000515 Chefs Help Increase Pork's Use in Foodservice

Indianapolis, IN - Culinary ambassadors are helping the U.S. pork industry spread the news about pork and how it can economically and creatively fit on restaurant menus.

Known as the Celebrated Chefs program, five culinary chefs serve as ambassadors to the pork industry, according to Larry Cizek, Director of Foodservice Marketing for the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC). The program's mission is to increase awareness and build excitement around pork's versatility, variety and profitability among chefs, foodservice operators, distributors and food media.

The Celebrated Chefs will be appearing during World Pork Expo June 8-10 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. The chefs will take turns giving cooking demonstrations four times each day in the Pepsi Coliseum.

“This pork checkoff-funded program is a success because the Celebrated Chefs serve pork in their restaurants, therefore they are credible spokespersons for the pork industry,” Cizek says. 'They also create new pork recipes that are used for advertisements that promote our industry in foodservice magazines.”

“The payoff to producers through this program is getting more and new uses of pork in restaurants. That results in increased consumption and demand for more pork,” said John Kellogg, a Yorkville, Ill., producer and National Pork Board President.

The Celebrated Chefs program, established in 1996, is contributing to tremendous growth in pork use by foodservice. According to a checkoff-funded study, pork's use grew by 17% from 1996 to 1999.

Pork's growth during the three-year period accounted for 1.3 billion pounds of additional pork served by foodservice. Pork items accounting for the most use were ham, bacon, pork sausage and baby back ribs.

Pork's 17% growth was more than double the 8% overall growth experienced by the U.S. foodservice industry during the three-year period. World Pork Expo is a presentation of the National Pork Board and implemented by the National Pork Producers Council.

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