Culinary News
2007 Conde Nast Gold List
Our culinary and chef news includes the latest accolades for our award-winning staff and food. Read what everyone is raving about below:
We are pleased to announce that the Balsams Grand Hotel has been named to the 2007 Conde Nast Gold List which represents the top 700 hotels/resorts in the world. The Balsams is the only Gold List Hotel in New Hampshire. We were one of several hotels in the United States that received a perfect score of 100% for our food. Also, of significant note, the service rating was 97%, an outstanding achievement. The Balsams has always represented a tremendous tradition in the Culinary Department and this tells us that we are continuing to move along the path of excellence.
Delaware North Publishes Food/Travel Book
Delaware North Companies unveiled the first in a series of cookbooks. Entitled Pathways to the Plate, this cookbook celebrates the dishes and destinations of Delaware North. From The BALSAMS Grand Resort Hotel in New Hamphsire to Yosemite National Park in the High Sierra, readers can learn what the 90 year old hospitality and food service company has been saying all along: Great things happen when you start with peanuts.
Pathways to the Plate focuses on Delaware North's parks and resorts business and the chefs who man the kitchens there. Part travel book, part cookbook, it touches upon the special places where Delaware North operates, spotlighting the Culinary acumen of its chefs.
In addition to executive chefs who contributed favorite recipes, the book was supervised by Delaware North Companies Parks and Resorts Corporate Chef Roland Henin, one of the country's few certified master chefs. The recipes were tested by our own Chef de Patrie Elizabeth Brown. Call 1 (800) 255-0600 and ask for the Gift Shop to purchase a copy.
2007 American Culinary Federation Jr. Team Culinary Competition
They say if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
Three five-member teams from the Balsams Grand Hotel & Resort, Southern New Hampshire University and the Atlantic Culinary Academy at McIntosh College gathered for the state round of the 2007 American Culinary Federation Jr. Team Culinary Competition. These chefs-in-training showed they could certainly stand the heat - literally and figuratively.
They were vying for a trip to a regional culinary competition this spring in Pittsburg, and hopefully a spot in this summer's national competition in Orlando. At the end of the day, Atlantic Culinary wound up coming in third and our wonderful team from the Balsam, namely, Stephanie Jones, Donald Mygan, Steve Cushman, Arthur Lewis and Gilbert Moothart came in second, the team from Southern New Hampshire University came out on top. It is truly wonderful to see how much passion these kids have for preparing and creating these dishes, and how well they work together.
The competition was split up into three phases: 30 minutes for food preparation, 90 minutes to cook and serve, and another 30 minutes for cleanup. The 90 minutes includes time to "plate" the food or have dishes completely garnished and ready to serve. Two judges experienced in the culinary arts kept time and tasted each dish as it was brought out. Students were judged on cleanliness, appearance, taste, and even how they entered and exited the kitchen. The competition also consisted of a skills test, in which teams had to slice vegetables, bone fish and cut chicken the proper way. During the competition each team had to prepare a four course meal: a fish appetizer, a salad, the main course and the dessert. They were allowed to vary on every dish but the main course; each team had to make Supreme de Volaillo a l'Ecarlate, a boneless chicken breast with bits of cow tongue. Winning was not the main thing, but rather what students gained through the process mattered most. Whenever you compete you work hard and pour your heart out, but it's a learning experience. You compete to get better at your skill or your craft. Congratulations to all for a job well done.
