Bel Brands USA launched its Craveable Comfort Contest with the idea of highlighting the diverse range of dishes chefs can create using Boursin, Merkts, and Price*s cheeses. Entrants delivered, and four chefs took home cash prizes thanks to their scrumptious comfort food recipes. Here’s a look at the winners.
Grand Prize:
The Difference Baker | Lauren Katz, executive chef
Recipe: Savory Garlic and Herb Bacon Donut with Whipped Boursin
“Boursin is just one of those perfect products,” Katz says. “If you use it in something, chances are, people are going to gravitate toward that menu item and love it. It has that emotional connection that evokes memories of childhood—that warm, homey, comforting feeling.”
First Place:
Merkts | Graham Duncan, principal consulting chef at Chefxpertise
Recipe: “New York Seoul” Pastrami-Spiced Beetroot Rachel
“I think you’re seeing a lot more healthy eating even if we’re all still craving comfort food,” Duncan says. “I wanted to create something with a great, craveable taste that comes with a health halo. That’s where the inspiration for this came from.”
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First Place:
Price*s | Jonathan Deutsch, professor of culinary arts, Drexel Food Core Lab
Recipe: Southern Rangoon Dip
“Right now in foodservice, convenience is everything,” Deutsch says. “The labor market is tight, and it’s hard to find skilled people for the kitchen. I like working with Price*s Pimiento Cheese spread, because it’s a product that’s pretty much ready to go, but it’s still super flavorful.”
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First Place:
Boursin | Julie Heins, executive chef, Secco Wine Bar
Recipe: Creamy Garlic and Herb Boursin Risotto with Roasted Autumn Vegetables
“There’s this sense of nostalgia tied to Boursin,” Heins says. “I think we’ve all been starved for that kind of connection during the pandemic, because so many of us love to connect over food. Comfort food will always have a place, but I think that’s especially true now, and this risotto kind of plays on that idea.”
For more information on Bel Brands, please visit BelBrandsFoodservice.com
