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Bret Thorn
NEWPORT R.I. —Chefs from fine-dining restaurants, fast-casual chains and everything in between gathered here to network and discuss trends in American regional cuisine at this year’s Global Culinary Expedition, sponsored by Smithfield Foods and managed and produced by Nation’s Restaurant News.
Kicking off the program, Maeve Webster of Datassential gave an overview of how the United States’ regional cuisines developed and what’s happening to them now. —Chefs from fine-dining restaurants, fast-casual chains and everything in between gathered here to network and discuss trends in American regional cuisine at this year’s Global Culinary Expedition, sponsored by Smithfield Foods and managed and produced by Nation’s Restaurant News.
Starting with the event’s host region, New England, Webster discussed how native ingredients dating back to colonial times, such as potatoes, cranberries, maple syrup, corn and squash continue to be used in the cuisine, along with an abundance of seafood augmented by pork, chicken, beef and dairy products. Spices with hearty flavors suitable for the cold climate, such as cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, also are important, she said. —Chefs from fine-dining restaurants, fast-casual chains and everything in between gathered here to network and discuss trends in American regional cuisine at this year’s Global Culinary Expedition, sponsored by Smithfield Foods and managed and produced by Nation’s Restaurant News.
She said chowder, a New England staple, is now the most popular type of soup on independent-restaurant menus nationwide and added that more than two-thirds of those are the classic clam chowder. —Chefs from fine-dining restaurants, fast-casual chains and everything in between gathered here to network and discuss trends in American regional cuisine at this year’s Global Culinary Expedition, sponsored by Smithfield Foods and managed and produced by Nation’s Restaurant News.
Maple, too, is one of the fastest growing flavors on menus, out-paced over the past three years only by chipotle. —Chefs from fine-dining restaurants, fast-casual chains and everything in between gathered here to network and discuss trends in American regional cuisine at this year’s Global Culinary Expedition, sponsored by Smithfield Foods and managed and produced by Nation’s Restaurant News.
Webster said the Midwest, having been settled in part by people seeking religious freedom, draws a fair amount of culinary influence from church dinners, at which many people must be served food that keeps well, resulting in the prevalence of macaroni and cheese, coleslaw and various casseroles. Cheeses and sausages from Central European settlers also had a strong influence, as does the abundance of beef and pork. While large, substantial meals tend to hold sway over spicy ones, she said, one Midwestern city, Kansas City, Mo., is known for its barbecue and the tomato-based sweet and spicy sauce that accompanies it. —Chefs from fine-dining restaurants, fast-casual chains and everything in between gathered here to network and discuss trends in American regional cuisine at this year’s Global Culinary Expedition, sponsored by Smithfield Foods and managed and produced by Nation’s Restaurant News.
She also said the region’s traditional meat-and-potatoes culture now is being challenged by some of the country’s most avant-garde chefs, particularly at such Chicago restaurants as Alinea and Moto. —Chefs from fine-dining restaurants, fast-casual chains and everything in between gathered here to network and discuss trends in American regional cuisine at this year’s Global Culinary Expedition, sponsored by Smithfield Foods and managed and produced by Nation’s Restaurant News.
Moving to the South, Webster said that area showed the most influence of any American region from Africans, who were brought in to work as slaves, although French-Canadian settlers shaped the distinctive Cajun culture of southern Louisiana. Pork and chicken are the most popular proteins in the region, she said, although shellfish also has an important role. —Chefs from fine-dining restaurants, fast-casual chains and everything in between gathered here to network and discuss trends in American regional cuisine at this year’s Global Culinary Expedition, sponsored by Smithfield Foods and managed and produced by Nation’s Restaurant News.
The South obviously is the barbecue heartland, and it varies from Texas brisket and ribs to Carolina pulled pork. —Chefs from fine-dining restaurants, fast-casual chains and everything in between gathered here to network and discuss trends in American regional cuisine at this year’s Global Culinary Expedition, sponsored by Smithfield Foods and managed and produced by Nation’s Restaurant News.
The Southwest’s influence includes Mexican, Spanish and Native American cuisines, with much use of corn, beans and chiles, augmented by tomatoes, onions, cumin and cilantro. The lack of a coast, except in eastern Texas, led to heavy use of beef, pork and chicken, and less of seafood. Southwestern cuisine enjoys wide popularity across the country, she said. —Chefs from fine-dining restaurants, fast-casual chains and everything in between gathered here to network and discuss trends in American regional cuisine at this year’s Global Culinary Expedition, sponsored by Smithfield Foods and managed and produced by Nation’s Restaurant News.
Finally, California displays influence from Asia as well as an overall lighter cuisine that Webster said came from an abundance of produce. Californian influence can be seen nationwide, she said, particularly with the growth in popularity across the country of sushi and the rapid growth over the past three years of fish tacos. —Chefs from fine-dining restaurants, fast-casual chains and everything in between gathered here to network and discuss trends in American regional cuisine at this year’s Global Culinary Expedition, sponsored by Smithfield Foods and managed and produced by Nation’s Restaurant News.
Webster’s presentation was followed by a discussion, with audience participation, by Gregory Atkinson, corporate chef for the Organic to Go chain, and Anthony D’Onofrio, a sustainable-business consultant, about opportunities for chain restaurants to use fresh, organic and regional ingredients. —Chefs from fine-dining restaurants, fast-casual chains and everything in between gathered here to network and discuss trends in American regional cuisine at this year’s Global Culinary Expedition, sponsored by Smithfield Foods and managed and produced by Nation’s Restaurant News.
The chain operators agreed that consistency was a big issue for many of those products. Yet D’Onofrio pointed out that sustainability did not need to be regarded as an either-or proposition—although it might be impossible to be 100-percent sustainable, it is possible to move in the direction of more sustainability. —Chefs from fine-dining restaurants, fast-casual chains and everything in between gathered here to network and discuss trends in American regional cuisine at this year’s Global Culinary Expedition, sponsored by Smithfield Foods and managed and produced by Nation’s Restaurant News.
After a night of visiting local Newport establishments, attendees were taken to the Johnson & Wales University campus in Providence for a morning of cooking demonstrations followed by an afternoon of cooking on their own. —Chefs from fine-dining restaurants, fast-casual chains and everything in between gathered here to network and discuss trends in American regional cuisine at this year’s Global Culinary Expedition, sponsored by Smithfield Foods and managed and produced by Nation’s Restaurant News.
James Beard Award-winning chef Celina Tio, formerly of American Restaurant in Kansas City, represented the Midwest with her cooking demonstration, while Alma Alcocer-Thomas of Jeffrey’s in Austin, Texas, represented the Southwest. —Chefs from fine-dining restaurants, fast-casual chains and everything in between gathered here to network and discuss trends in American regional cuisine at this year’s Global Culinary Expedition, sponsored by Smithfield Foods and managed and produced by Nation’s Restaurant News.
Creole cuisine was highlighted the following day with a demonstration by Darin Nesbit of Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House and The Palace Café in New Orleans. —Chefs from fine-dining restaurants, fast-casual chains and everything in between gathered here to network and discuss trends in American regional cuisine at this year’s Global Culinary Expedition, sponsored by Smithfield Foods and managed and produced by Nation’s Restaurant News.
But the centerpiece of the conference was an afternoon of chefs cooking together with Smithfield products. —Chefs from fine-dining restaurants, fast-casual chains and everything in between gathered here to network and discuss trends in American regional cuisine at this year’s Global Culinary Expedition, sponsored by Smithfield Foods and managed and produced by Nation’s Restaurant News.
Scott Taylor of Beef ‘O’ Brady’s, Scott Rabedeau of Maggiano’s and Frank Dominguez of Farmland Foods came up with roasted-corn, poblano and candied-bacon chowder; an inside-out tamale with grilled-fruit pico de gallo and anchochile paste; and Cuban, barbecue and tenderloin sliders. —Chefs from fine-dining restaurants, fast-casual chains and everything in between gathered here to network and discuss trends in American regional cuisine at this year’s Global Culinary Expedition, sponsored by Smithfield Foods and managed and produced by Nation’s Restaurant News.
Lupe Barrera of Boston Pizza International, Paul Mullen of Dunkin’ Brands, Jay Miller of IHOP and Roberta Lawson of Farmland Foods made a fall harvest salad with fried sweet-potato croutons, pork medallions over lemon rice, and stuffed mushrooms with crispy carnitas. —Chefs from fine-dining restaurants, fast-casual chains and everything in between gathered here to network and discuss trends in American regional cuisine at this year’s Global Culinary Expedition, sponsored by Smithfield Foods and managed and produced by Nation’s Restaurant News.
Alcocer-Thomas of Jeffrey’s, Josie Perez of Jack in the Box, Atkinson of Organic to Go and Susan Handke-Greiner of Harry’s Fresh Foods cooked macadamia turkey spring rolls with pomegranate sauce, a salsa verde pork tostada with mango guacamole, and herb-roasted rack of pork with gingered winter squash and braised greens. —Chefs from fine-dining restaurants, fast-casual chains and everything in between gathered here to network and discuss trends in American regional cuisine at this year’s Global Culinary Expedition, sponsored by Smithfield Foods and managed and produced by Nation’s Restaurant News.
Chef Tio teamed up with Stig Hansen of Petro Truckstop and TC of America, John Vogelmeier of Select Hotels Group, and Heidi Whalen of Dunkin’ Brands to make a roasted-corn-and-grits cake over arugula, pork and blue cheese ravioli, and black-and-tan-braised ribs with autumn hash. —Chefs from fine-dining restaurants, fast-casual chains and everything in between gathered here to network and discuss trends in American regional cuisine at this year’s Global Culinary Expedition, sponsored by Smithfield Foods and managed and produced by Nation’s Restaurant News.
