A Not So Traditional Holiday Menu
CBCI Chef Charlie Baggs loves to try new and interesting dishes from around the world. That is why...
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5 Tips For Hosting Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a holiday loved by many people, and here at CBCI there is no exception. Hosting this...
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5 Essential Thanksgiving Dishes
Here at Culinary Innovations, we know that Thanksgiving can be an overwhelming time of year whether you love...
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Prepared Foods 18th Annual Spirit of Innovation Awards hosted by CBCI
Prepared Foods’ 18th Annual Spirit of Innovation Awards honor research and development teams that collaborate. In addition, these...
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Walnuts: The New Plant Based Protein Trend
A major concern with all diets particularly vegitarian and vegan diets is a lack of protein. A well...
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5 Ways Restaurants are Keeping Customers Safe as COVID-19 Continues to Spread
The Centers for Disease Control Prevention has laid down specific rules and guidelines to help restaurant owners educate...
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The ‘Culinarization’ of Supermarket Business
A sea change is occurring as to how food retail will challenge its competitive advantage and remain relevant...
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Just-in-Time Meal Planning Impacts Food Retail Strategy
Food retail shopping is evolving as consumers increasingly look for meals and menus over stock-ups. Basket size gets...
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CBCI and the Pathway to Extraordinary Flavor
As we focus on product development there are control points we employ to evaluate and optimize flavors. Given...
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Food Scientists Go Under the Knife
Kitchen experience imparts sauce, butchering and roasting skills Food scientists from well-known food industry companies spent a week...
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Cloud Kitchens Mark New Trend in Food Service
Online behaviors meet the restaurant business Recent data from food culture trend watcher The Hartman Group, tracks another...
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Millennials and Meal Kits: Will Dynamic Duo Shine in Supermarkets?
Retail kit growth could impact restaurant business Recently we learned that Walmart is planning to introduce prepared foods...
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Savor the Trends
We have so many products and processes to work with and flavors to choose from globally, that replicating...
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What does Chef Inspired Mean Anyway?
The term “chef inspired” is thrown around a lot in the culinary industry, but what does it actually...
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Baked-In Trends
When I ran a bakery, we would make dozens of sweet treats. Some of the more popular items...
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Whey is the Way
As the general public becomes increasingly more health conscious, both consumers and producers will look into ways to...
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The Origins of the Modern Day Sauce and Dressing
The History of Sauces The “mother sauces” were documented as the four foundation sauces that are still relevant...
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Ready to Eat Meal Solutions Go Global
Consumers are all so pressed for time, and it never seems like they have enough. They want a...
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CBCI Goes to the Estonian Food Fair
When you think of Estonian cuisine – if you think of it at all – you probably...
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CBCI Goes to the Bellavita Expo at WorldFood Warsaw
I have the best job in the world. I travel the globe in search of new flavors, unusual...
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Dreaming of Summer Flavors with Pulses, Avocados, Tomatoes and Watermelon
Pulses A variety of pulses in all shapes, sizes, colors and flavors are useful in product development. They...
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CBCI Goes to Penang, Malaysia on $10/Day
While everyone else was digging out from the snowstorm in the U.S., I spent a month lounging on...
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Sweet Potatoes: How to Coax Out the Best Flavors
This tuber has so many cooking applications, and has flavor galore. Anytime I find an ingredient that is...
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Imaginative Ways to Use Yogurt on Your Menu
We have been using yogurt in more ways with success than we would have ever imagined years ago...
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How to Capture the Flavors of Seafood
Not only are there so many cooking techniques that work well with seafood, there are as many ways...
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CBCI Goes on a Chef’s Tour of Lyon, France
When the prestigious James Beard Foundation predicted the resurgence of French cuisine in 2017, we thought it was...
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Savory or Sweet: How to Cook Oats Both Ways
I have been eating oatmeal since I was 2 years old. I have always liked the neutral flavor,...
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If You're Not Using Middle Eastern & African Spice Mixes… You Should Be
From Morocco to Pakistan, a wide variety of spice blends create the regional flavors of the Middle Eastern...
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CBCI Goes to the Fòrum Gastronòmic Barcelona
Tasting a city’s cuisine is one of the best ways to understand the place, and to get immersed...
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Ready to Eat (RTE) Meals: More than TV Dinners
In the day when time is worth more than money ready to eat meals are enthralling to the...
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How Hot is Too Hot? A Study of Hot Sauces
Through history, foods have been prepared by a multitude of cooking techniques, preserved famously and spiced extravagantly to...
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Testing Concepts with a “Living Lab”
When I work with an operator I always suggest to let me create a “living lab” to test...
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Yogurt: Not Just for Breakfast
With over 5 millennia of history, yogurt is still one of the most recognized and consumed foods globally,...
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Tamales: A Carrier For More than Mexican Flavors
Here are some recent cooking and tasting notes from Chef Charlie Baggs: Today we made tamales again, but...
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CBCI Behind the Scenes: Market Expansion
Expanding your culinary brand into new markets is both an exciting and intimidating endeavor. The critical success factor...
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From Inebriant to “Inebriain’t”: Summer’s Best Drinks
The American cocktail has experienced a renaissance in recent years, but alcoholic drinks are far from the only...
Continue ReadingSee our new fall creations atLogan's Roadhouse!
Chef Jim Reynolds created three new LTO’s for Logan’s Roadhouse. Looking mighty tasty!
Continue ReadingResearch Chefs Focus Attention on Sodium Reduction
March 26, 2013 – Author Mark Hughes The 2013 Annual Conference of the Research Chefs Association (RCA) was...
Continue Reading"Virgin Oils" by Chef Intern Abel Ramos
With the huge variety of virgin oils around today, there is an endless amount of possibilities ranging from...
Continue Reading"A California Experience" by Chef Intern Christy Gaylord
California has a unique juxtaposition of food philosophies. While they are known for their fresh, seasonal, organic and...
Continue Reading'The First Lamb' by Intern Abel Ramos
I have not spent very much time cooking with lamb, so when an order of different lamb cuts came...
Continue ReadingFirst Trip to the Desi Corridor: Ravi Kebab House by Chef Shane Zimmerman
On a cold and chilly Chicago night, there’s nothing like a taste of Devon Avenue to chase away...
Continue Reading'Dinner in St. Louis' by Intern Chef Abel Ramos
I went on my first trip with Chef Adam Moore to help out with a dinner party. Upon...
Continue ReadingJam — Lost in Translation or Continued Greatness? by Chef Shane Zimmerman
From Ukrainan Village to Logan Square, Chef Jeff Mauro’s re-opening of his popular breakfast and lunch spot, Jam,...
Continue Reading'Shaved Pumpkin Salad' by Kirstin Massmann
My Mom’s cooking was the first thing to inspire me to be involved in the food industry. Many...
Continue Reading'Chicago Chefs' Table' by Kirstin Massmann
In so many of our blogs we are reviewing restaurants all around the country. We pay close attention...
Continue Reading"Restaurant Review: Brassica, Napa Valley" by Chef Shane Zimmerman
Cross one box off the bucket list! I recently had to chance to spend a few days in...
Continue Reading'Chizakaya – Japanese Grub Pub in the heart of Lakeview' by Chef Shane Zimmerman
Chizakaya is truly one of the greats in my new neighborhood, Lakeview. It takes its name from a...
Continue Reading"Boiler Room" by Kirstin Massmann
About a month ago another couple, my boyfriend, and I decided to try Boiler Room located under the...
Continue Reading'A Miami Institution on Calle Ocho: Cafe Versailles' by Chef Shane Zimmerman
Everyone I asked in Miami for the best Cuban food responded with Café Versailles, period. All the blogs...
Continue Reading'Fine Dining, 3rd Grade Style' by Chef Kyleigh Beach
Last weekend my husband and I were lucky enough to score two tickets to Next for our...
Continue Reading'TAC Quick – The Secret Menu and a Hidden Gem under the “L”' by Chef Shane Zimmerman
Who would have a thought, some of the best Thai food I’ve ever had was found beneath a...
Continue Reading'No Soup for You' by Kirstin Massmann
Now that the weather is cooling down and football season is in full force I crave soup daily. ...
Continue Reading'Canola Blossoms: The Next Great Micro-Green' by Chef Shane Zimmerman
Being a native of Nebraska, I am very familiar with seeing brilliant green cornfields that go on seemingly...
Continue Reading'MOE’s First Crawfish Boil!' By Chef Shane Zimmerman
For the IFT Annual Conference, the MOE crew (Bunge’s Mobil Oil Experts food truck team) had a special treat...
Continue Reading'The Best 4th of July Barbecue Ever' by Chef Kyleigh Beach
Last weekend my husband and I went up to Three Lakes, Wisconsin to visit our friends Brad and...
Continue Reading'Dixieland Delight' by Kirstin Massmann
Growing up just south of Atlanta there are a few southern indulgences that I hold near and dear...
Continue Reading"Bacon Bourbon at August" by Chef Shane Zimmerman
Another one of the highlights for me in New Orleans was NOLA’s own John Besh and his award-winning...
Continue Reading'Wegmans!' by Chef Kyleigh Beach
I have been fortunate to live in Chicago for the past seven or so years and have only...
Continue Reading'All Good in the Big Easy' by Chef Shane Zimmerman
Growing up surrounded by jazz music, New Orleans has always held a place in my heart. I had always...
Continue Reading"Differences between American and Russian Food Preferences" Oksana Kostryuchina
Food is a main part of our life. Every day we have to eat. Of course we pay...
Continue Reading"2011’s Not-So-Pyramid Food Pyramid" by Kirstin Massmann
A year ago I wrote a blog comparing the old 1992 food pyramid with the 2010 ‘ MyPyramid’ and...
Continue Reading'The Glass Ceiling of Competitive Eating' by Chef Kyleigh Beach
It’s no secret that women earn less money than men for doing the same job in virtually every...
Continue Reading"Sangria" by Kirstin Massmann
Even though it may not even feel like Spring all the time in Chicago, Summer is quickly approaching...
Continue Reading'Buttermilk Pancakes for Mom' by Chef Kyleigh Beach
In light of the recently-celebrated Mother’s Day, I’ve been thinking a lot about breakfast in bed. I told...
Continue ReadingAsparagus! by Chef Kyleigh Beach
May 4th marked the opening of the outdoor Green City Market in Chicago’s Lincoln Park and that means...
Continue Reading'Deep Dish Pizza' by Camille Gagliano
As a recent French expatriate in Chicago, I couldn’t wait to taste the famous deep-dish pizza. Actually, I...
Continue Reading'Fruitcake and Biscuits: Food Fit for Royalty' by Chef Kyleigh Beach
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been excited for the royal wedding between Prince William and Kate...
Continue Reading"Craft Cheese" by Kirstin Massmann
Chef Adam and I spent 5 days in New York working by day and enjoying wonderful restaurants by...
Continue Reading'Poor Man's Lobster' by Chef Lance Avery
Monkfish is probably the ugliest fish in the world. Yet it is one of the tastiest. When cooking...
Continue ReadingNew York Pizza by Kirstin Massmann
Another business trip, another cancelled flight… However fortunately enough this time I was able to have a few drinks with...
Continue Reading'Googie Burger' by Chef Lance Avery
Since I’ve consumed my weight in burgers over the last year while helping develop and open a new...
Continue Reading'Modernist Cuisine' by Chef Kyleigh Beach
Thanks to talented and well-known chefs like Ferran Adria, Grant Achatz, and Jose Andres, molecular gastronomy is becoming...
Continue Reading'Indian Karela' by Kirstin Massmann
A couple weeks ago here at CBI we were working on a few Indian concepts and knew right...
Continue Reading'90 Miles Cuban Cafe' by Chef Lance Avery
With two little ones (4 and 2) one could say I don’t get out as much as I...
Continue Reading'Happy Maple Syrup Season!' by Chef Kyleigh Beach
I always associated maple syrup with fall and winter – drizzled on top of steaming oatmeal, glazed over...
Continue Reading'Central Texas BBQ' by Chef Lance Avery
With more than 24 hours to kill, stranded in the wasteland near Houston Hobby airport, I stumbled upon...
Continue Reading'A Sunday Afternoon at Maxwell Street Market' by Chef Kyleigh Beach
Looking for some used Karate Kid VHS tapes? How about a 6-pack of white tube socks or a...
Continue Reading‘Mexique’ by Kirstin Massmann
Last week I had the pleasure of going with the marketing team to a 2011 Chicago Bib Gourmand...
Continue Reading'Pho in a Gas Station' by Chef Lance Avery
So just when I thought I’ve seen everything I am pleasantly surprised. I am currently stuck in Houston,...
Continue Reading'Florida Stone Crab Claws' by Chef Kyleigh Beach
Traveling for work can be a lot of fun – meeting new people, exploring new cities, and sampling...
Continue Reading'Catching Your Dinner' By Chef Lance Avery
Being a fly-fisherman my entire life I have discovered over time that fly-fishing is dependent upon several factors: ...
Continue Reading'Airport Dining' by Kirstin Massmann
As tradeshow season picks up, so do all of CBI Chefs’ schedules as well as skymiles. Traveling from...
Continue Reading'Meatless Mondays' by Chef Kyleigh Beach
It seems to me like there’s been a movement toward eating less meat in some way, shape, or...
Continue Reading'Baconfest 2011' by Chef Lance Avery
This year’s baconfest in Des Moines, IA was perfect. I have been a sponsoring chef since the festival’s...
Continue Reading‘Great Minds Drink Alike’ by Kirstin Massmann
In my short 2 ½ years of legal-aged life, beer has evolved from something I enjoyed into a hobby. I...
Continue Reading'Jessica Ashley Delectable Desserts' by Chef Kyleigh Beach
Baking a cake is one thing, but creating works of art out of sugar, butter, and eggs is...
Continue Reading'Al Pastor' by Chef Lance Avery
Defined as by Wikipedia: Al pastor (Spanish; “Shepherd style”) is a dish developed in Central Mexico, likely as...
Continue Reading'Pulled Chicken' by Chef Lance Avery
If you are tried eating the same old piece of chicken and want to try something new and...
Continue Reading'Beef on What?!' by Chef Kyleigh Beach
I said, Beef on Weck. Oh, you’ve never heard of it? Evidently you’ve never been to Buffalo, New...
Continue Reading'Huynh' by Chef Lance Avery
My first experience with Houston dining four years ago was not memorable. That much I do remember. Fortunately,...
Continue Reading'The Good Stuff' by Chef Kyleigh Beach
Although whiskey isn’t my tipple of choice, I do have a fondness for alcoholic beverages of all kinds,...
Continue Reading'Pork' By Chef Lance Avery
Everyone knows that antibiotic free, hormone free, vegetarian fed, and humanly raised meat is better for the environment...
Continue Reading"Taco Joint" by Kirstin Massmann
A good friend of mine last week started talking about this new taco joint located on Armitage and...
Continue Reading'Gluten-Free Frenzy!' by Jen Heringhausen
Working as a dietitian for several years, I have put together many different diet plans for clients, most...
Continue Reading'Chinese Pork Bun, Part II' by Chef Kyleigh Beach
Recently I wrote about my dim sum experience in Chicago’s Chinatown, the highlight of which was the steamed...
Continue Reading"Bourbon Balls" by Chef Adam Moore
During the holidays I always look forward to the treat that the Maker’s Mark Distillery drops into my...
Continue Reading"Resolutions" by Kirstin Massmann
You may not physically write New Year’s resolutions however it’s nearly impossible not to at least think of...
Continue Reading"Christkindlmarket" by Chef Lance Avery
Beer, sausage, and potato pancakes; though it does sound like heaven, it’s not; it’s just the 15th annual...
Continue Reading"New Year’s Resolution – Eat More Offal" by Chef Kyleigh Beach
I started off 2011 on a daring note by ordering, eating, and actually enjoying beef heart. I am...
Continue Reading'Honky Tonk BBQ' by Trent Albert
After a Holiday Party lunch of appetizers at Shaw’s we needed a little change, so to Honky Tonk...
Continue Reading'One Star Dining Chicago-Style: Frog Legs and a Sloppy Joe' by Kyleigh Beach
Over the weekend I had my first Michelin star dining experience in Chicago at Logan Square’s Longman &...
Continue Reading'Kids Cooking: A Lifelong Lesson' by Kirstin Massmann
Now that parents are cooking less, kids are not getting exposed to how to cook at an early...
Continue Reading'Hello Winter, Goodbye Fruits and Vegetables?' By Kirstin Massmann
It is mildly true that tasty, ripe, flavorful fruits and vegetables are harder to come by in the...
Continue Reading'Why Spaniards Don’t Get Fat' by Chef Kyleigh Beach
Recently I was fortunate enough to spend a week eating and drinking in the beautiful Basque seaside town...
Continue Reading'A Great Time' By Judith Wuestner
My name is Judith, I am from Austria and I had the pleasure to spend a couple of...
Continue Reading"The Michelin Man Visits Chicago" by Chef Kyleigh Beach
Forty-six Chicago eateries received a very welcome sort of graffiti overnight last past Tuesday – a red chalk...
Continue Reading'Koozies for Cava' by Kirstin Massmann
This past week Chef Adam and I had the pleasure to be at The Culinary Institute of America...
Continue Reading'Full of Antioxidants' by Kirstin Massmann
When people discuss nutrition and healthy foods they usually use a lot of buzz words or phrases such...
Continue Reading"An Avocado Delight" by Kirstin Massmann
Avocados have, more often than not, always been associated with Mexican cuisine. However, the times have changed and...
Continue Reading"Opening a Restaurant" by Lance Avery
I have avoided opening a restaurant my entire life up until a few weeks ago, with good reason. ...
Continue Reading"I 'Hearth' Vermont" by Kirstin Massmann
I was given the opportunity to visit Vermont for the first time to spend Labor Day weekend with...
Continue Reading"'Flag on the Play':Tailgating" by Kirstin Massmann
Here at CBI we represent a slue of football teams, both college and professional. We may disagree on...
Continue Reading"Squiddle Pasta" by Kirstin Massmann
Disclaimer: This proves that although I have a serious passion for food, I still have so much more...
Continue Reading'It's not your food pyramid it's MyPyramid'
In the last ten years the United States Department of Agriculture has put an extensive amount of work...
Continue ReadingStreet Foods / Ethnic Flavors
Stuffed Falafel If you’ve never had a real authentic middle eastern piece of falafel, I suggest you head...
Continue ReadingWelcome to Charlie Baggs, Inc.
Delivering flavor and product results, Charlie Baggs, Inc., provides our clients with superior culinary support. Focusing on the...
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