Pecans Ignite the Senses at
Research Chefs Association Annual Conference

 

The National Pecan Shellers Association (NPSA), sponsored by the American Pecan Council (APC), attended this year’s 2022 Research Chefs Association (RCA) Conference: Ignite Your Senses, held March 22-25 in Atlanta. The in-person event, which was the first of its kind in two years, brought together over 800 research chefs, food scientists, recipe developers, directors, managers, marketers, students and more. Attendees came from all over the country and included members from companies like Tyson Foods, King’s Hawaiian, Brinker International, McCormick & Company, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Krispy Kreme and Symrise, to name a few.

While attendees were excited to reconnect during networking events with friends and colleagues who they hadn’t seen in years, there was also plenty of buzz around the educational sessions. Presentations explored the challenges faced by the food and foodservice industries, upcoming trends impacting the foodservice industry and new and exciting culinary applications for various ingredients. Plant-based cuisine dominated the landscape and pecans fit in perfectly with this theme.

At the event, NPSA:

  • Provided 16-ounce pecan flour samples, recipes and messaging to all attendees (over 800) in their welcome bag including card with QR code linked to buying page at NPSA website. Pecans were the only food item featured in the welcome bag and as such received a high-level interest among attendees.
  • Presented an educational session about health benefits and culinary usages of pecans with the NPSA dietitian and chef held in the Vendor Theater: “Pecans: A Powerhouse for Nutrition, Taste & Texture.” This presentation included a cooking demonstration by Chef Steve Petusevsky, who taught attendees how to prepare spicy Ramen noodles with pecan sauce using pecan pieces. Also featured was a maple pecan horchata, a refreshing Mexican-inspired drink made with pecan pieces, basmati rice and evaporated milk. Attendees enjoyed samples throughout the presentation. A video of the conference is available here.
  • Networked with key industry participants from companies like Krispy Kreme Donuts and Hello Fresh and sent out direct e-mails to more than a dozen contacts.

 

Other Pecan Promotional Projects:

  • Three New Educational Pecan Videos – Check out our three new educational videos available on ILovePecans.com . Designed to educate chefs and foodservice operators about the many benefits of using pecans in the commercial kitchen. These videos highlight:
  • Pecan Chef Culinary Workshop Video – View highlights of the Pecan Chef Culinary Workshop in San Antonio Texas. See what prominent chefs in retail, restaurants and foodservice distribution have to say about pecans.

 

For more information, videos and pecan recipes, go to www.ilovepecans.org/commercial-food-service or contact dwelland@ilovepecans.org.