Calling all chefs who want to make a difference

Chefs are not just the leaders in the culinary industry, but they’re also the leaders around key issues that will affect the future of food, such as sustainability, obesity, farming, re-imagining how we look at food and enhancing the quality of what we eat. For that reason, The James Beard Foundation has launched its second annual Blended Burger Project™, a movement to make the iconic burger better by blending ground meat with chopped mushrooms to demonstrate the intersection of flavor, nutrition and sustainability.

The James Beard Foundation wants chefs to know that a Blended burger is incredibly delicious not only because it incorporates umami-rich mushrooms, but it is also healthier for your guests (lower calories, fat and sodium) and more sustainable for the planet. This is consistent with what guests are looking for and fits perfectly into the James Beard Foundation’s Impact Programs. What’s more, when you join the Blended Burger Project, you can win a trip to cook your burgers at the historic James Beard House in October.

Chefs in every segment have the opportunity to make this small change that can make a significant difference by making the world a healthier and more sustainable place. To participate, go to www.jamesbeard.org/blendedburgerproject and:

While some of the nation’s top chefs have already pledged their participation, every chef regardless of operation or segment can participate, from top chefs to burger bistros, cafes, colleges & universities, business dining, food trucks, hotels and more.

So even if you feel you have the best burger around, this is an opportunity to work together with the James Beard Foundation, be rewarded and publicized for your participation and help change the way Americans eat for the better. Diners are looking to you to show them how to look at their foods in new ways that are good for our environment and our health, without sacrificing flavor. The Blend, which the Culinary Trust called “the future of food”, is a great way do just that.

To find out more information and to join the Project, go to: www.jamesbeard.org/blendedburgerproject