NTF PRESENTS
10TH ANNUAL
T.O.M. AWARDS
The National Turkey
Federation (NTF)
named Carl’s Jr.
and Hardee’s as
the recipient of its
10th Annual “Turkey on the Menu” (T.O.M.)
Award in the fast-food category. The award
honors the chain for introducing a variety of
charbroiled turkey burgers on the menu that
offer healthier options to consumers. The
T.O.M. Award was presented Feb. 16 during
NTF's annual convention in Tampa, Fla. John
Koncki, director of research and development
for CKE Restaurants, Inc., accepted the
award on behalf of CKE Restaurants Inc.,
Carpinteria, Calif., the parent company of
Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s.
To create the burgers, CKE Restaurants, Inc.
partnered with Matt Goulding, co-author of
the Eat This, Not That! book series, and Men’s
Health magazine to produce five varieties of
turkey burgers: traditional, teriyaki, guacamole,
mushroom Swiss and BBQ ranch.
T.O.M. Award winners in other categories are:
Ram's Horn Restaurants—mid-scale/casual
dining category
Capriotti's Sandwich Shop—quick casual
ALMONDS
RECOGNIZED BY
AHA WITH HEART-
CHECK
The American Heart Association (AHA)
recently certified almonds, based on their
nutrient profile, to display the signature
Heart-Check mark. The Heart-Check mark is
overseen by AHA to help make it easier to
identify and choose heart-healthy foods.
“Nutrition research has long supported the
heart health benefits of almonds,” says Jenny
Heap, MS, RD, health professional marketing
manager, Almond Board of California.
Per ounce, almonds provide 13 g of healthy
unsaturated fat and 1 g of saturated fat, and
are cholesterol-free. Almonds also deliver
protein, fiber, calcium, vitamin E, riboflavin
and niacin (USDA Agricultural Research Service,
2011; USDA National Nutrient Database for
Standard Reference, Release 24).
Interest in where food comes from and changes in
restaurant spending will be driving the foodservice
rollercoaster in 2012, according to Mintel’s 2012
Dining Out Report.
FOOD SOURCES, RESTAURANT
SPENDING IN 2012
Interest in where food comes from:
• A desire for fresh, unprocessed food will lead
more operators to focus on American regionalism.
• More double-sided menus provide
something for everyone along the nutrition
and economic continuums.
• “Fresh” on the menu interested most Mintel
respondents (89%) followed by “made from
scratch” (71%) and “real” (67%).
Changes in restaurant spending:
• Most respondents (65%) will spend about
the same at restaurants in 2012, and 12%
plan to spend more (59% will spend extra
dollars at a casual restaurant; 57% at a
family restaurant).
• 41% say they won’t change how they dine out
when the FDA imposes calorie count nutrition
menu labeling laws; 33% say they will order
healthier menu items with fewer calories.
WALTER "SPUD"
RHEA, 1947-2012
Walter “Spud”
Rhea, CMPC,
CEC, CCE, AAC,
HOF, who served
as executive
director of the
American Culinary
Federation, St.
Augustine, Fla.,
from 1999 to 2001, died March 21 in
North Port, Fla.
Rhea, one of only 12 Certified Master
Pastry Chefs in the U.S., was a longtime
culinary educator who joined Sullivan
University, Louisville, Ky., in 1988 and
was named the first chairperson of the
Baking and Pastry Arts program. He
returned to Sullivan in 2001 as director of
the National Center for Hospitality Studies,
serving in that position until his retirement
in 2007.
A member of ACF Kentucky Chapter,
Rhea joined ACF in 1976. He held several
national positions, including Scholarship
Chair, ACF Educational Institute (ACFEI)
Certification Committee Chair and
ACEFI secretary, as well as serving on
the Accreditation Commission and as an
ACFEI trustee for 12 years.
He was inducted into the American
Academy of Chefs in 1988, and in 1999,
he received the AAC Chair’s Medal. He
was ACF’s 1993 Chef Professionalism
Award recipient. He was inducted into the
Honorable Order of the Golden Toque in
1994, and was a member of Les Amis
D’Escoffier Society.
Rhea won 20+ gold medals in culinary
competition. During his time in the U.S.
Army, 1965-1985, he was team captain of
the culinary-arts teams and the 1984 U.S.
Army “culinary Olympics” team.
