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Re s ta u ra n t D a i l y N e ws S u n d a y, M a y 1 8 , 2 0 1 4 4 6 VIDALIA ONION COMMITTEE CELEBRATES THE SEASON WITH 'V FOR VIDALIA' CAMPAIGN Vidalia onions are back in season, and harvest officially kicked off on April 21, 2014. The original sweet onion will cele- brate its retail debut with the new "V is for Vidalia" campaign that is going digi- tal with increased social media efforts including a coupon and national food blogger contest on Facebook. First discovered in the 1930s, Vidalia onions are the pioneer of sweet onions and Georgia's official state veg- etable. Over the years, they have grown into a leading consumer brand bringing in around $140-million farm gate value to the state's economy annually and research reveals that over 90 percent of consumers are familiar with the Vidalia onion brand. "Vidalia onions remain the most recognized onion brand in the market and we're excited to continue to share the message about the original sweet onion with the "V is for Vidalia" cam- paign," remarked Susan Waters, Executive Director of the Vidalia Onion Committee. "Whether they are grilled, caramelized, sautéed or simply sliced raw, we want to remind con- sumers of the versatility and premium sweet flavor of Vidalia onions – not to mention that they are only grown in Georgia and available in the spring and summer months." To launch the promotion and kick off the season in style, the Vidalia Onion Committee hosted a field tour for food bloggers and media on April 25-26, 2014. The field tour coincided with the 37th annual Vidalia Onion Festival; and allowed participants a behind the scenes look at the Vidalia onion industry, as well as provided one-on-one conversations with onion farmers. The bloggers shared their experience in real-time and con- sumers were able to follow along on social media at Facebook.com/VidaliaOnions, Twitter at #VisforVidalia and Instagram.com/vidaliaonioncommittee#. "We were excited to invite food bloggers and media from around the country to tour the Vidalia onion fields and packaging facilities at the beginning of our season. Education is a powerful tool, and sharing the entire farm to fork experience gave these individuals a real sense of how and where Vidalia onions are grown, and what makes them spe- cial," said Kevin Hendrix Chairman of the Board of Directors for the VOC. With a changing media marketplace, the Vidalia Onion Committee isn't stop- ping at the field tour as the only social experience. Waters commented, "The peer to peer influence of social media is a dynamic environment for sharing recipes, tips and savings with consumers all season long." To that end, The Vidalia Onion Committee is also engaging food bloggers with the "V Culinary Challenge." Starting April 21 through June 10, bloggers will be invited to submit their own recipes online at Facebook.com/VidaliaOnions and start- ing May 1 through August 4, consumers will be invited to vote for their favorites. The grand prize winner will receive a cash prize of $2,500 and their bio, blog and recipe will be featured on the VOC's web site. Two runner-up winners will each receive a cash prize of $500. To reward consumers who frequent the Vidalia Onion Facebook page, the VOC will be featuring a coupon for $.50 off five pounds or more of bagged or bulk Vidalia onions. During the month of May, the committee will host a weekly trivia contest on Facebook and con- sumers will have the opportunity to win a basket of Vidalia onions along with other items. For more information, visit Facebook.om/VidaliaOnions. For recipes and tips, visit VidaliaOnion.org. TYSON FOODS PARTNERS WITH AMERICAN CULINARY FEDERATION EDUCATION FOUNDATION APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM Tyson Foods, Inc. (Tyson) has pledged its support to the training of future chefs by partnering with the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation (ACFEF) apprenticeship program. The partnership support from Tyson will help advance ACFEF's apprenticeship pro- gram through the development of new instructional and marketing materials, and upgrades for the program's online tools. ACFEF's apprenticeship program, which is registered with the U.S. Department of Labor, combines paid on- the-job training with related classroom instruction for individuals interested in hands-on learning while working in the culinary field. Apprentices who complete the program have the opportunity to receive an American Culinary Federation Certified Culinarian ® or Certified Pastry Culinarian ® , nationally recognized culi- nary designations. "The partnership between ACFEF and Tyson is one that we are extremely excited about," said Tiffany Jetter, Foodservice Communication Brand Manager at Tyson Foods, Inc. "We were searching for something that would help us make a difference for young culinari- ans. When ACF came to us with this opportunity we instantly knew it was something we wanted to be involved with. At Tyson, we understand the strength in building a strong foundation to ensure continued success for the future which we believe this program will do." The ACFEF apprenticeship pro- gram reaches more than 1,000 appren- tices and supervising chefs nationwide. Depending on prior experience, partici- pants are required to complete a mini- mum of a two-year program or a three- year program at a sponsoring house, which are restaurants and foodservice facilities approved to mentor ACFEF apprentices. In addition, apprentices must complete a minimum of 445 hours of related outside instruction from a qualified source. "I am delighted that Tyson Foods has partnered with the American Culinary Federation's Education Foundation," said Kevin Clarke, CCE, J.D., chair, ACFEF Apprenticeship Committee. "We are thankful for the much-needed finan- cial support. This partnership will help enable us to adapt to the needs of the next generation of culinary apprentices and ensure the forward progress of the pro- gram and its offerings." During their apprenticeship, partici- pants are mentored by experienced chefs who take them through 10 stations designed to include all aspects of what a professional chef needs to know. Stations include baking and pastry, fabrication, soup and sauce, and supervisory develop- ment, and are supplemented with work- books. Apprentices document their progress and learned culinary skills through an online program that allows them to interact with additional instruc- tors and peers, showcase their work, and track their completed stations and hands- on hours. In 1979, ACFEF created a set of national guidelines for the apprenticeship program through the efforts of Jack Braun, CEC ® , AAC ® , HOF; Ferdinand Metz, CMC ® , WGMC, AAC ® , HOF; and L. Edwin Brown, HAAC, HHOF. They were then able to register the pro- gram with the U.S. Department of Labor and made it a nationally recognized pro- gram. In August 2012, ACFEF received the 21st Century Apprenticeship Trailblazer and Innovator award from the U.S. Department of Labor for its partner- ship with the U.S. Army on an appren- ticeship program for enlisted soldiers. Interested industry professionals can start an apprenticeship program in their com- munity through an application process. More information about the ACFEF apprenticeship program can be found at www.acfchefs.org/apprenticeship. ICE-O-MATIC ADDS TO ENERGY STAR OFFERINGS Whether you're in the restaurant, hospi- tality or convenience industry, managing rising energy costs is undoubtedly a top concern. This is why the ice experts at Ice-O-Matic, a leading global manufac- turer of ice machines, storage bins and dispensers, are constantly developing energy-efficient product enhancements to help operators save money and increase their bottom line. Ice-O-Matic's GEM0650 and the GEM0956 are the company's latest ener- gy-efficient machines to be awarded the coveted ENERGY STAR certification, meeting the strict energy guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Ice-O-Matic now has more than 30 machines that qualify for the ENER- GY STAR certification. "ENERGY STAR-qualified equip- ment uses less energy and less water than standard equipment," said Ice-O-Matic Director of Marketing Scott DeShetler. "At Ice-O-Matic, we are committed to developing high-quality, dependable machines while also helping operators save money and increase their bottom line. Finding ways to make our machines more energy and water efficient is a great way to do this." Ice-O-Matic has partnered with ENERGY STAR since 2004 to ensure customers receive the most efficient ice machines for their investment dol- lar. On average, commercial ice mak- ers that have earned the ENERGY STAR certification are approximately 15 percent more energy efficient and 10 percent more water efficient than standard models. For more information on Ice-O-Matic's assortment of commercial ice machines and accessories, including ENERGY STAR-qualified products, visit www.iceomatic.com. FAST CASUAL COMES BACK The fast-casual segment continues to lead growth within the restaurant indus- try. With an 11 percent increase in 2013 sales and nearly eight percent increase in units, fast-casual concepts among Technomic's 2014 Top 500 Chain Restaurants comprise many of the fastest-growing restaurant chains. At the same time, leaders Panera Bread, Chipotle Mexican Grill and Panda Express posted healthy sales gains (of 12, 17 and 11 percent, respectively). Fast-casual restaurants, with their better-than-quick-service food, ambiance and fresh, "made for you" appeal, continue to align with the needs of today's consumers. While bakery cafes are still doing well overall, unit expansion is now more likely to happen in burger, Mexican, other sandwich and specialty concepts, diversifying the fast- casual landscape. "Watch for even more menu and concept diversity in this sector," said Darren Tristano, Executive Vice President of Technomic, Inc. "Also look for more quick-service restaurants and full-service restaurants to realign their formats and develop new fast-casual con- cepts to compete more aggressively."