NRN selects 2006 MenuMasters Award winners

CHICAGO – With a focus on menu innovation and culinary leadership, Nation’s Restaurant News has named the winners of its 2006 MenuMasters Awards for excellence in foodservice research and development.

The awards will be presented during ceremonies at the Drake Hotel here on Saturday, May 20. Now in its 9 th year, the MenuMasters Awards program is sponsored by Ventura Foods LLC.

Companies to be honored are Boston Market, California Pizza Kitchen, Jiko-The Cooking Place at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Ruby Tuesday, Taco Bell and Williamson Hospitality Services. Dan Coudreaut, director of culinary innovation for McDonald’s USA, was named the Chef/Innovator, and, as previously reported in NRN, celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse is the 2006 MenuMasters Hall of Fame inductee.

“MenuMasters is a fantastic night in foodservice as we showcase outstanding culinary professionals and our Hall of Fame inductee as well as enjoying award-winning menu items at our awards reception,” said NRN publisher Alan Gould. “For food, fun and festivities, you can’t beat MenuMasters.”

“ Ventura is proud to sponsor MenuMasters, and to be a part of recognizing and awarding menu R&D achievement. We are also pleased to continue our long standing work and association with Nation’s Restaurant News in honoring these successful individuals and their organizations for foodservice research and menu development that brings so much enjoyment to consumers in this country and worldwide,” said B. Kelly Brintle, senior vice president, corporate strategy and new business development for Ventura Foods.

The 2006 MenuMasters Awards are presented in seven categories as follows:

Best Menu/Line Extension: Golden, Colorado-based Boston Market, best known for its rotisserie chicken, is the winner in this category for its USDA Choice Roasted Sirloin meals, which it introduced last year at all 630 locations. The meals include 5-ounce and 8-ounce lean steak entrées, a BBQ sirloin and cheddar deli-sliced sandwich and a sirloin dip carver. Accepting for the chain will be Gerard Lewis, senior vice president of research and development.

Best Menu Revamp: Ruby Tuesday captures this award with a menu revamp that is now available in more than 700 of its stores nationwide. New items from the Maryville, Tennessee chain include Buffalo Chicken Wontons, one of eight new appetizers, an enhanced burger section with choices ranging from beef and bison to turkey and chicken, and an expanded salad bar with over 65 options. Accepting will be Julie Reid, vice president of research and development.

Best Single Product Rollout: California Pizza Kitchen earned this prize with its Thai Crunch Salad, which was rolled out in May 2005. The salad features shredded Napa cabbage, chilled grilled chicken breast, julienne cucumbers, edamame, crispy wontons and more, all topped with crispy rice sticks and Thai peanut dressing. Based in Los Angeles, CPK operates, licenses or franchises 190 restaurants. Accepting for the chain will be Karen Settlemyer, vice president of product development.

Best Limited-Time-Offer: The winner in this category is Taco Bell, of Irvine, California, for The Crunchwrap Supreme, a discus-looking treat featuring a crunchy tostada shell, seasoned beef, warm nacho cheese sauce, lettuce, juicy tomatoes and cool sour cream. Launched in June 2005, this item proved extremely portable and exceeded the company’s sales goals. Taco Bell is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands and has 6,500 units worldwide. Accepting will be Warren Widicus, chief food innovation officer.

Best Independent Operator Menu: This award goes to Jiko – The Cooking Place at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. This stylish restaurant , which opened along with the hotel in 2001, offers familiar foods with a modern African flair from Chef de Cuisine Anette Grecchi-Gray. Over 100 wines are available, all of them South African varieties. Accepting the award will be Anette Grecchi Gary, chef de cuisine.

Healthful Innovations: The winner here is Williamson Hospitality Services, of Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, a leader in leisure dining and catering for over 63 years. The company ‘s winning menu is the Smarty Foods Healthy Eating Program designed to help patrons eat smarter both onsite and at home. “The Smarty Foods program provides fun, better-for-you food choices throughout year,” said the company’s chief executive James J. Osborne who will be accepting the award.

Chef/Innovator: This award goes to Dan Coudreaut, director of culinary innovation for McDonald’s USA in Oak Brook, Illinois. After graduating from culinary school, Dan worked for several upscale independent restaurants and the Four Seasons resort in Dallas. In 2000 he took a job leading product development for Metromedia’s Ponderosa and Bonanza chains. He joined McDonald's just over a year ago where he led his team in the development of sesame ginger salad, utilizing edamame as a healthful alternative, as well as premium chicken sandwiches. Chef Coudreaut is a proponent of providing customers with healthf ul menu choices in the fast food environment.

Hall of Fame: Chef-restaurateur Emeril Lagasse, whose culinary skills, engaging smile and “BAM! in your mouth” persona have made him one of the most recognizable culinary celebrities, has been selected for this award. Lagasse is the chef-proprietor of nine restaurants, including three in New Orleans, two in Las Vegas, two in Orlando, Fla., one in Atlanta and one in Miami. In 1990 he opened Emeril’s restaurant in the Warehouse District in downtown New Orleans. Two years later he opened Nola restaurant in the French Quarter. In the television arena, Lagasse joined the Food Network in 1993 and hosts its “The Essence of Emeril” and “Emeril Live” shows, which reach more than 78 million homes daily. He is also the food correspondent for the ABC network’s “Good Morning America” program. As an author, he published the cookbook “Emeril’s New New Orleans Cooking” in 1993, which introduced his creative approach to Creole cuisine. Ten other books have followed, the latest being “Emeril’s Delmonico,” which was published in October. On the philanthropic front, Lagasse established the Emeril Lagasse Foundation in 2002 to support and encourage programs creating developmental and educational opportunities for children.

MenuMasters Award winners are selected by the editors of NRN with input from a MenuMasters Advisory Board comprised of the 2005 MenuMasters winners. The board includes Phil Costner, vice president, R&D for T.G.I. Friday’s; Chris Gatto, vice president, food and beverage for Uno Chicago Grill;

Stephen Anderson, vice president, menu and culinary innovation for Logan’s Roadhouse; Jim Broussalian, director, menu innovation for Jack in the Box; John Taylor, director, R&D for Panera Bread; Paul Carr, senior director, culinary for ARAMARK; and Kurt Hankins, senior vice president, menu development and innovation for Applebee’s.