Neighborhood to Nation Grand Prize Winner to Appear at NYCWFF

Dennis Chan of Blue Bamboo in Jacksonville, Florida, will serve his award-winning Sunshine State Orange Cake during the premier food and wine event.
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MINNEAPOLIS (Oct. 8, 2018) —General Mills Foodservice announces that its latest Neighborhood to Nation Recipe Contest Winner Dennis Chan and his celebrated Sunshine State Orange Crunch Cake will enjoy some time in the national spotlight at the Food Network & Cooking Channel New York City Wine & Food Festival (NYCWFF) taking place Oct. 11-14. The chef and owner of Blue Bamboo in Jacksonville, Florida, earned the trip to New York as part of his grand prize package in the annual contest that celebrates independent restaurants and the one-of-a-kind dishes that reflect their local flavor.

Chan will appear at General Mill Foodservice’s booth from 1 to 3 p.m. during Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirit’s Trade Tasting at Pier 94 on Friday, Oct. 12. Attendees will have the opportunity to sample the award-winning cake, meet Chan and learn about the story behind his restaurant’s signature dessert that takes inspiration from his home state of Florida and its state fruit.

“We are delighted to give Dennis the opportunity to share his Sunshine State Orange Crunch Cake, a recipe that is representative of the flavors of his region, on a national stage,” said Alyca Judge, senior marketing manager for General Mills Foodservice, which supplies restaurants with high-quality products to help make the signature dishes and familiar favorites their customers love. “I can’t think of a better way to convey the spirit of the Neighborhood to Nation Recipe Contest than by showcasing Dennis and his recipe at the premier event for America’s favorite foods.”

The Neighborhood to Nation Contest was created to inspire culinary creativity among independent restaurants and food trucks, giving operators an opportunity to experiment with high-quality and consistent products from General Mills Foodservice as well as exclusive access to trend information, insights and ideas to help them differentiate their menus and delight their diners. Using an eligible General Mills’ ingredient, operators had a chance to win one of five regional prizes worth $20,000 or the grand prize package worth $80,000—including an all-expense paid trip to NYCWFF.

Chan’s recipe used Gold Medal™ Yellow Cake layers moistened with an orange sauce then stacked between alternating layers of airy pineapple cream cheese icing and crisp baked Pillsbury's Best™ Puff Pastry Dough for a luscious creamy, crunchy Napoleon-style textured dessert. To get the recipe, learn more about Chan or find more information about the Neighborhood to Nation Recipe Contest, please visit www.neighborhoodtonation.com.

Saturday: Farmer’s Market Brunch Event

General Mills will also participate in the Farmer’s Market Brunch taking place on Saturday, Oct. 13 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Chef Gilles Stassart will serve Southern-Style Fried Chicken on a Pillsbury Biscuit Waffle topped with broccoli slaw, sweet spicy Sriracha sauce and micro arugula at this walk-around tasting event that showcases fall flavors.

About General Mills Convenience & Foodservice

The General Mills Convenience & Foodservice division serves the convenience, foodservice and bakery industries by providing quality products from time-trusted brands along with culinary, nutrition education and marketing resources to help operators succeed. Its distinguished brand portfolio includes Big G Cereals, Yoplait, Nature Valley, Gold Medal, Pillsbury, Chex Mix, Bugles, Gardetto’s and Annie’s. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, the division had fiscal 2018 net sales of $1.93 billion. For more information, please visit www.generalmillsfoodservice.com.

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CONTACT:   Sarah Peterson
                      General Mills Convenience & Foodservice
                      651.646.8233
                      media.line@genmills.com