The competition is underway once more to honor the foodservice industry’s most groundbreaking produce performers through the Produce Excellence in Foodservice Awards Program. The program, presented through the United Fresh Foundation’s Center for Leadership Excellence, is generously supported by founding sponsor Pro*Act, LLC, and is now entering its fourth year.

"This award recognizes the positive impact that chefs and foodservice operators have on the produce industry," said Max Yeater, chief operating officer of Pro*Act. "Across the country, chefs at restaurants and foodservice operations play such an important role in increasing the consumption of fresh, healthy fruits and vegetables by creating new and exciting ways to incorporate fresh produce into their menus."

Winning chefs will be honored in the categories of Fine Dining Restaurants, Casual and Family Dining Restaurants, Quick Serve Restaurants, Business in Industry & Colleges, and Hotels & Healthcare Industry, as well as an inaugural honoree in a the new K-12 Foodservice category.

"As the inspiration behind menu design and culinary innovation, chefs have such an important, high-profile role to play in the fresh produce industry," said United Retail-Foodservice Board Chairman Mitch Smith, director, U.S. Quality Systems Agricultural Products for McDonald's Corporation. "Not only are they making great strides toward increasing consumption, they continue to refresh the ways consumers enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables."

The six winning chefs and their corporate executives will receive complimentary airfare, hotel accommodations and registrations to United Fresh 2011, May 2-5 in New Orleans. The winners will be honored at the Annual Awards Banquet on Wednesday, May 4. The chefs will also participate in the education program at United Fresh 2011 to share their views on produce trends in foodservice.

"There are thousands of talented chefs who work hard every day to find new and exciting ways to present fresh produce to diners," said Tom Stenzel, United Fresh president and CEO. "With Pro*Act’s generous support, we are able to honor those chefs who committed to improving the produce industry at the foodservice level by delighting consumers with their fresh produce creations."

Winners will be selected based on nominees’ incorporation of fresh produce into menu development, use of protocols for correct storage and handling of produce, community engagement and outreach and how nominees build an overall positive dining experience featuring fresh produce.  Winners will be selected by a panel of United Fresh member representatives focused on excellence in the foodservice sector. Nominations must be submitted before February 7, 2011 and nomination information is available online here.

Last year’s winners in each category were:

Fine Dining:  Chef Sydney Meers, Chef/Owner, Stove, The Restaurant, Portsmouth, Va.

Casual & Family Dining:  Chef Christopher Jackson, Executive Chef and Owner, Ted & Honey, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Quick Service:  Chef Thomas John, Senior Vice President and Executive Chef, Au Bon Pain, Boston, Mass.

Business in Industry & Colleges:  Chef Fred Reynaud, Corporate Executive Chef, Guest Services, Inc., Fairfax, Va.

Hotels & Healthcare:  Chef Michael Reich, Executive Chef, Renaissance Chicago Hotel, Chicago, Ill.

For more information about the award program, please contact Miriam Miller, United Fresh senior director of membership at mmiller@unitedfresh.org or 202-303-3400, ext. 410.

The United Fresh Produce Excellence in Foodservice Awards Program is generously sponsored by Pro*Act, LLC.