Driscoll’s, the leading provider of fresh berries, recently named Executive Chef/Partner John Carver of Eddie V’s Restaurant Inc, Scottsdale, AZ, as their “Top Berry Chef†of the year. Carver garnered this accolade with his innovative recipe, Hot & Crispy Blackberry Ravioli with Chocolate Fondue. Driscoll’s conducted a nationwide search for the chef with the most innovative dish using Driscoll’s full line of berries – strawberries, red and golden raspberries, blueberries and blackberries. The search began with Driscoll’s produce distributors submitting nominations of their chef customers. Recipes were reviewed and the winner was selected by Driscoll’s foodservice culinary team.
“We felt Chef Carver’s recipe was unique, delivering unexpected flavor and texture in each bite of the pastry-wrapped blackberries,†says Kim Kulchycki, Driscoll’s Marketing Manager. The culinary team appreciated Carver’s nod to tradition and the slight twist he added as his signature. Carver’s recipe begins with the popular pairing and of berries and chocolate. The berries are folded into the pastry dough, which is then deep-fried. Carver’s ravioli dough recipe is based on an Italian custom of adding white wine to the dough. The result is a light and airy “ravioli†bursting with blackberries and drizzled with hot chocolate sauce.
Carver and the produce distributor sales representative who nominated him, Brad Schwambach of Hardies in Dallas, Texas, a ProAct member company, received an all-expense paid trip to the Produce Marketing Association Foodservice Conference & Exposition in Monterey, California, August, 2010.
Each chef who entered the contest, and the distributor who nominated them, received iPod nanos® in recognition of their creative use of Driscoll’s berries.
Chef Carver is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, NY. During his career he has garnered numerous awards for his contributions to restaurant concepts in Atlanta, including “Chef of the Year†while he was with the Buckhead Life Restaurant Group, and “Best New Restaurant†for both Eddie V’s Edgewater Grille locations in Austin and Phoenix.
Eddie V’s Restaurant Inc. is a multi-unit restaurant company based in Scottsdale, Arizona and features award-winning concepts that focus on fresh, quality ingredients. Restaurant brands include Eddie V’s Prime Seafood with locations in Austin, Dallas, and Houston, TX; Roaring Fork with locations in Austin, San Antonio, TX, and Scottsdale, AZ; Wildfish Seafood Grille with locations in Newport Beach, CA, Austin, TX, and Scottsdale, AZ.
Driscoll’s is the world’s leading brand of fresh conventional and organic berries. For four generations and over 100 years, the Driscoll’s brand has been trusted and recognized for its superior quality. To fulfill their mission to continually
delight berry consumers, Driscoll’s naturally breeds proprietary plant varieties
that produce ONLY THE FINEST BERRIES® year ‘round. Visit www.driscolls/foodservice.com for foodservice-specific menu ideas and product information.