Bon Appétit Management Company Announces Winners of Annual Eat Local Challenge
In first-ever contest, Bon Appétit challenges fans and employees to create all-local meals
Palo Alto, Calif. (October 05, 2010) -Bon Appétit Management Company has announced today the winners of their public Eat Local Challenge contest, which challenged both the Bon Appétit workforce and home cooks to create a delicious menu using only locally-sourced ingredients.
Every year, chefs at Bon Appétit Management Company’s 400-plus cafes host Eat Local Challenge, a meal using only local ingredients from farms within a 150-mile radius. The Eat Local Challenge helps to raise awareness for local eating, a cause Bon Appétit has championed since 1999 with its Farm to Fork program, buying produce locally from small, owner-operated farms and artisan producers.
This year, for the first time, Facebook fans were invited to create their own Eat Local Challenge meals at home. Fans who posted their locally-sourced menu online got a chance to win an iPad loaded with Culinate.com’s electronic app of Mark Bittman’s iconic cookbook, “How to Cook Everything”.
Jason W., the Facebook fan randomly selected to win the iPad, created an amazing home meal: basil and goat cheese stuffed chicken breast with red wine reduction, cherry tomatoes, garlic braising mix and fall vegetable mash, all from within 150 miles of his hometown in Colorado.
“We’re overwhelmed with the positive response to Eat Local Challenge by our staff, customers and Facebook fans,” said Fedele Bauccio, Bon Appétit’s CEO. “We saw some really innovative dishes from our fans and proved that it is possible to use only local ingredients and still satisfy your family’s diverse palates.”
The company also challenged its hourly employees to execute an Eat Local Challenge in their own home kitchens. Café staff who prepared a 100% local meal were eligible to win a paid day off. The winning employee, Mithu De, an avid home gardener who works at Cisco in San Jose, used the bounty of homegrown produce to make her mouthwatering roasted eggplant with ginger and chilies.
“There’s no doubt that creating a meal comprised entirely from local products is challenging,” said Bauccio. “Our employees showed that they’re not only up for the challenge, but that they are unwavering advocates for local producers, working to integrate locally sourced products into their meals every day.”
About Bon Appétit Management Company
Bon Appétit Management Company (www.bamco.com) is an onsite restaurant company offering full food service management to corporations, universities and specialty venues. Bon Appétit is committed to sourcing sustainable, local foods for all cafés throughout the country. A pioneer in environmentally sound sourcing policies, Bon Appétit has developed programs addressing local purchasing, the overuse of antibiotics, sustainable seafood, cage-free eggs, the connection between food and climate change, and most recently, farm workers’ rights. The company has received numerous awards for its work from organizations like the Natural Resources Defense Council, Seafood Choices Alliance, The Humane Society of the United States, and Food Alliance. Based in Palo Alto, CA, Bon Appétit has more than 400 cafés in 30 states, including eBay, the University of Pennsylvania and the Getty Center.