Make your menu pop with COLORFUL, FRESH BERRIES.
CHEF’S CORNER
California Giant Berry Farms is now accepting entries for its annual Chef Invitational. Now in its 5th year, the California Giant Chef Invitational is a nationwide culinary competition that calls upon chefs to think outside the box and create innovative, original dishes featuring fresh strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries as the hero of the plate.
The revered event invites foodservice, corporate and restaurant chefs to compete by submitting a main dish recipe that showcases the versatility of fresh berries. Unique to 2023’s submission guidelines is the requirement for the recipe to fall under one or more of key trends as identified by Flavor & the Menu, including: Asian Breakfast Wakes Up, Mustard’s Moment, The Dark Side of Butter, True Colors and Time for Thai.
For more information on how to apply to the 2023 California Giant Chef Invitational and to read the full guidelines for entry, click here!
Learn more about our Chef Invitational Top Chefs and their winning dishes below:
Derek Seigfried
2022 Chef Invitational Top Chef
Robert Stegall-Smith
2022 Chef Invitational People’s Choice Winner
Sam Blackburn
2020 Chef Invitational Top Chef
Bill Barker
2020 Chef Invitational People’s Choice Winner
Jonathan Merrick
2019 Chef Invitational People’s Choice Winner
Shane Henderson
2018 Chef Invitational People’s Choice Winner
Berry Storage and Handling Best Practices
Unload all berries immediately into a cold room, roughly 32°F. Never allow a shipment to sit outside of a cold atmosphere.
Check for maturity, ripeness level, quantity, packaging, size, count, weight, and grade. Report any discrepancies immediately.
Store unwashed, in clamshells away from sources of moisture; moisture will cause rapid breakdown of the berry.
Don’t wash berries until ready to serve and use a gentle spray of cool water.
Don’t remove green caps from strawberries until after rinsing. This helps to retain flavor inside the berries.
PACK SIZES THAT FIT YOUR NEEDS
Strawberries
1 lb. • 2 lb. • 3 lb. • 4 lb.
Blueberries
6 oz. • Pint • 18 oz. • 24 oz. • 2 lb.
Raspberries
6 oz. • 12 oz.
Blackberries
6 oz. • 12 oz.
Sustainable packs available:
Ask your sales representative about our sustainable offerings
