Gourmet News

Hayashi to Lead Team USA at Bocus d’Or Grande Finale

Published January 12, 2023

Hawaiian-born and Arizona-raised Chef Jeffery Hayashi will lead Team USA in the 2023 Bocus d’Or Grande Finale.

The 24 worldwide selected teams will compete Jan. 22-23 in Lyon, France for five hours and 30 minutes in two events: While the platter theme features monkfish and other seafood products, the second test, “Feed the Kids” takes the form of an entire menu based on squash, to raise awareness among children and, through this theme, educate them about healthy eating.

Hayashi left an architecture career after his passion for style and precision led him to discover cooking, landing an apprenticeship with chef and chocolatier Philippe Padovani in Hawaii. In 2014, he was the inaugural executive sous chef at Mourad in San Francisco, which received a Michelin star in its first year of operation. Hayashi qualified for the Grande Finale by winning the 2022 Americas Bocuse d’Or in Chile.

Hayashi is chef de cuisine at Senia Restaurant in Honolulu.

Each team will start at regular intervals beginning at 8 a.m. on Jan. 22. Hayashi is scheduled to start Jan. 23 at 9:57 a.m., finish his Feed the Kids menu by 2:53 p.m. and his seafood platter by 3:27 p.m.

This year, instead of the plate contest, the Bocuse d’Or puts education in food and taste for young people through cooking at the center of the candidates’ work.

Today, cooks play a central role in food and culinary education. In the “Feed the kids” contest, each candidate will have to be creative in producing a squash-based menu for children. Several varieties will be provided by competition partner METRO to create a 100 percent vegetable-based cold starter, a hot dish including an egg and a restaurant dessert style. The candidates will have to redouble their creativity, play with textures and flavors to convince the jury of chefs, supported by children from all around the world.

The platter theme honors monkfish, supplied by partner Seafood From Scotland, accompanied by scallops. To enhance the monkfish, the candidates will have to prepare two vegetable garnishes to be placed on the platter as well as a garnish served separately, made from a vegetable from their country, mussels and an individual crouton of their own composition.

The Bocuse d’Or adventure gathers the world’s gastronomic family and federates more than 5,000 chefs spread across 70 countries. With a local and itinerant approach, the Bocuse d’Or has travelled from city to city throughout the world since 2005 for the national and continental selections: in America (Mexico City, Santiago de Chile, etc.), in Asia (Guangzhou, Shanghai, Singapore, etc.), in Africa (Dakhla, Marrakesh, etc.) and in Europe (Brussels, Budapest, Stockholm, Tallinn, Turin, etc.).

Beyond the geo-tourism implications of the event for the involved countries, the traveling selections serve to promote the gastronomic culture of each region and to highlight the vast diversity of world cuisine.

Before reaching the Grand Finale, each team spends two years training to perfect their skills. This makes the Bocuse d’Or much more than just a competition, it is a genuine human experience that combines self-improvement and team spirit.

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Selina Union Market Hotel to Host Mindful Drinking Fest

Published January 12, 2023

Selina Hospitality PLC, a fast-growing experiential hospitality brand targeting millennial and Gen Z travelers, will host the second edition of the Mindful Drinking Fest on Jan. 21 in the Selina Union Market hotel in Washington, D.C.

The event begins at 3 p.m. with a grand mindful drinking tasting that includes local, national, and international non-alcoholic beverage producers, such as ready-to-drink cocktails from Mocktail Club, non-alcoholic spirits from Seir Hill, and non-alcoholic wines by German producer Weingut Leitz. The event will also feature a pop-up store to purchase the products.

During the day, attendees will have the opportunity to attend a master class on-alcoholic beverages hosted by event producer and author Derek Brown and join any of the free wellness classes available for free to the attendees.

At night, a Mindful Mixology Competition sponsored by Ritual Zero Proof Spirits and Thomson & Scott will ensue with some of the area’s best mixologists. Attendees will get to try the cocktails themselves and even vote for the finalists. The night will conclude with DJs, dancing, and even more great non-alcoholic beverages, hosted by Disco Mary, a popular no- and low-alcohol pop-up created by Maria Bastasch and formerly housed in D.C.’s prestigious cocktail bar, Columbia Room.

Grand Tasting passes are available for $35 and include samples, access to the classes, and a tasting glass. Night-time passes to the competition and after-party are available for $75. And All-day passes, inclusive of the grand tasting, classes, tasting glass, competition, and after-party, are available for the special price of $95. All tickets are available here.

Opened last year, Selina Union Market’s goal in 2023 will focus on the local community with an emphasis on wellness classes, dance nights, art workshops, Sunday farmer’s markets, an incredible rooftop bar, and more.

Founded in 2014 and custom-built for today’s nomadic traveler, Selina provides guests with a global infrastructure to seamlessly travel and work abroad. Each Selina property is designed in partnership with local artists, creators, and tastemakers, breathing new life into existing buildings in 25 countries and six continents – from urban cities to remote beaches and jungles. To learn more, visit www.selina.com or follow Selina on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or YouTube.

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Giant Food Launching Virtual ‘Healthier Together’ Classes

Published January 10, 2023

Giant Food Announces “Healthier Together” Virtual Series to Promote and Explore Wellness in the New Year

Giant Food, the leading greater Washington, D.C. regional grocery chain, is launching a five-week “Healthier Together” virtual series of free online nutrition and healthy living classes aimed at supporting the wellness goals of its local community. The series will run from Jan. 17-Feb.14 and will be hosted by Giant’s Healthy Living Team of registered dietitian nutritionists who will provide guidance, inspiration, recipe, and product suggestions for those looking to kick off a healthy new year.

“Implementing lifestyle changes big or small can be overwhelming and we know change looks different for everyone,” said Lisa Coleman, director of Healthy Living at Giant. “Our team has created a program that provides realistic solutions and helpful resources for those in the community who want to start the new year off by prioritizing their wellness.”

Attendees are invited to join the live classes on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. or 7 p.m. EST or to watch recorded sessions at a time of their choosing. The sessions will explore the following topics:

Jan. 17 – Organizing and Planning for the New Year: From Meal Planning to home keeping, learn how to better manage your budget and time using simple tools and strategies.
Jan. 24 – A Mindful Approach to the New Year: Mindfulness is all about being present. Learn how mindfulness applies to eating, meaningful connections and work-life balance.
Jan. 31 – Healthy Habits to Support Fitness Goals: Whether you work out at home, in the gym, or somewhere in between, healthy habits are essential to obtain and maintain your fitness goals.
Feb. 7 – Food as Preventative Medicine: The link between food and health is more important than ever before. Learn how to shop for long-term health and wellbeing.
Feb. 14 – Expanding & Balancing Your Plate: Healthy doesn’t have to be boring – in fact, it can be just the opposite when you try something new or trendy.

Throughout the series, the Giant Healthy Living Team will also be showcasing Guiding Stars rated products that can effectively support a full spectrum of wellness goals. To encourage customers to make healthier food choices, Giant Flexible Rewards members can opt in to receive 2x Flexible Rewards points when they shop Guiding Stars rated products.

To register for the “Healthier Together” series, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/healthier-together-a-5-week-series-tickets-399165333257 or giantfood.com/healthiertogether.

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