ON THE INSIDE
PROFESSIONAL CAKE-
DECORATING CONTEST
SEEKS APPLICANTS
Retail Bakers of
America (RBA)
members who are
currently working in
a cake shop, retail
or supermarket bakery and have a minimum
of two years of decorating experience are
invited to apply for the 2011 Pillsbury Bakers
Plus Creative Decorating Competition,
which will be held at All Things Baking,
Schaumburg, Ill., October 2-4. Professional
cake decorators will compete for 10
hours in five different categories, and the
highest-scoring individual will be awarded
the Pillsbury Bakers Plus Grand Champion
Trophy. The highest three scores will also
receive gold, silver and bronze medals. A total
of $14,000 in prize money will be awarded.
Contestants can enter by competing at
their local RBA affiliate or by portfolio.
Application by portfolio is available at http://
allthingsbaking2011.com/education/,
and must be postmarked by June 30.
Contestants will be announced by July 15.
INSIDER continued from page 9
else. Food is about nurturing, nutrition and
nuance. Travel teaches us about all three.
What do you hope guests experience at
FARMbloomington?
I want people to leave saying they had fun.
We try to create an atmosphere for folks to
gather and celebrate. Whether it is just the
end of a workday, a holiday or the finish
of a college education, we want to supply
our clients with service, food, ambiance
and genuine caring attention. The food is
tasty and substantial as well as comforting
and creative. FARMbloomington is what
Southern Indiana tastes like in 2011.
Talk about the multiple-venue concept?
FARMbloomington has a market café,
FARMbar, FARMrestaurant, The Root
Cellar Bar and FARMcatering. When
comparing a restaurant business in a
town with one in a city, in a town, one
needs to attract the same guests over
and over again. The way we do this is by
giving them as many options as we can.
You are both chef and owner—how do
you juggle those two roles?
The main way to handle these roles is
to hire well, train better and trust. All are
difficult—especially giving important tasks
to others. Always hire people who can do
one thing better than you. It will add years
to your life. Listen to others, especially the
folks who do the dishes.
What advice do you have for would-be
restaurant owners?
Make sure you have the passion to be in it
for the long run. It may take years to figure
out the best ways to do things, but once
you do, there isn’t a better business to be in.
Listen to your customers and react. There
is a grain or two of truth in every comment
that they give you.
What would you tell young people starting out?
Success doesn’t come to you overnight.
Work hard and learn something new every
day. Make one-, five- and 10-year plans that
include the steps to getting there. Steal with
your eyes. Give more to your boss than he or
she gives you. Sweat the small stuff. Walk in
nature whenever possible.
What gives you pleasure on the job every day?
Seeing my staff grow as professionals.
Hearing laughter in the dining room. Having
guests leave my restaurant with happy faces.
BEST CHEESE/BUTTER MAKERS ANNOUNCED
The National Culinary Review | May 2011
10
This year’s U.S. Championship Cheese
Contest, held in Green Bay, Wis., in March,
attracted 1,602 contest entries from 30
states. Katie Hedrich, LaClare Farms,
Chilton, Wis., took top honors for Evalon,
a hard goat’s-milk cheese. Sarvecchio®
Parmesan, made by John Griffiths, Sartori,
Plymouth, Wis., was first runner-up, and
aged Gouda by Marieke Penterman,
Holland's Family Cheese, Thorp, Wis., took
second runner-up. For complete results,
visit www.uschampioncheese.org.
The top three 2011 U.S.
Championship Cheese Contest
winners, left to right: first runner-up John Griffiths, overall winner
Katie Hedrich and second
runner-up Marieke Penterman.
