Technomic identifies what consumers find most appealing about burgers offered at more than 40 leading limited- and full-service chains.

A new study released by trend-tracker Technomic finds burger consumption up considerably since 2009, with nearly half of today’s consumers saying they eat a burger at least once a week compared with 38% two years ago. One reason for the increase is the continued prominence of burgers on quick-service value menus.

“The value menu is certainly a big part of this increase in burger consumption,” says Sara Monnette, director of consumer research at Chicago-based Technomic. “There are other factors at work, however, as the specialty-burger craze has driven growth in a way that is almost defiantly separate from pricing. The better burger restaurants in the fast-casual segment have put the burger top of mind for consumers, and even the quick-service chains have begun to respond and focus portions of their menus specifically on quality perceptions.”

Total and fried seafood servings at restaurants are on the decline, but non-fried seafood consumption is increasing.

The decline in seafood servings at U.S. restaurants has less to do with natural and man-made disasters like the Gulf oil spill and more to do with the economy and price, according to The NPD Group, a leading market research company. NPD's foodservice market research finds that total seafood and fried seafood servings have been declining for several years, while servings of non-fried seafood have increased over the last two years.

The egg market shows no signs of cracking in the current economy, says Mintel. And most consumers disagree that organic eggs are healthier.

Whether it’s hard-boiled, over easy or poached, featured at breakfast, lunch or dinner, and as baked goods or sauces, the egg is truly the MVP of the kitchen. Not surprisingly, penetration is extremely high, and egg use remains steady at 94% of all U.S. households, according to a recent Mintel report.

A whopping 92% of Mintel respondents agree that eggs are an important part of a healthy diet.  There is a potential struggle, however, for organic producers as more than half (57%) of consumers don’t believe organic eggs are any healthier for you than regular ones. Furthermore, 30% of respondents eat fewer eggs than they would like due to concerns about cholesterol.

By Lynn Schwartz

With more than 30 years in the business, Chef Philip DeMaiolo of New York’s Pier Sixty and The Lighthouse thrives under the pressure of making each event memorable.

“There is a single opportunity to create a memory,” says Philip DeMaiolo, the executive chef of Pier Sixty and The Lighthouse, two upscale catering venues in New York City. This might be a statement about any meal in any restaurant, but DeMaiolo is referring to the wedding meal. And the fare must not only be memorable, but perfect. The food, presentation and service need to exceed all expectations of the bride and groom, their families and their guests.

By Dr. Fred Mayo, CHE, CHT

Diversity, exercise and focus are three areas that educators can capitalize on in the remaining summer months.

Last month, we discussed “Pursuing the ABCs of Your Professional Development.” They included Activities, Books and Conferences. This month, we will focus on the DEFs—Diversity, Exercise and Focus—other aspects of your professional development, something that we are all doing a bit of this summer.

D – Diversity
Since diversity is an increasingly important aspect of teaching—the diversity of students, the range of their backgrounds and skills, the variety of their learning styles—it is a concept that you probably think a lot about and work with in your daily teaching activities. Each of us has been involved in diversity workshops where we were reminded to recognize and honor the diversity of our students, a practice that we take seriously as educators.

By Adam Weiner, CFSE

Chef Weiner suggests five steps to help students overcome their reticence toward baking.

Teaching baking in 50 minutes has some unique challenges. But it is more challenging to realize that we are teaching a generation who have not only grown up without seeing their parents bake from scratch, but have also grown up not seeing their grandparents bake from scratch. With Betty Crocker's first cake mix coming out in 1943, baking from scratch at home has become a lost art.

Fortunately, baking at home and in restaurants is making a comeback. However, we have to help our students overcome their shyness of baking. Here is a proposed 5-Step Program:

1. Start Simple and without Explanation. Divide your students into groups, give each group the same chocolate-chip-cookie recipe, and have them go at it. Stand back and don't get involved. Each group will produce a very different-looking and tasting cookie.

Courtesy of the American Lamb Board

Barbecuing lamb brings together a richly flavored, homegrown product and one of America’s specialty cooking methods. It also helps teach our students about cuts of lamb that they may not often cook.

The term barbecue is somewhat confusing. To many in the United States it refers to outdoor cooking in general. To others, it conjures up images of putting burgers or steaks on the grill. For culinarians and many of those who live in the south, barbecuing refers to a very specific cooking method where low, indirect heat is used to slow cook full-flavored and tougher cuts of meat. Often the heat comes from burning wood, so a rich smoky flavor is infused into the meat. Various cuts of lamb are ideal for this cooking method and yield up some really tasty treats.

By Christopher Koetke, CEC, CCE

Colorado State University’s hospitality-management program wins the third-annual CAFÉ/Kendall College Green Award.

From procurement to recycling and composting waste, from introductory classes to senior seminar, for the Colorado State University (CSU) Hospitality Management Program at Fort Collins, Colo., sustainability is always at the forefront of decision-making.

In recognition of those efforts, the program was presented with the 2011 CAFÉ/Kendall College Green Award at the recent CAFÉ Leadership Conference in Providence, R.I. The award included $1,000 from Kendall College, free registration at the conference and a commemorative plaque.

Madison, Ala.-based Women Chefs & Restaurateurs is now accepting nominations for the 2011 Educator of the Year Award. Recipients will be honored during the Women Who Inspire Awards Gala on Sunday, November 6, during the 2011 WCR National Conference in Cambridge, Mass.

This award recognizes excellence in culinary education and honors a woman whose dedication to teaching is making a difference to the culinary community. Former recipients are Brigid Flanigan (2010), Southern New Hampshire University, Manchester; Peggy Ryan (2009), the Kendall College School of Culinary Arts, Chicago; Louise Hoffman (2008), New York City College of Technology; and Eve Felder (2007), The Culinary Institute of America, Singapore.

Kristin Swaggart of Kennewick, Wash., a culinary-arts student at Walla Walla Community College, Walla Walla, Wash., was named winner of the American Culinary Federation’s (ACF) Be Like “Mike” contest and will shadow ACF National President Michael Ty, CEC, AAC, at the 2011 ACF National Convention, July 22-26, in Dallas. Airfare, accommodations and a full registration to the convention will be provided.

Swaggart was selected as winner of the Be Like “Mike” contest from four other semifinalists. Eligible applicants had to be either a first-, second- or third-year full-time culinary student enrolled in a degree-granting culinary program at a university or college, or an apprentice in an American Culinary Federation Education Foundation apprenticeship program; an ACF member; and at least 18 years old. Entrants had to submit a signed letter of endorsement from their department chair and/or school/apprenticeship director, as well as a 500-word essay describing why they aspire to be a culinary leader and how shadowing Ty at the 2011 ACF National Convention would help them reach their goal.