s MenuMasters awards ceremony at the Drake Hotel here during the
In addition, NRN aired an anniversary video for Ventura Foods, celebrating 10 years of support from the company. —More than 350 restaurant operators toasted, and sampled, their peers’ creativity at this year’s MenuMasters awards ceremony at the Drake Hotel here during the
NRN and Ventura also presented a $10,000 check from the MenuMasters Scholarship Fund to Karen Schwarck, a student of The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. —More than 350 restaurant operators toasted, and sampled, their peers’ creativity at this year’s MenuMasters awards ceremony at the Drake Hotel here during the
The party continued late into the night after the awards ceremony. Festivities included the presentation to all attending operators of an original, limited-edition poster by Guy Buffet. The artist was in attendance to sign them. —More than 350 restaurant operators toasted, and sampled, their peers’ creativity at this year’s MenuMasters awards ceremony at the Drake Hotel here during the
2007 MenuMasters honorees HALL OF FAME: Bert P. Cutino —More than 350 restaurant operators toasted, and sampled, their peers’ creativity at this year’s MenuMasters awards ceremony at the Drake Hotel here during the CHEF/INNOVATOR: Clifford Pleau, Seasons 52 —More than 350 restaurant operators toasted, and sampled, their peers’ creativity at this year’s MenuMasters awards ceremony at the Drake Hotel here during the LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Golden Corral’s “Everyone Deserves a Good Meal, Every Day” —More than 350 restaurant operators toasted, and sampled, their peers’ creativity at this year’s MenuMasters awards ceremony at the Drake Hotel here during the MENU/LINE EXTENSION: Jack in the Box’s Chipotle Chicken Ciabatta —More than 350 restaurant operators toasted, and sampled, their peers’ creativity at this year’s MenuMasters awards ceremony at the Drake Hotel here during the SINGLE PRODUCT ROLLOUT: Dunkin’ Donuts’ Sausage Supreme Omelet Sandwich —More than 350 restaurant operators toasted, and sampled, their peers’ creativity at this year’s MenuMasters awards ceremony at the Drake Hotel here during the INDEPENDENT OPERATOR MENU: The Inn at Little Washington —More than 350 restaurant operators toasted, and sampled, their peers’ creativity at this year’s MenuMasters awards ceremony at the Drake Hotel here during the MENU REVAMP: Captain D’s Seafood Kitchen —More than 350 restaurant operators toasted, and sampled, their peers’ creativity at this year’s MenuMasters awards ceremony at the Drake Hotel here during the HEALTHFUL INNOVATIONS: Chartwells School Dining Services’ Balanced Choices program —More than 350 restaurant operators toasted, and sampled, their peers’ creativity at this year’s MenuMasters awards ceremony at the Drake Hotel here during the
