Sodexo Chef Jason Murchison Wins Recipes for a Better Tomorrow Culinary Competition at James Beard House

GAITHERSBURG, Md., May 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Sodexo Chef Jason Murchison of Napa Valley Unified Schools was named winner of Sodexo's Recipes for a Better Tomorrow Culinary Competition at the venerable James Beard House. Chef Murchison's "Chocolate Espresso Braised Pork over Jasmine Rice with Grilled Sweet Corn & Avocado Salad" took top honors for its taste, presentation, and support of Sodexo's goals for the environment, local communities and health & wellness.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110520/NE06256 )

"We were delighted to host the first Recipes for a Better Tomorrow Culinary Competition," said Susan Ungaro, president, James Beard Foundation and one of the judges for the competition. "The entree by Chef Murchison took the prize today, but each of the finalists can be proud of the sustainably prepared cuisine that they cooked in the kitchen of the James Beard House, where the best chefs in America create fundraising dinners over 200 days a year."

Chef Murchison of Sodexo's Schools business segment competed against four other Sodexo chefs who each had the top recipe for their respective segments (Senior Living, Corporate, Campus and Health Care). The other finalists and their dishes were:

Chef Joshua Chandler, Shenandoah Valley Westminster
Cider Glazed Pork Loin with White Sweet Potato and Carrot Swirl Puree

Chef Andrew Cox, Harvard Kennedy School
All Natural Vermont Roast Turkey with Organic Quinoa Pilaf and Citrus

Executive Chef Leanne English, University of New Brunswick
Ginger Salmon with Citrus Coriander Maple Glaze, Roasted Fingerling Potatoes and Sauteed Fiddleheads

Chef Jesse Kraft, St. Barnabas Medical Center
Pan Seared Cod Filet with Beet Vinaigrette and Pumpkin Quinoa Risotto

"All of the dishes presented by the finalists were creative and great tasting and demonstrated Sodexo's commitment to sustainability," said Arlin Wasserman, vice president of sustainability and CSR, Sodexo. "Each of our chefs created entrees that showcased the foods grown in their region. They were predominantly fruits, vegetables and grains, along with modest amounts of meat, poultry and fish. Their plates represented healthy and balanced meals low in salt, sugar and fat, while also introducing us to new and underappreciated ingredients that utilize more parts of the plants and animals we harvest and increasing the diversity of our diet."

The finalists emerged from a pool of more than 150 chefs and 12 semi-finalists who participated in the competition. Semi-finalists created short videos to showcase their recipes, which were posted to Sodexo's CSR Channel on YouTube where visitors voted for their favorites. The site garnered more than 11,300 views over the first two weeks.

Judges for the competition included: Susan Ungaro, president, James Beard Foundation, Mitchell Davis, vice president, James Beard Foundation, Bill Telepan, chef/owner, Telepan, Arlin Wasserman, vice president, sustainability and CSR, Sodexo and Thomas Mackall, vice president, employee and corporate relations, Sodexo.

For more information about Sodexo's Better Tomorrow Plan, visit www.sodexoUSA.com and click the link for Corporate Citizenship.

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Sodexo, Inc. (www.sodexoUSA.com), leading Quality of Daily Life Solutions company in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, delivers On Site Service Solutions in Corporate, Education, Health Care, Government, and Remote Site segments, as well as Motivation Solutions such as Esteem Pass. Sodexo, Inc., headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., funds all administrative costs for the Sodexo Foundation (www.SodexoFoundation.org), an independent charitable organization that, since its founding in 1999, has made more than $15 million in grants to fight hunger in America. Visit the corporate blog at www.sodexoUSA.com/blog.

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Quality of Life plays an important role in the progress of individuals and the performance of organizations. Based on this conviction, Sodexo acts as the strategic partner for companies and institutions that place a premium on performance and employee well-being, as it has since Pierre Bellon founded the company in 1966. Sharing the same passion for service, Sodexo's 380,000 employees in 80 countries design, manage and deliver an unrivaled array of On Site Service Solutions and Motivation Solutions. Sodexo has created a new form of service business that contributes to the fulfillment of its employees and the economic, social and environmental development of the communities, regions and countries in which it operates.

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