Chile's Culinary Talent and Artisanal Food Products Featured at James Beard Foundation, Summer Fancy Food Show and Flavors of Chile Restaurant Week in New York City NEW YORK, June 18
NEW YORK, June 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Chilean specialty food products are
captivating U.S. consumers and food industry professionals with exotic flavors
reflective of the country's unique terroir. ProChile New York, the Trade
Commission of Chile, has embarked on a mission to introduce Chile's highest
quality gourmet products and premium wines to discerning consumers in New York
as well as to the U.S. food trade through a series of tasting opportunities,
educational seminars, restaurant promotions, and live cooking demonstrations.
Events include a Flavors of Chile dinner at the James Beard Foundation
featuring acclaimed Chilean chef Pilar Rodriguez, significant presence at the
Summer Fancy Food Show, and the launch of the Flavors of Chile Restaurant Week
program, the first on-premise promotion dedicated to Chilean foods in New
York.
"We are thrilled at the opportunity to present Chile's most authentic
flavors at some of the leading gastronomic events in the United States," said
Trade Commissioner Alejandro Cerda of ProChile New York. "Through our
activities in New York, we hope to encourage US chefs and food buyers to
incorporate Chile's pristine food products into their menus and portfolios."
As Latin and South American food products continue to ride the wave of
success into 2008, Chile is poised to deliver with a variety of unique and
ecologically sustainable food products. Chile is one of the fastest growing
food-exporters in the world. Currently ranked 17th amongst the world's leading
food exporting countries, Chile has become a major player in the global food
arena. Chile supplies more than 150 countries around the world with fresh and
processed foods and beverages including fruits, vegetables, seafood, wine,
meat and poultry, dairy products, olive and avocado oils, and other specialty
items. At its current growth rate, Chile will be among the top 10 food
exporters in the world by 2010.
Flavors of Chile Dinner at The James Beard Foundation
On May 21st, 2008 ProChile partnered with the James Beard Foundation to
host an elaborate Chilean food and wine pairing dinner designed and prepared
by Chilean chef Pilar Rodriguez at the historic James Beard House. Chef
Rodriguez is renowned in Chile for creating dazzling wine-pairing menus
inspired by the country's rich viticultural heritage and distinct local
ingredients. A 7-course tasting menu highlighted Chile's most distinctive food
products, including merken (a Mapuche spice blend made from native smoked
Cacho de Cabra chiles), ulmo honey, carica (an exotic Chilean fruit), infused
wine vinegars, extra virgin olive and avocado oils, and top quality seafood
products.
Chef Rodriguez selected some of Chile's most celebrated wines from the
following wineries to pair with each of her signature courses: Aquitania, Casa
Lapostolle, Casa Silva, Cono Sur, Haras De Pirque, Kingston Family Vineyards,
Matetic, Montes, Undurraga, and Viu Manent.
The dinner at the James Beard Foundation was the first of several culinary
initiatives ProChile is launching this year to increase visibility for Chilean
gourmet food products in the United States. The dinner served as a media
preview for Chile's involvement in the Summer Fancy Food Show as well as the
inaugural Flavors of Chile Restaurant Week that will take place at the end of
June 2008.
Chile at the Summer Fancy Food Show
For the seventh year in a row, ProChile will participate in the 54th
annual NASFT Summer Fancy Food Show in New York from June 29 - July 1, 2008 at
the Jacob Javits Center. This year, The Chilean Pavilion will host 27
specialty food companies and a number of national food associations,
showcasing products such as extra virgin olive and avocado oils, seafood
products, sea salt and spices, fruit preserves, specialty honeys, and premium
wines. For more information on the companies participating at the event please
visit: www.specialtyfood.com/chile
A special Flavors of Chile reception featuring unique dishes by Chef Pilar
Rodriguez will be held at the Chilean Pavilion each day of the show. Chef
Rodriguez will be conducting live cooking demonstrations during the receptions
to display modern and creative ways to use Chile's most distinguished food
products.
Reception hours:
Sunday June 29th, from 12:30 - 2:30 pm
Monday June 30th, from 12:30 - 2:30 pm
Tuesday July 1st, from 11:00 - 1:00 pm
For more information on the reception tastings please visit:
www.prochile.us/tastings
In addition, ProChile will be sponsoring a unique tasting seminar at the
Fancy Food Show on Monday June 30th from 10:00 - 11:30 am entitled "Foods &
Wine That We Adore: Tantalizing Flavors of Chile." The seminar will be led by
Michael Green, the Wine & Spirits Consultant to Gourmet magazine, and Chef
Pilar Rodriguez, and will explore the unique history behind a series of
specialty food products from Chile. Chef Rodriguez will present creative
applications and uses for the products that will be tasted during the seminar,
including merken, ulmo honey, carica, infused wine vinegars, extra virgin
olive and avocado oils, and others. Tickets to the seminar are available for
purchase in advance on the NASFT website:
www.specialtyfood.com/do/fancyFoodShow/EducationalPrograms or in person at the
show.
Flavors of Chile Restaurant Week
During the week of the Fancy Food Show, ProChile will be launching the
first annual Flavors of Chile Restaurant Week to promote Chile's unique
cuisine and gourmet food products to patrons of New York and New Jersey's top
restaurants. From June 29th-July 6th, 2008 four acclaimed restaurants will
create original tasting menus spotlighting gourmet Chilean ingredients such as
Chilean salmon, carica, merken, extra virgin olive and avocado oils, Chilean
farmstead cheeses, ulmo honey, Chilean razor clams, fruit preserves, and
infused wine vinegars, among others.
Participating restaurants include:
2 West at The Ritz-Carlton, Battery Park
2 West St.
NY, NY 10004
(212) 344-0800
Nova Terra
78 Albany St.
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
(732) 296-1600
Paris Commune
99 Bank St.
NY, NY 10014
(212) 929-0509
Pomaire
371 W 46th St.
NY, NY 10036
(212) 956-3055
For more information on Flavors of Chile Restaurant Week, please visit:
www.prochile.us/flavors
About ProChile
ProChile, the Trade Commission of Chile, is part of the General
Directorate of International Economic Affairs of Chile's Ministry of Foreign
Affairs. It is responsible for implementing and enhancing Chile's trade
policy. ProChile's mission is to provide support to small and medium-sized
enterprises, helping to encourage and diversify exports of Chilean products
and services by increasing the number of export markets and companies. It does
so by providing the necessary tools to aid Chile's economy in its process of
going international. ProChile's Trade Offices and Agencies are located in over
35 countries, covering 90 percent of the destination markets for Chilean
exports. For more information please visit www.prochile.us, www.chileinfo.com
or email info@prochile.us.
Media Contact:
Etty Lewensztain
212-994-7543
etty.lewensztain@rfbinder.com
SOURCE ProChile
