WATSONVILLE, CA - We’re gearing up for this year’s Chef Invitational hosted by California Giant Berry Farms, and more details on the event recently dropped.

“Hosting the 5^th Annual Chef Invitational is momentous,” said Tom Smith, Director of Sales. “For this year’s event, we wanted to focus on how berries are the ideal complement for trends—which inspired us to revamp the guidelines and ask that participants use their culinary ingenuity to incorporate fresh berries into trends that resonate with today’s consumer."

Unique to 2023’s submission guidelines, the release went on to explain, is the requirement for the recipe to fall under one or more of the key trends as identified by Flavor & the Menu.

These include:

• Asian Breakfast Wakes Up
• Mustard's Moment
• The Dark Side of Butter
• True Colors
• Time for Thai

Another unique addition to this year’s event is an educational session led by Chef Rosalyn Darling, where she will introduce her culinary innovation methodology. This methodology combines macro societal trends and Culinary Compassion™ for meaningful menu development.

“My work around Culinary Compassion re-examines current methodologies of food and beverage innovation, determining that there is a deeper, more impactful way strategists and chefs can approach innovation—through the spectrum of universal human emotions and a desire to help address these emotions through intentional, sensory-based culinary innovation. I’m thrilled to share this technique at California Giant’s Chef Invitational and unlock another way for chefs to create impactful innovation in their respective operations,” shared Rosalyn Darling.

To read the full guidelines, click here.

In the meantime, continue to watch us for the latest on Chef Invitational deets!

California Giant Berry Farms