Andrew Wilkinson is Seafood Specialist and Chef Director of Research and Development at North Coast Seafoods.
He is a chef with a deep love for fresh ingredients and a passion for creating exciting, delicious food for people to enjoy every day. He developed this passion from a young age, working on the lobster docks in Maine and watching his mother cook traditional New England meals. Wilkinson is a graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and has extensive international experience, having worked in Germany and Japan. He has also served on the US Culinary Olympic Team. Throughout his career, Wilkinson has worked as a chef and partner at Skipjack's Restaurant Group and as the executive chef of the Rainbow Room in New York City. Currently, he is on a mission to promote healthy eating for children by introducing sustainable seafood options, including seaweed, to school menus. He believes that seaweed is a healthy and underutilized ingredient, and is always looking for innovative ways to incorporate it into his dishes.
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00:00 - Intro
00:18 - Chef Andrew Wilkinson's Background
00:51 - Availability of Episode on Video
01:24 - How the Host and Andrew Met
02:03 - The Role of Chefs at Kelp Conferences
03:06 - Andrew's First Encounter with Seaweed
04:13 - Andrew's Mission with North Coast Seafoods
05:20 - The Turning Point for Andrew's Kelp Journey
06:43 - Andrew's Previous Work with Non-Mainstream Ingredients
08:49 - The Plan for Kelp Development During COVID
11:09 - Making Kelp the Centre of the Plate
13:52 - The Development Process for Kelp Products
15:14 - The Importance of Making Kelp Centre of Plate
16:39 - Team Involvement in Kelp Product Development
18:10 - Lessons Learned from Product Development Phase
19:57 - Choosing the Burger as the Main Product
20:50 - The Formula for Kelp Meatballs and Burgers
22:29 - The Role of Schools in Kelp Product Adoption
24:08 - The Story Behind Choosing the Burger
25:01 - Differences in Formulas for School Products
26:29 - Challenges of Working with Schools
27:59 - Regulations Around Using Kelp in Food
30:29 - The Role of Taste, Health, and Environment in Product Success
32:12 - The Role of Chefs in Championing Seaweed
35:40 - The Importance of Storytelling in Marketing Seaweed
37:09 - Educational Collaboration in Schools
39:57 - The Impact of the Green Plate Club
42:33 - The Future of Kelp Products and Education
44:01 - The Role of Chefs in Seaweed Innovation
46:16 - The Importance of Marketing and Storytelling
49:09 - Andrew's Future Plans and Ambitions
52:08 - Potential for Other Underutilized Seaweed Species
54:43 - Closing Remarks and Invitation to Try Kelp Meatballs
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