What's New in the Culinary Classroom: Canned Food Nutrition

Chef Andy Schloss has developed "Dressed to the Nine" salad dressing recipes that replace fatty oils with canned furits and vegetables.

Students attending culinary schools now have a new curriculum that explores the nutritional, convenience, versatility and taste of canned food and the package integrity of steel food cans. This year, AISI's Steel Packaging Council (SPC) is meeting with culinary educators to present the new curriculum and to encourage them to use it to reach the next generation of culinary professionals.

To reach the educators, the SPC worked directly with the Center for the Advancement of Foodservice Education (CAFÉ) to sponsor CAFÉ conferences and workshops. In August, SPC consultant and Chef Andy Schloss demonstrated one of his original "Dressed to the Nines" salad dressings to the participants, a unique recipe that replaces fatty oils with canned fruits and vegetables. While demonstrating this unique application for canned food, Chef Schloss "educated the educators" about the benefits of working with canned food.

Rich Tavoletti, director of AISI's Container Market Program, said that this strategy is making inroads into the nation's premiere culinary programs.

"So far, the SPC has met with more than 500 culinary educators, and the curriculum has received positive feedback. We anticipate that these educators will reach more than 50,000 students with this material," said Tavoletti. For more information on AISI's foodservice outreach, visit www.steel.org or contact Rich Tavoletti.