Al Brown wows US hospitality show

June 12, 2008

Acclaimed Wellington-based chef, Al Brown, from Logan Brown Restaurant & Bar has wowed the restaurant trade and hospitality media attending VIP events at the recent National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show in Chicago. The NRA show is North America’s largest gathering of foodservice professionals and attracts over 70,000 restaurant and food service visitors annually.

The NRA show completes the first series of three key trade shows supported by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) in response to the recommendations of the Food and Beverage Taskforce with Mr Brown invited to be the lead chef for the New Zealand pavilion.

The NZTE organised pavilion featured 20 food and beverage organisations representing meat, seafood, wine, horticulture and specialty sectors. The VIP seminars were held for some leading restaurant companies and key hospitality publications and featured products from some of New Zealand’s leading food producers accompanied by New Zealand wines.

“The guests were impressed with the number of flavour sensations presented by New Zealand producers” said Mr Brown. “As an example, many of the VIPs loved the farmed abalone dish and immediately saw it as a potential point of difference on their menus that could give them an advantage in the competitive North American restaurant market.”

Highlights from the menu created exclusively for the VIP tasting events by Al Brown included a selection of olive oils from The Village Press, a raw bar featuring, oysters, Littleneck clams, rock lobster, Cervena® venison with wild mushrooms, cherry relish and porcini oil, roasted salmon fillet with honey, lime and chipotle glaze, and New Zealand’s iconic dessert – pavlova.

NZTE Director – Food and Beverage Taskforce Sam Lewis, says the United States is New Zealand’s second largest trading partner and accounts for more than half New Zealand’s food and beverage exports, at a value of US$1.94 billion annually.

“NZTE and our exhibitors were delighted to have Al Brown showcasing top products on the New Zealand stand.
 
“New Zealand food and beverage companies are producing some world-class products and an event like NRA gives those companies the perfect opportunity to showcase their products to key decision makers from the restaurant and hospitality industry in the US.”

Please contact NZTE for details of Al Brown’s recipes used NRA 2008.

ENDS

For more information
Alister Brown, Logan Brown Restaurant, phone 04 801 5114, email al@loganbrown.co.nz
Sam Lewis, Director, NZTE Food & Beverage Taskforce, phone 09 354 9146, email sam.lewis@nzte.govt.nz

Distributed by Marisa Chahel, Marketing Project Manager – Food & Beverage Taskforce
Phone: 09 354 9125, Mobile: 027 210 9303, marisa.chahel@nzte.govt.nz