New York City, NY, April 13, 2009 – ARAMARK Executive Chef and Chefs Collaborative member, Dan Lopez, has created a locally sourced, sustainable and delicious prix-fixe menu for the April 22 Earth Day Luncheon being held at the Delegates Dining Room within the United Nations building on 46th Street. The event is one of 17 being hosted nationwide by Chefs Collaborative members to help educate restaurant-goers about the value of local ingredients and connect them with their food and its source.
“Through my membership with Chefs Collaborative,” said Chef Lopez, “I am able to work with remarkable groups that make it possible for me to create menus that feature sustainable and biodynamic food and beverage selections sourced within a 100-mile radius of the restaurant. Every day, you will find a locally sourced item on the menu at the Delegates Dining Room,” he said.
Chef Lopez’s Earth Day menu will include: Sautéed Local Spinach with Poached Tomato and Garlic, Fresh Cod with Crab & Corn Ragu in a Blood Orange Sauce and Cream of Parsnip and Celeriac Soup with Local Honey Lavender Goat Cheese. (A complete menu is attached.) Additionally, representatives from food and beverage suppliers, Hudson Valley Farmstead Cheese, Glynwood and Mendicino Wine Company, will be on hand to provide insights into the value of supporting local and biodynamic farming operations.
*The Earth Day Luncheon will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on April 22 and is $27.40 per person (excluding beverages, tax and gratuity). Reservations for the Delegates Dining Room can be made by calling 212.963.7626. Space is limited.
The Earth Dinner program was launched in 2004 by Organic Valley Family of Farms with the idea that Earth Day deserved its own holiday meal, a festive gathering where people could re-forge their relationship with the planet and farmers that provide the food sustaining their bodies and bringing them together with family and friends. To seed the movement, Organic Valley joined forces with Boston-based Chefs Collaborative to host a series of Earth Dinners at some of the best loved restaurants in the U.S.
About Chefs Collaborative
Founded in 1993, Chefs Collaborative is the leading culinary organization that provides its members with tools for running economically healthy, sustainable food service businesses. With more than 1,000 active and passionate food community professionals as members, 70% of whom are chefs. Together, we share a common concern about the sources of the food we eat. We work collectively to promote the highest-quality, best-tasting local ingredients; products we know are better for the environment, our communities, and the nation’s tables.
About Glynwood
Glynwood’s mission is to help communities in the Northeast save farming. They work at the intersection of the needs of communities and the opportunities available to farmers and landowners, helping to empower communities to support farming and conserve farmland. In addition, they work their own land at Glynwood Farm to demonstrate the economic viability of environmentally sustainable agriculture.
About Hudson Valley Farmstead Cheeses
Located in the Hudson Valley region of New York, Pampered Cow was born to help market, promote, and distribute New York State’s artisanal farmstead cheeses. They are dedicated to promoting the region’s rich agricultural history, working farms and value added farmstead producers.
About Mendocino Wine Company
Founded in 2004, after acquiring Parducci Wine Cellars, Mendocino was the first carbon neutral winery in the U.S. The company is committed to sustainable wine growing practices that yield top quality grapes and wines.
About ARAMARK
ARAMARK is a leader in professional services, providing award-winning food services, facilities management, and uniform and career apparel to health care institutions, universities and school districts, stadiums and arenas, and businesses around the world. In FORTUNE magazine's 2009 list of "World's Most Admired Companies," ARAMARK was ranked number one in its industry, consistently ranking since 1998 as one of the top three most admired companies in its industry as evaluated by peers and analysts. ARAMARK seeks to responsibly address issues that matter to its clients, customers, employees and communities by focusing on employee advocacy, environmental stewardship, health and wellness, and community involvement. Headquartered in Philadelphia, ARAMARK has approximately 260,000 employees serving clients in 22 countries.
Contacts:
Laura Temple
215.238.6841
temple-laura@aramark.com