PepsiCo Releases Finale Of "Game Day Grub Match" Culinary Series

PURCHASE, N.Y., Feb. 4, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Super Bowl XLIX is in the books, and two student chefs from The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) are riding high.

Matthew F. Johnson from Duluth, MN and Cullen Folks from Atlanta, GA, achieved Super Bowl glory as the winning team in PepsiCo's Game Day Grub Match. The competition challenged students from the CIA to create the ultimate Super Bowl party dish. There was only one catch: the students had to use at least three PepsiCo products as ingredients.

Johnson and Folks took home the crown by cooking up Tostitos Chipotle Chicken Tacos, a dish served in a grilled flour tortilla with Tostitos Salsa- and Pepsi-marinated chicken and sides of a Sabra Guacamole-based salsa verde and Sierra Mist red cabbage slaw.

The Food Network's Anne Burrell, who hosted the Game Day Grub Match competition, announced Johnson and Folks as the winners during Taste of the NFL's "Party with a Purpose," an annual event that rallies star chefs and athletes to support food banks across the U.S. In addition to campus bragging rights, the winning team received tickets to Super Bowl XLIX and $5,000 in scholarship money.

"I have to say, I was really blown away by the Game Day Grub Match contestants," said Anne Burrell. "I loved getting to know all the students! I am super proud of Matthew and Cullen for taking home the first-ever Game Day Grub Match championship. Their yummy chicken tacos using Tostitos, Pepsi, Sabra and Sierra Mist were just fantastic! This experience was amazing for everyone involved, and I was thrilled to be a part of it."

In the end, Johnson and Folks beat out fellow CIA students Marie Taccino from Dallas, TX and Olivia DeSalvo from Broomall, PA, who created Naked Chia Cherry Lime Pork Sliders, topped with Pepsi-candied bacon and served on a homemade Quaker Oats and Fritos biscuit with a side of Muller Tropicana slaw. As the runners-up, Taccino and DeSalvo will share $3,000 in scholarship money from PepsiCo.

"All of The Culinary Institute of America students who competed in Game Day Grub Match showed incredible promise as chefs and impressed us at every turn," said PepsiCo Corporate Executive Research Chef Stephen Kalil. "They used PepsiCo food and beverage brands in creative ways to create amazing recipes. We're so proud of Matthew and Cullen for creating a championship dish that is sure to be a star of Super Bowl parties for years to come."  

Both finalist teams traveled to Phoenix, AZ last week to sample their culinary creations at various Super Bowl events. A distinguished group comprised of professional chefs, NFL athletes and others involved in Taste of the NFL's "Party with a Purpose" tasted both dishes and voted for their favorite to determine the winner.

Fans can find the student recipes and follow their road to the Super Bowl by watching a six-part video series chronicling the competition at www.gamedaygrubmatch.com.  

The Super Bowl represents the culmination of a season-long activation for PepsiCo and its brands, which included Pepsi, the sponsor of the Super Bowl Halftime Show; Doritos, which was back this year with its hugely successful "Crash the Super Bowl" contest; Gatorade, which fuels athletes on the field and is a staple of Super Bowl sidelines and locker rooms; Tostitos, which transformed two city blocks in Phoenix into the official party destination of Super Bowl Central; and Quaker, a supporter of Fuel Up to Play 60, an in-school nutrition and physical activity program launched by the National Football League and the National Dairy Council.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $66 billion in net revenue in 2013, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose – our goal to deliver top-tier financial performance while creating sustainable growth in shareholder value. In practice, Performance with Purpose means providing a wide range of foods and beverages from treats to healthy eats; finding innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment and reduce our operating costs; providing a safe and inclusive workplace for our employees globally; and respecting, supporting and investing in the local communities where we operate. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.

About The Culinary Institute of America

Founded in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America is an independent, not-for-profit college offering associate and bachelor's degrees with majors in culinary arts, baking and pastry arts, culinary science, and applied food studies, as well as certificate programs in culinary arts and wine and beverage studies. As the world's premier culinary college, the CIA provides thought leadership in the areas of health & wellness, sustainability, and world cuisines & cultures through research and conferences. The CIA has a network of 47,000 alumni that includes industry leaders such as Grant Achatz, Anthony Bourdain, David Burke, Anne Burrell, Roy Choi, Cat Cora, Steve Ells, Johnny Iuzzini, Charlie Palmer, and Roy Yamaguchi. The CIA also offers courses for professionals and enthusiasts, as well as consulting services in support of innovation for the foodservice and hospitality industry. The college has campuses in Hyde Park, NY; St. Helena, CA; San Antonio, TX; and Singapore. For more information, visit www.ciachef.edu.

About Taste of the NFL

Since 1992, the Taste of the NFL (a 501c3 organization) has rallied the country's top chefs and the NFL's greatest players to raise money in support of food banks throughout the United States. To date, Taste of The NFL's programs and events have distributed more than $22 million to help feed the 37 million Americans who have turned to their local food banks for assistance. The season long efforts culminate each year with the Taste of the NFL's Party with a Purpose®. This year's star-studded fundraising event brought together exceptional cuisine, prominent chefs from around the country, NFL players, coaches, legends and more, all to support the fight against hunger. For more information, visit www.tasteofthenfl.com.

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SOURCE PepsiCo

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