Saturday, May 16, 2015 – The Annual ICCA-GCIA Networking Reception this year during the 2015 National Restaurant Association Show was a huge success with a record breaking crowd and amazing food and wine. This year we moved our venue from the Ritz-Carlton to The Peninsula Hotel and everyone in attendance agreed this was the best one in our past 13 years. 
The culinary team lead by Banquet Chef Guenther Moreno and F & B Director Kai Lerman were amazingly creative with their uses of our sponsor products including a seafood display with Alaska King & Snow Crab, an Alaska King Crab Soup with Dole Sweet Corn Puree and an array of sauces featuring Franks Red Hot; Kikkoman’s Hoisin, Wasabi and Soy Sauce. Trident’s Alaska Smoked Salmon was also on the display paired with Idaho Potato Latkes and a Dill Creme Fraiche. Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board featured cheese plates including Wood River Alpha Morning Sun, EMMI Blue Affine, Carr Valley Casa Bolo Mellage and Lactalis Camembert accompanied by Wholesome Harvest Baguettes and California Grapes. As you know healthy food is almost non-existent at the NRA Show so we feature salads including the Uncle Ben’s Long-Grain Rice Salad with Jennie-O Turkey Bacon Bits, Sliced California Strawberries and assorted Wholesome Harvest Dinner Rolls with Kagome Berry Butter.
The Slider Action Station featured The Mushroom Council’s Blended Recipes where the protein is blended with approximately a 30 percent mixture of mushrooms to add an umami flavor and moisture to leaner proteins. Our action station featured a Morrocan Lamb Slider featuring Australian Ground Lamb, and a Blended Jennie-O Ground Turkey version. The station also included a Loaded Baked Potato Slider (click here for the recipe) and a Grass-Fed Australian Beef Pastrami Rye Slider using Wholesome Harvest Marble Rye Panini Bread. 
The National Pork Board provided Kansas City Smoked Pork topped with Coleslaw on a Brioche Roll featuring two French’s Cattleman sauces plus a pulled Pork that was used in an Arepa with sliced California Avocado and a Tomatillo Salsa. Trident Seafood’s Golden Ale Shrimp made an excellent passed hors d’oeuvre along with a mini shaved ham and Mascarpone-Pepper Jelly biscuit. Barilla’s Collezione Casarecce Pasta was served with Wisconsin Ricotta, Artichokes, Wild Mushrooms and Tomatoes and their Campanelle Pasta was the carrier for a Pomodoro featuring seasonal vegetables and Wisconsin Grana Cheese. The Dessert Station featured many new items from Sweet Street Desserts including Skewered Sweet Salty Blondie, Grilled Banana Pullman, Chewy Marshmallow Gluten Free Bar, PBJ Bar, and a Caramelized Pineapple Coconut Bande garnished with Dole Pineapple. Of course the premium bar and hand-selected wines from around the world made for a great networking 
atmosphere for members and potential members for both the International Corporate Chefs Association and the Global Culinary Innovators Association, who celebrated their one year anniversary at the event. Thanks to all members, potential members and sponsors for making this year’s event a record breaking extravaganza.