Feb 19, 2020

Chefs’ blueberries cookoff hosted by California Giant Berry Farms

California Giant Berry Farms will hold its Chef Invitational July 19-22, and this time, the berry company is welcoming both foodservice and retail partners to come along for the culinary competition in the Pacific Northwest.

The Chef Invitational will unite both foodservice and retail chefs to bring forth their best berry-inspired entree and dessert recipes for the chance to be selected as a Chef Finalist and attend an all-inclusive trip to Portland, Oregon, the company said in a release.

“Blueberries continue to chip away at retail shelf space that was previously held by strawberries,” California Giant Berry Farms Director of Foodservice Tom Smith said in the press release. “At California Giant, we are continuing to increase blueberry production and year-round supplies from all major growing regions in both conventional and organic categories, so it made perfect sense to promote blueberries through this event in the “year of blue.”

The online recipe submission portal is officially open, and industry chefs are being asked to submit at least one berry-inspired entree or dessert recipe to the online portal by May 1, 2020 to be considered for a Chef Finalist position. Similar to the previous two years, chef recipes will be judged based upon appearance, use of at least two berries in a quantity of one cup or more, flavor and creativity.
The Chef Finalists will be selected and announced to the industry by May 11, 2020, and invited to Portland, Oregon, according to the release. Upon arriving in Portland this July, Finalists will then learn guidelines for the second phase of the on-going event, a new challenge and exciting twist to the 2020 competition.

“I loved getting to know fellow chefs and being creative with one of my favorite ingredients – berries,” said 2019 Top California Giant Chef and Markon Chef representative Travis G. Peters of The Parish Tucson. “Having a mid-summer field tour and culinary competition brought out the best dishes I’ve seen in a long time.”

To learn more about the 3rd Annual Chef Invitational and to submit a recipe for a chance to compete for the title of 2020 Top California Giant Chef, please visit www.calgiant.com/foodservice.

Above, the 2019 chef finalists. Photo: California Giant