Congratulations to the winners of the The Future Menus Contest: Irresistible Vegetables! We received over 250 entries showcasing the irresistible potential of vegetables as a part of this contest sponsored by Unilever Food Solutions.
Irresistible Vegetables is one of the five trends identified by the Unilever Food Solutions 2024 Future Menus Report. Based off of extensive research and expertise, the report is a rich resource for foodservice professionals looking to ensure their menus are future-ready now! Download the report here.
The prompt for the contest was to create an original dish featuring vegetables as the star of the show, while also incorporating one of the five select products from Unilever Food Solutions. Our judges were blown away by the quality of so many of the entries and had a truly challenging task to determine the winners, but after careful deliberation, considering presentation and techniques described and displayed, the following entries emerged as the winners!
3 GRAND PRIZE WINNERS
Each of these chefs will receive a $4,500 USD cash prize, a $250 gift card to Chef’s Roll Apparel, and a $250 gift card to Korin
Summer Squash & Ricotta
Zucchini Mille-feuille & Rosette, Yellow Zucchini Emulsion, Green Zucchini & Basil Soup, Fried Ricotta Balls, Marinated Baby Eight Ball Squash, Dill Blossoms, Petite Meadow Sorrel & Borage.
Featured Product Used: Knorr Professional Ultimate Vegetable Liquid Concentrated Stock Base
Onion Pakoda
White onion, stuffed with spiced russet potatoes, coated and fried with a batter made from vegetable scrap ash and charcoal, garnished with white onion tuile and served with a black garlic aioli.
Featured Product Used: Hellmann’s Heavy Duty Vegan Mayonnaise and Knorr Professional Select Vegetable Stock Base
Carrot Cream with Tofu, Caramelized Onion, Pesto, and Nuts
Carrots and garlic cream, cooked with Knorr Professional Caldo de Vegetales, then blended and sieved for a creamy texture. Pan-roasted baby carrots with Knorr Professional Ultimate Vegetable Liquid Concentrated Stock Base, cooked to retain their crispiness. Balsamic caramelized red pearl onions. Accompanied by deep-fried tofu, fresh pesto alla Genovese, smoky Greek yogurt, and roasted hazelnuts. Garnished with fresh dill, carrot tops, and radishes.
Featured Product Used: Knorr Professional Caldo de Vegetales and Knorr Professional Ultimate Vegetable Liquid Concentrated Stock Base
10 HONORABLE MENTIONS
Will each receive a $400 gift card to Korin
Roasted Zucchini and Grilled Leek Gazpacho
Roasted zucchini, Hellsmann’s Vegan Mayo, marinated and grilled leeks gazpacho with Knorr’s Caldo de Vegetales, pickled radish, celery, deseeded jalapenos, and spinach.
Featured Product Used: Hellmann’s Vegan Mayo Dressing and Spread Squeeze Jar and Knorr Professional Caldo de Vegetales
Goat Cheese & Beet Ravioli
Goat Cheese & Garlic Fermented Honey Ravioli, Koji Beets, Pickled Mustard Seed, Golden Beet Puree, Toasted Pistachio, Fried Sage & Beurre Monté
Featured Product Used: Knorr Professional Ultimate Vegetable Liquid Concentrated Stock Base and Knorr Professional Select Vegetable Stock Base
Summer Market Vegg
Pink Oyster & Lion’s Mane Mushrooms Basted in Butter and Knorr Vegetable Base, Roasted Butternut Squash & Smoked Beet Puree, Knorr Vegetable & Base & Bonito Glazed Peas & Carrots, Blistered Tomatoes, Micro Leek & Rambo Radish
Featured Product Used: Hellmann’s Heavy Duty Vegan Mayonnaise and Knorr Professional Select Vegetable Stock Base
Shades of Green
Sugar snap peas, shelled English peas, asparagus, kohlrabi, carrot top pesto, lemon zest infused Hellmann’s vegan mayo aioli
Featured Product Used: Hellmann’s Heavy Duty Vegan Mayonnaise
Butternut Squash Chaat
Butternut squash tamarind puree, crispy dino kale, sautéed shallot, zucchini and crookneck squash, raspberry segments, pickled shallots, orange zest, cilantro mint oil and yogurt mouse with a dust of curry powder.
Featured Product Used: Knorr Professional Select Vegetable Stock Base
Coal Roasted Cauliflower
White Oak Wood Grilled and Smoked Cauliflower seasoned with salsa macha, Oxalis Chimichurri, Cilantro Aioli, Nasturtium Blossoms, Last Season’s Pickled Ramps, & Nasturtium Leaf Oil
Featured Product Used: Knorr Professional Ultimate Vegetable Liquid Concentrated Stock Base
Fire Roasted Beefsteak Tomato & Calabrian Chili Gazpacho
Knorr Caldo de Vegetales fire roasted beefsteak tomatoes and Calabrian chili pepper Gazpacho, tomato powder tuile & char tromboncino zucchini
Featured Product Used: Knorr Professional Caldo de Vegetales
Variations of Tomato, Smoked Foam, Brioche, Sour Cherry
Roasted Tomatoes in Knorr Professional Ultimate Vegetable Liquid Concentrated Stock Base, Pickled, and Confit, Sunwing Farms Tomatoes, Smoked Sunwing Farms Tomato and Knorr Veg Stock Base Foam, Brioche Crisp, Low Waste Tomato Skin Powder Brioche Crumb, Vancouver Island Sour Cherry Puree, Foraged Calendula, and Nasturtium Flower.
Featured Product Used: Knorr Professional Ultimate Vegetable Liquid Concentrated Stock Base and Knorr Professional Select Vegetable Stock Base
Carrot and Turnip Tart
Tart with roasted shaved carrot + turnip cured with Knorr Professional Select Vegetable Stock Base, charred apricots, honey whipped goat cheese, thyme and roasted vegetable “demi”
Featured Product Used: Knorr Professional Select Vegetable Stock Base
Fish Sauce Glazed Celery Root
Celery root, vegetable stock & fish sauce caramel glaze, butternut squash, pho spices, charred pearl onion, grilled bok choy, and Vietnamese herbs
Featured Product Used: Knorr Professional Ultimate Vegetable Liquid Concentrated Stock Base
Thank you so much to everyone who participated in this contest! Stay tuned for the next Future Menus contest launching very soon – another chance to win BIG.
