| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | CONTACT: Angelyn DeYoung or Sarah Goan |
| September 25, 2005 | (406) 444-2402 TTY (406) 444-4687 |
Restaurant Competition to Feature Montana Products
HELENA, Mont. — Montana chefs are invited to match culinary skills and recipes featuring Montana products for a chance at bragging rights in the Culinary Excellence Awards competition this fall at Big Sky.
The Montana Department of Agriculture is sponsoring the 2nd annual Montana Restaurant Connection & Chef Competition on September 12, 2005, at Buck's T-4 Lodge in Big Sky. Chefs from throughout the state can contact the department or visit the department's website, http://www.agr.mt.gov/, to download the information needed to submit recipes featuring Montana products.
"Providing a way for Montana food manufacturers to connect with chefs and the restaurant industry is the key purpose of this event," says Nancy K. Peterson, director of the Montana Department of Agriculture. "Chefs pride themselves in providing distinctive entrees and are aware that travelers often select locally produced items from the menu. Enhancing this connection promotes our agricultural industry and encourages businesses that add value to our agricultural commodities."
Recipes will be reviewed and finalists selected to participate in the final competition at Big Sky. Area and national chefs and restaurant brokers will judge the recipes on originality, flavor and taste as well as creative use of Montana products.
"We're very proud to endorse this event," says Brad Griffin, executive director of the Montana Restaurant Association. Jeremy Bernhardt, president of the Montana Chefs & Cooks Association agrees. "With our state's restaurants and chefs working together to offer more Montana products on their menus, we can meet customers' demands while helping Montana's economy," Bernhardt says. "It's a win-win situation."
To introduce even more Montana products into restaurants, the event will also feature the Montana Restaurant Connection, a showcase of Montana products for restaurant managers, chefs, brokers and distributors. Products showcased will include sauces, beer, mustards, soup mixes, beef, cereal, sausages, honey, caviar, smoked fish, goat cheese, bison chili, granola, mushrooms, ketchup, huckleberries, wine, pasties, canola oil, herbs and jams.
Winning recipes from the 2004 Culinary Excellence Awards can be found on the Visit Montana website at http://www.visitmt.com/virtualvisitor/MCE.htm.
For more information on the event, visit http://www.agr.mt.gov/, or contact Angelyn DeYoung or Sarah Goan, Montana Department of Agriculture marketing officers, at (406) 444-2402, or by email at mailto:agr@mt.gov.
