Chef Matthew Thompson Leads Maine Chefs for Aramark
FORT KENT FOUNDATIONS DINNER, 2015
UNIVERSITY OF MAINE, FORT KENT
Chefs Train at Bryant University for their ProChef II Certification at the Culinary Institute of America
Sweet Smell of Success from a Center-Led Culinary Kitchen
November 2014
When is it good to have too many cooks in the kitchen? When they are Aramark chefs working with the Culinary Development team at the Aramark Innovation Center in Philadelphia and they’re collaborating to create standard processes to improve menu performance and recipe consistency across the enterprise. This was not only an opportunity for professional exchange but also for professional development.
Sixteen chefs from Higher Education, Business Dining and Healthcare received “certification” this fall after spending three days with chefs from Aramark’s Culinary Development team. They worked on the disciplined process of recipe development, utilization of PRIMA Web, application of consumer-driven insights, health and wellness priorities and more. The collaboration allowed for an exchange of the very important insights of our field chefs and the development perspective of our chefs on the Culinary Development team.
“These collaborations foster engagement, recognition, development and alignment around the Food Management priorities for the business, and the shared role that the field and the center have in satisfying them,” said Doug Martinides, Vice President, Culinary Development.
The classes not only provide an opportunity to recognize culinary talent within Aramark, but Martinides believes the connectivity established among business unit chefs is significant and leads to better recipe development from the culinary center. “All of this becomes increasingly important as we ‘Master the Menu’ within our Food Framework,” he said.
Added Darryl Mickler, Associate Vice President, Culinary Development, “At the highest level, this is about building a repeatable business model by bringing together the talent of the field chefs to create recipes for a One Aramark solution.”
Business Dining Executive Chef Corby Robbins at HPI Real Estate/AMD in Austin, Texas, concluded, “The biggest thing I got from the class is the importance of menu development, and learning that the process of following Aramark recipes as-written can create a whole chain of events…better yield on menu items, lower cost, time saved for staff and consistency at our café.”
Sixteen culinary chefs from across LOBs collaborated with Aramark's Culinary Development team this fall to help improve menu performance and recipe consistency across the enterprise.
Front row (kneeling, left-right):
Jay Katz, Food Service Director, B&I; Travis Ramsdell, Executive Chef, B&I; Charles Julian, Chef Manager, Healthcare; Justin Mcpherson, Chef Manager, Healthcare
Back row (left-right):
Scott Zahren, Director of Culinary Development, Strategic Assets; Darryl Mickler, AVP, Culinary Development, Strategic Assets; Matthew Fuss, Culinary Development Chef, Strategic Assets; Barry Giordano, Executive Chef, Healthcare; Matthew Thompson, Food Quality & Standards Director; Edward Manacle, Senior Executive Chef, B&I; Erin Schuessler, Food Service Director; Tim Zintz, Sr. Culinary Development Chef, Strategic Assets; Corby Robbins, Food Service Director, B&I; Pinky Varghese, Executive Chef, Higher Education; Mike Coble, Executive Chef, Higher Education; Stacy Wiroll, Executive Chef, Higher Education; Barry Williams, Chef Manager, Healthcare; Glen Pugh, Chef de Cuisine, Higher Education; George Benzinger, Chef de Cuisine, B&I; Kevin Hamer, Director Culinary Development - Canada, Strategic Assets; Charles Schermer, Sr. Culinary Development Chef, Strategic Assets; Doug Martinides, VP Culinary Development, Strategic Assets
Fort Kent Foundations Dinner, 2014
University of Maine, Fort Kent
Brandeis Chefs Share Epicurian Passions
Publish Available at: Brandeis University BrandiesNOW
Have you ever dreamed of competing on 'Hell’s Kitchen' or 'Iron Chef?' Zachary Kestler recently brought home silver in the national Aramark competition
By Susan Chaityn Lebovits
Dec. 17, 2012
He’s cooked for Manny Ramirez, Harrison Ford and, mostly likely, you.
Zachary Kestler, a sous-chef who calls Usdan home, recently took second place in the 2012 Aramark Culinary Excellence competition (ACE) as part of the northeast region team. More than 130 chefs from universities and conference centers across North America competed over the past six months in 18 regional competitions, which culminated in the national showdown in Orlando, Florida.
If you’ve ever had dreams of competing on "Hell’s Kitchen" or "Irom Chef," check out Kestler’s final challenge: the top 30 Aramark chefs from the United States and Canada were divided into 10 three-member teams, given 30 minutes to create a menu, then allotted three hours to prepare an appetizer, entree and dessert.
Kestler’s team’s menu included pan-roasted tilapia with red pepper onion ragout, clam nage, and creamed leeks and lardons (cubed bacon). The entree was a Latin-style chicken with a sofrito rice and ginger-scented slaw. The meal culminated with a dessert called “Chocolate Trio,” which consisted of a flourless chocolate torte, Grand Marnier truffle and a chocolate mocha tower.
Certified master chefs from the American Culinary Federation (ACF) judged the competition, rating the finalists on a number of categories ranging from flavor and plate presentation to use of ingredients and food safety.
Kestler grew up in Newport, R.I., where seafood and local farming played a big role in the area’s gastronomy. He started cooking professionally in kitchens when he was 14, then attended Le CourdonBlue, where he studied classic French cooking techniques.
“We would have blind taste-tests of herbs until we mastered the flavor profiles,” says Kestler. “The taste, the smell, and what dishes the herb pairs well with. It was definitely intense.”
He then externships at Walt Disney World in Fla. at both the Boardwalk Resort and the ESPN club, where a number of Hollywood celebrities came in to dine.
Kestler’s epicurean passions first took hold in his grandmother’s kitchen.
“My grandfather was in a wheelchair for all of my life, so I spent a lot of time at their house, cooking with my grandmother,” says Kestler. “She’s first generation Portuguese so I learned a lot about Portuguese cooking.”
Classic chorizo and kale soup was a staple during the cold, New England winters, he says.
With over 3,000 meals served daily, between Usdan, Sherman, the Faculty club and coffee shops, what does Kestler find most challenging about his work here? Addressing the wide variety of eating styles that are becoming more mainstreamed, such as vegan, vegetarian, dairy free and gluten free, he says.
“Brandeis has a large Asian population, so you can’t just prepare one type of cuisine and expect everyone to be satisfied” says Kestler. “We have many different stations, and are trying to adapt to everyone’s needs and wants.”
“I mainly eat at Sherman, and I am Gluten-Free,” says Lindsay Mitnik ’16.
“I really appreciate the effort the they put into the gluten-free options as they try to have something different every day- and they always have bread and bagels and pasta.”
Mitnik’s request: Roast beef at the sandwich bar and more fresh fruit.
Many of the chefs at Brandeis have gone through extensive training, says Mathew Thompson, director of operations. He meets with the production team regularly to consult on everything from menus and individual recipes to placing orders.
Thompson attended the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, NY where he received a chef 2 degree. He also holds a Certified Chef de Cuisine degree from the American Culinary Federation (ACF), where the degree of culinary knowledge drilled down to how food pigments react. For example, if a purple carrot is cooked in an acidic solution, such as a citrus juice, what would that do to the carrot?
Thompson then went on to train to become a ProChef level lll, or executive chef.
“There were wine tastings, wine parings, and a business portion of the curriculum,” says Thompson. “They expect that those who leave that program could run their own restaurant.”
Thompson says when he was studying for the ProChef level lll certification he would train in the Usdan kitchen on Saturdays.
“When we wanted to learn how to make empanadas the authentic way, we had all of the grandmother’s cookbooks out, says Thompson. “The other chefs that went with me returned to campus with an even greater enthusiasm of our craft.”
So how is the restaurant atmosphere different from a university?
That gap is slowly diminishing, says Thompson. “All of our stations are now cooked on the floor where we add fresh sauce and toppings. I see restaurant and institutional cooking converging.”
Easy Holiday Entertaining
Cooking Class Hosted by Chef Matthew Thompson
October 24, 2012, Brandeis University
Beverage Selection
Pear & Apple White Sangria
Sparkling Water & Assorted Soft Drinks Available Upon Request
Reception Appetizers (Gathering)
Pumpkin Arancini with Port-Blackberry Sauce
Panko-Breaded Pumpkin Risotto, Port-Blackberry Reduction
Parmesan-Spinach Pinwheels
Roasted Tomato Pistou with Marcona Almonds
Roasted Squash & Chevre Tarts
Tarragon Emulsion & Balsamic Gastrique
First Course
Local New England Cheese Board
Camembert, Cave-Aged Cheddar, Mohawk Trail Triple Crème Brie,
Sage Derby, Roquefort-Crusted Chevre, & Massachusetts Mountain Gouda
Served with Fancy Lavash Crackers and Seasonal Chutney
Chef Discussion/Demonstration
Roasted Beet Salad with Peppercorn-Shallot & Cider Vinaigrette
Crumbled Ricotta Salata and & Toasted Pistachios
Oven Roasted Fall Vegetable Medley
Interactive Class
Ravioli/Tortellini Making
Butternut Squash
Tossed in a Browned-Butter & Sage Sauce
Duck & Porcini
Rosemary Demi-Glace
Wine Pairing & Discussion
Assorted Cake Pops
Pumpkin * Cranberry * Cheesecake
ACE (ARAMARK CULINARY EXCELLENCE)
Orlando, 2012
National Semi-Finalists
Making Desserts
COOKING CLASS HOSTED BY CHEF MATTHEW THOMPSON
May 31, 2012, Brandeis University
Beverage Selection
Sparkling Watar & Assorted Soft Drinks Available Upon Request
Reception Appetizers
Carrot-Pecan Whoopie Pies
Orange-Ginger Spiced Whipped Cream Cheese Filling
Paired with: The Mason’s Jar
(Vodka, Ginger Puree, Ginger Beer)
Grilled Stone Fruit & Wild Berries
Served with Tangerine-Whipped Sweet Mascarpone & Micro Spearmint
Paired with: Peach Lambic
Five-Spiced Apple Wonton ‘Tacos’
Sweet Soy Sauce, Cinnamon Gelato
Paired with: Caramel Appletini
(Apple Vodka, Butterscotch Schnapps)
Small Plates Chef Demo Stations with Drink Pairings
Classic Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Mascerated Strawberries, Fresh Basil & Sweet Balsamic Reduction
Paired with: Cucumber-Basil Cocktail
Crisp Chocolate Sail Filled with Chocolate Mousse
Candied Orange, Raspberry Coulis, Whipped Chantilly
Paired with: Chocolate-Orange Martini
Cheesecake ‘Napoleon’ Hazelnut Twill
Espresso Cheescake, Vanilla Bean Cheesecake, Silken Raspberry Cheesecake
Nutty Irishmen: Bailey’s & Frangelic
ACE (ARAMARK CULINARY EXCELLENCE)
Tampa, 2011
Northeast Regional Winners
National Competition
ACE (Aramark Culinary Excellence)
Chicago, 2008
Northeast Regional Competition Winners
Appetizer
King Crab and Mango Salad
With a tangy passion fruit vinaigrette
Entrée
Herbed Rack of Lamb pan roasted
Fingerling potato coins
Fava Bean Succotash
Dessert
Toasted Pistachio and Almond Torrone
with Grand Marnier macerated strawberries
Dessert
Toasted Pistachio and Almond Torrone
with Grand Marnier macerated strawberries
National Competition
Northeast Regional Culinary Team, Chef Chris Bee, Chef Matthew Thompson, Chef Walter Dunphy
