September 1, 2004

Press Release

Munn’s Gourmet Foods, Inc. (Now Winning Recipe, Inc.)  is pleased to announce the winner of the competition for “HOUSTON 2004”, a salad to represent the culinary skills of the area. The competition took place August 17 at the culinary school facilities of San Jacinto College North.

The winning chef was Ewart G. Jones, who is also the Texas Chef of the Year and the Director of the Houston Chapter of the Texas Chef’s Association. A native of the West Indies, Chef Jones began his career in Trinidad with studies in the Trinidad and Tobago Hotel and Catering School and the Trinidad Hilton School. After several years of experience in St. Thomas, he attended the Lewis Hotel Management School in Washington, D.C.  His work experience includes the Nassau Bay Hotel, the Cellar Door Restaurant, Jimmy Walker’s Briar Club, River Oaks, Houston Country Club and Toro Hills. He earned the Certified Executive Chef designation and was honored with the American Academy of Chef’s designation by his peers under the auspices of the American Culinary Federation.  In 2003 he was awarded the ACF President’s Medallion and the TCA President Award.

The winning salad was a mesquite grilled shrimp salad with a Roasted Garlic Cilantro Dressing. This creamy dressing is highlighted with white wine and Dijon mustard to enhance the tastes of the baby bella mushrooms, baby spinach and the tomato and cucumber decoration. The salad recipe and chef’s picture will be on the retail package of the dressing with distribution anticipated before Thanksgiving.

A wine pairing/tasting event for the “HOUSTON 2004” salad and dressing honoring Chef Jones will be held at Emily’s American Bistro in Seabrook on September 29th to select the perfect Texas wine to go with this salad. This event will benefit the Seabrook Rotary Club.

The “Winning Recipe” concept seeks to create top-of-the-line salad dressings and salads created by some of the best chefs in the world—from Texas. The overriding criteria of the dressing line are taste and high quality ingredients with a regional flair. The concept calls for a complete unique salad and dressing which will be paired with one of the 20+ Llano Estacado premium wines and will reflect the spirit of Texas. Llano Estacado Winery is the largest premium winery in the state of Texas with offices in Lubbock and Grapevine

Judges for the competition were

* Bernard Urban, CEC, AAC; Ambassador for Ben E. Keith Foods

o       American Culinary Federation-Judge Emeritus and Gold Medal

o       Texas Culinary Arts-Gold Medal

o       Academy of Chef’s Medal

o       Antonin Careme Medal

o       August Escoffier Medal-President

o       Chaine de Rotisseur Medal

o       Order of the Golden Toque Medal

o       4 Olympic Gold Medals and Team Captain of the 1972 U.S. Culinary Olympic Team

o       Texas Chef of the Year; 1970, 73, 76

o       National Chef of the Year 1976

o       U.S. Culinary Team 1980-World Champions

o       Regional Chef Professionalism Award-2000

o       Academy of Chef’s Good Taste Award 2001

o       ACF President Medal 2002

o       General John McLaughlin Award 2003

* Diane Larsen, CEC,

o       Graduate of the Culinary Institute of America

o       "Rookie Chef of the Year" awarded by CCA-1983

o       ACFEI Certification as Executive Chef

o       Education Chair for Houston Chapter TCA/ACF-2000

o       Voted " Chef of the Year" for the Houston Chapter TCA/ACF-2002

* Walter Kayser, AAC, Corporate Culinary Consultant for Schoenmann Produce Co.

o       Retired Executive Chef at St. Joseph Hospital

o       Texas Chef of the Year, 1984

o       Certified Executive Chef

o       Member of the Texas Chefs Association and Escoffier Society.

o       Awarded the 95th American Culinary Federation Medal

o       Culinary Expert on Several TV shows and Exhibits

* George LeBlanc; Owner of Georges Restaurant Equipment and Supplies

o       Culinary Institute of America Graduated 1962

o       Astrodome Food and Beverage Manager, Jakes Finer Foods-Food Demonstrations

o       Worked at the River Oaks, Houston, and Lakeside Country Clubs

o       Prepared Banquets for Jacqueline Kennedy, Vice President George H.W. Bush, Henry Kissinger and the King of Norway.

o       A Native of New Hampshire, Chef LeBlanc Brought his Love and Knowledge of Seafood, especially Lobster and Clams, to Houston.

o       Member of Texas Chefs Association, American Chefs Association and Les Amis d’Escoffier.

* and Martin Cooper and Ron L. Payton of Munn’s Gourmet Foods, Inc.

 

 

Munn’s is currently finalizing the manufacture and distribution of “PLANO 2004” and “FT.WORTH 2004” created by Paul Englund of Charleston’s Restaurant and the winner of the competition held at the Culinary School of Fort Worth, June 14th with a wine pairing event following at Charleston’s Restaurant on June 28th.

The “PLANO 2004” salad consists of fresh purple and green Belgium endive arranged in a star shape with fresh blanched asparagus, thin slices of oil packed sun-dried tomato, perfectly complemented by “PLANO 2004” dressing, crumbled feta cheese and pine nuts toasted honey brown and paired with Llano Estacado Signature White.  The “FT.WORTH 2004” winning recipe was a sirloin steak salad with toast points, tomatoes and gorgonzola cheese and was paired with a Llano Estacado Cabernet/Shiraz.  These unique new salads combined with rich flavors of the dressings and paired with the perfect wines set a high standard for the competing chefs from the Houston area representing some of the best country clubs, restaurants and food service establishments in the area.

 

The “Winning Recipe” dressings “HOUSTON 2004”, “PLANO 2004” and “FT.WORTH 2004” will be available in specialty grocery and gourmet stores around Texas and in the adjoining states later this year. AdBiz, a local advertising agency has assisted in creating the logos, labels and exhibition graphics.

For more information contact: ron.payton@winningrecipe.com  1-888-338-0909 or AdBiz 817-336-6005