Chef training puts U.S. fresh potatoes on oversea menus

Farm and Ranch Report March 2, 2011 This past fall the U.S. Potato Board held its third international chef training program for table-stock potatoes. The Potato Board’s Sarah Mahler says 23 chefs from Malaysia and Singapore attended the two-day seminar held in Singapore.

Mahler: “The seminar included presentations from U.S. and international experts, demonstrations from chef instructors and included hands-on cooking workshops. The presentations provided information about the U.S. potato industry, U.S. potato varieties, consumer research and nutrition, and included current food trends and proper storage and handling. The chefs used U.S. table-stock potatoes during the seminar to create Asian and Asian cuisine dishes.”

Mahler says since the Potato Board implemented these seminars they have seen U.S. potato items increase steadily on menus of participating restaurants.

Mahler: “Actually the last three years that we have been doing the chef seminar we have had 85 chefs attend the seminar and we see 83 new menu items introduced in restaurants.”

And Mahler says that’s the bottom line goal of the seminars.

Mahler: “To encourage them to use these new menu ideas in their restaurants to increase U.S. table-stock potato sales.”

That’s the U.S. Potato Update. Brought to you by the United States Potato Board, maximizing return on grower investment. I’m Bob Hoff for Northwest Aginfo Net.