<p>By: David Fikes, Executive Director, FMI Foundation</p><img src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/2015-community-outreach-awards-fb/kellogg's-kroger-award.tmb-large-350-.jpg?sfvrsn=2074161a_1" sf-size="100" alt="Kellogg’s Kroger Award" class="-align-right" style="float:right;margin:10px;" /><p>The food industry put both its best foot forward and its best food forward at the <i><a href="https://www.fmi.org/stir-it-up-home">2023 Stir It Up!</a></i> event. The closing event of the 2023 <a href="https://www.fmi.org/midwinter-conference">FMI Midwinter Executive Conference</a>,
this fundraiser for the <a href="https://www.fmi.org/foundation">FMI Foundation</a> featured six kitchens pitting their best menus against each other. In keeping with the evening’s theme of “Dinner and Movie,” the competing kitchens
were challenged to choose a film that served as their menu and activation inspiration. Creativity abounded as the Hyatt Regency ballroom was transformed into a culinary wonderland containing a food truck from the movie <i>Chef</i>, Truvy’s Beauty
Spot from <i>Steel Magnolias</i>, Julia Child’s kitchen from <i>Julie and Julia, </i>the festive plaza—complete with family memory making photo ops—from the animated hit <i>Coco</i>, and a globe hopping culinary trip found in <i>Eat, Prey, Love.</i> </p><p>As proof that the movie theme was taken seriously in the menu making, take a look at <i>the Godfather</i> inspired offerings presented by team Hy-Vee, the Culinary Corleone Family: </p><ul><li><b>For the family</b>: Carbonara Aracini.</li><li><b>Revenge, a dish best served cold</b>: Burrata Salad.</li><li><b>An Offer You Can’t Refuse</b>: Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Mushroom Marsala over Noodles.</li><li><b>Strictly Business</b>: Penne Rigate Pasta and Meatball with Red Sauce.</li><li><b>Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli:</b> Deconstructed Cannoli.</li><li><b>Vendetta:</b> Charcuterie and Specialty Cheeses.</li><li><b>Big Shot:</b> Cake Display. </li></ul><p><i>Stir It Up</i> participants walked the red carpet, stepped into a cinematographic festival and culinary feast enjoying a sea of activations from Unilever, J.M. Smucker, General Mills, Anheuser Busch, J & E Gallo, Robert Irvine Foods, and the Hershey
Company surrounding the six kitchens battling it out spatula to spatula. At the end of a VERY filling evening, participants voted which kitchen –Hy-Vee; Wakefern/Nestle; Coca-Cola Company; Kroger/Kellogg’s; SpartanNash; or Meijer/PepsiCo—had
the best meal AND which one most creatively executed its movie theme. </p><img src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/blog-images/hy-vee-.tmb-large-350-.jpg?sfvrsn=bd38c762_1" style="float:left;margin:10px;" class="-align-left" alt="Hy-Vee " sf-size="100" /><p>Aided by a bevy of food mascots – Tony the Tiger, the Pringle’s Guy, and Toucan Sam – the Kroger and Kellogg’s Team took home the top honors in Best Theme Execution for their interpretation of the Disney classic <i>Coco. </i>Perhaps
voters felt a bit of ballot intimidation from the Culinary Corleones, but team Hy-Vee’s combined gangster flavors won the trophy for Best Meal. </p><p>My descriptions cannot do justice to the energy in the room, so to get a more complete picture of all the smiling faces, celebrity chef Robert Irvine’s antics, the fantastic menus, and the creative sights of FMI Foundation’s 2023 <i>Stir It Up!,</i> please check out the photo album. </p><p><a href="https://fmiva.sharepoint.com/sites/Communications/Shared%20Documents/communications/Media%20Relations/FMI%20Blog/Stir%20It%20Up!%20Photo%20Gallery" class="button">Stir It Up! Photo Gallery</a> </p><p>Bon appetite!!!</p>
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