Food For The People

Move over Wolfgang Puck. Celebrity chef Tyler Florence of Food Network fame is going behind the scenes at Applebee’s International, Overland Park, Kan., to bring restaurant patrons more creative, culinary delights worthy of the restaurant’s “Eatin’ Good in the Neighborhood” tagline.
The former host of “Food 911” — and owner of the Cafeteria in Manhattan — has added “executive dishes” to menus at more than 1,800 Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar restaurants across the country. They include Penne Rosa with Sweet Italian Sausage, Herb-Crusted Chicken Topped with Italian Country Salad, New Crispy Brick Chicken with Warm Spinach Salad and the Bruschetta Burger, the last of which is served on grilled focaccia bread for a “delicious crunch.”
A television, radio and Internet advertising campaign will feature Florence in the kitchen and around “the neighborhood,” according to Applebee’s literature.
“Being a chef in New York City, to ask everyone to come to me sometimes is a bit limiting, but to actually bring my food to the American people — I’m really excited about it,” Florence noted in the release.
Dunking a New Dunkin’
The next time you swing by a Dunkin’ Donuts, look for its new Chocolate Chunk, Oatmeal Raisin and Peanut Butter. No, they’re not new doughnut flavors. They’re varieties of Dunkin’s newest menu item: the jumbo-sized cookie. Now available at all Northeast locations of the previously dedicated doughnut-and-bagel specialist, the cookies illustrate this national chain’s desire to capture the on-the-go afternoon and evening crowd.
“With this latest creation from our culinary team, Dunkin’ Donuts is delivering on our commitment to expanding our day-part offering with high-quality snacks and beverages,” said Michael O’Donovan, vice president of global research and development for the company. “We know our customers are looking for snack items that taste great and are made with quality ingredients, and the new Dunkin’ Donuts cookies continue this tradition while offering the ideal complement to our beverages.”
Like Dunkin’s doughnuts, the cookies are baked fresh daily. They weigh in at 4.5 oz. each, making them the perfect accompaniment to the one billion cups of coffee DD serves each year.