Hot Off the Presses
Proof of the Pudding, a leader in food service management and catering for state-of-the-art convention centers, sports and entertainment arenas and college stadiums, announces its agreement to serve as the exclusive caterer for the Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Clearwater, Florida. Proof of the Pudding will manage hospitality, food and beverage service for the Aquarium’s Shark Bites Café as well as all special and private events including weddings, galas, social events and birthday parties. Proof of the Pudding kicked off this new partnership by welcoming 350 guests to the Aquarium’s inaugural AquaGala on March 9. The elegant affair featured signature cocktails and a chef-curated menu including sustainable seafood and ocean-inspired flavors. Local conch fritters with cilantro tartar sauce and citrus mango slaw, bourbon tamari glazed chicken breast with kalbi sweet potatoes, bourbon tamari soy jus and hakurei turnips, and grapefruit curd tart with whipped vanilla cream, macerated blueberries and bruleed segments are just a taste of the innovative menus for special events at Clearwater Marine Aquarium, with options that include plated and chef’s table selections, action stations and buffets. Proof of the Pudding will support the Aquarium’s environmental and sustainability initiatives that include community outreach, the use of environmentally friendly serve ware and straws, and no use of plastic water bottles. Proof of the Pudding sustainability action is demonstrated via food innovation as well as no use of Styrofoam, use of GRA-Endorsed Sterno fuel and recycling of used cooking oil.
Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa, a premier destination resort and meeting destination in Bonita Springs near the city of Naples, debuts a brand-new dining concept at its Tanglewood restaurant. The resort has debuted the rebranded outlet as Tanglewood, A Southern Kitchen, following an extensive renovation. The updated dining experience features a bright and modern setting as well as reinvigorated menus featuring signature Southern fare. The renovation includes a complete transformation of the restaurant to feature a rustic contemporary style with sophisticated beach-side inspiration. Enhancements include a new color scheme featuring inviting blues and sand tones. The restaurant’s dark blue and green accented carpets have been replaced with a lighter blue-toned carpet to evoke a brighter and more welcoming atmosphere. Furniture was also replaced to include community-style circular booth seating along with upscale wicker seating for the patio. As part of the transformation, Tanglewood, A Southern Kitchen’s menu has been completely reimagined to provide elevated southern comfort food. Breakfast selections feature the bayou benedict with a crawfish hollandaise, southern comfort biscuits and gravy, avocado toast, custom omelets, and more. The new dinner menu will provide a variety of starter dishes from fried green tomato bruschetta to boudin balls with Cajun sausage. Signature entrees include a soft-shell crab po boy, “surf & swine” seared scallops with bandied pork belly, a bayou etouffee, a southern vegetable bowl, chicken and waffles, and alligator jambalaya. Side dish selections range from Cajun crab macaroni and cheese and purple Florida rice grits to collard greens and Old Bay spiced fries. An updated cocktail menu will accompany the dining experience with selections including a pecan pie old-fashioned, a southside bramble with blackberry brandy, a spicy margarita, ranch water, a southern coffee with cream liquor, and the Tanglewood Shandy.
Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa has partnered with Celebrity Chef Richard Blais to debut six new restaurant concepts. The transformation of the resort’s food & beverage experience is part of a $110 million renovation and branding to a Grand Hyatt property. Richard Blais is a successful chef, restauranteur, James Beard-nominated cookbook author and television personality. He currently co-stars alongside Gordon Ramsay on Next Level Chef, and is widely recognized as the first winner of Top Chef All Stars. The new dining opportunities will include Blais’ signature concept, a personal love letter to Italian American cuisine with a focus on handmade pastas and charcoal grilled steaks, seafood, and chops. Additional concepts will include a fusion of Japanese sushi and Spanish tapas, a Southwest-style grill, an extravagant lobby bar, and two new pool-side dining experiences.
Products on the Market
Beginning this month, ACE Bakery® (www.acebakery.com/foodservice), the artisan bakers responsible for some of the best sandwich carriers and table breads in the market, is flipping the script with a sizzling introduction – an impressive new range of artisan burger buns which redefine restaurant-quality. Boasting a high glossy crown, soft texture, and clean flavor, each bun is crafted with the same natural starters, slow fermentation process, and simple ingredients that ACE Bakery® is known for. In addition to two sizes of classic bun, the portfolio includes trending varieties brioche and potato, plus an eye-catching black and white sesame bun sure to elevate your culinary creations. ACE Bakery’s® bold new burger bun portfolio is no accident – it’s the result of months’ worth of research and testing aimed at delivering the most mouthwatering, crave-worthy, and resilient buns on the market. Not only is ACE® setting a new benchmark for flavor, texture, and visual appeal, but improved resiliency means these buns hold up to the sauciest, juiciest, messiest burgers - even through delivery. Plus, fine-tuned bun sizing and a three-day ambient shelf life makes it more convenient than ever to thaw, serve, and impress your guests.
Sabert Corporation, a leading global manufacturer of innovative and sustainable food packaging solutions, announces the launch of its new Catering Pop-Top family. A game-changer for foodservice operators, this distinctive catering bowl line offers unmatched functionality and convenience for any catering occasion, from workplace meetings to large-scale events. The Catering Pop-Top features a unique hinged lid that folds back, clicks into place and can be rotated 90 degrees to display one or both sides of the base. Available in one or two-compartment bases, the Catering Pop-Top family is an exceptional solution for transporting and serving a variety of menu items and cuisines. Key features of the Catering Pop-Top Family include:
- Versatility: Available in 80- and 160-ounce offerings and one and two-compartment options, these bowls offer menu variety and flexibility.
- Compartmented Base: The two-compartment option enables more personalized offerings, catering to the rising demand for managing diverse dietary preferences.
- Innovative Features: The hinged lid can be rotated 90 degrees to showcase one or both compartments and locks into place when folded backward. Grooves in the lid provide optimum stacking and secure transport.
- Space Efficiency: The divided two-compartment base offers space savings and SKU rationalization.
- Low-profile Design: A thoughtfully constructed low-profile design for optimal ingredient blending to elevate the culinary experience.
- Sustainability: Made from crystal clear PET, these bowls are 100% recyclable, adhering to sustainability guidelines and goals.
Upcoming Events
Travelers visiting Dallas can pick up new skills outside of work while traveling for business. The talented Executive Chef, Andrew Cardillo, at the largest hotel in Texas, Sheraton Dallas in Downtown Dallas, is hosting a series of culinary classes in May for anyone to attend and learn techniques and tricks from an experienced chef. The list of classes include:
- Friday, May 3 at 4:00 p.m. - BBQ Demonstration
- Friday, May 10 at 4:00 p.m. - Learn How to Make Your Own Fresh Pasta
- Friday, May 24 at 4:00 p.m. - Savory and Sweet Charcuterie Class
All classes can be booked on this Eventbrite page. The culinary classes are located at Sheraton Dallas, 400 Olive St, Dallas, TX 75201.
People on the Move
Proof of the Pudding, a leader in food service management and catering for state-of-the-art convention centers, sports and entertainment arenas and college stadiums, announces the addition of Executive Chefs Daniel Alvarez and Jabias Lucy. Executive Chef Daniel Alvarez will oversee Proof of the Pudding’s off-premise culinary division, which includes an exclusive hospitality services partnership with the Carlos Center in Atlanta, and Proof of the Pudding’s new special events destinations in Atlanta’s West Midtown neighborhood, opening later this year. Executive Chef Jabias Lucy will oversee culinary operations at The Carter Presidential Center, where Proof of the Pudding has served as the exclusive food and beverage services provider since 1986. Alvarez joins Proof of the Pudding from Atlanta Marriott Marquis, Georgia’s largest hotel, where he served as Executive Chef. In total, Alvarez spent 16 years with Marriott International in executive culinary positions in Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston and New York. He began his career as Executive Sous Chef at Fairmont El San Juan Hotel & Casino in Puerto Rico. Lucy comes to Proof of the Pudding from Strategic Solutions Partners, where they served as Executive Management Consultant in hospitality. Lucy held executive culinary positions with major brands, including Trump Towers and Condos, Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Hyatt, Loews Hotels & Resorts and Fisher Island.
