Culinology - December 2020 - 30

MEMBER profile

Serving as an
RCA trailblazer
Corporate Executive Chef Dianna Fricke of JR Simplot Co.
paved the way for women in the Research Chefs Association
(RCA) and became a role model by being one of the first women
in the association's history to receive her Certified Research Chef
certification. She also received the RCA's President's Award in
2015.
" It was a great honor from the RCA, and I am so thrilled to
see such a great following of amazing women stepping up to
leadership roles in what was a male-dominated field early on, "
she said.
Ms. Fricke emphatically noted that young professionals
wishing to break into the culinology field should join the RCA.
" Belonging to the RCA and networking with this amazing group of
professionals is the best start in this field in addition to education
and life experience, " she said. " Developing a well-grounded
background in all disciplines of Culinology - food science,
working as a chef, experience in the business field - opens the
door to an abundance of opportunity. "

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Culinology | DECEMBER 2020

consumers move toward more retail behavior
(at the moment), Simplot is adapting to bring
frozen fruit and vegetables to both market
and delivery segments in the US also. "
Simplot introduces an average of six to
eight new products each year for its top chain
customers, everything from new french fry
varieties to hand-scooped, fresh avocado
chunks.
Over the years, Ms. Fricke said, innovation
has included everything from " new " delivery
fries that hold their crispy crunch for 40-plus
minutes, to creative new french fry shapes
including spiral " sidewinder " fries that come
with four different batter flavors and even
" tin roof " fries with a unique cut for a better
texture and more crunch.
" At any one time we have had 100 to 200
potato products from which to choose, "
she said.

One potato, two potatoes
It is no surprise Ms. Fricke chooses the
potato as her favorite menu item to prepare.
" I just love eating and cooking with potatoes, "
she said. " They are such a healthy menu
item - particularly when baked, sous vide or
roasted - and a blank canvas from which to
create any dish. "
In 2018, Ms. Fricke won the Spud
Nation Throwdown contest at the Potato
Expo conference.
" For this contest, I was a given a 'mystery'
basket of ingredients to use for my dish,
which of course included potatoes, " she said.
" I pickled little redskin potatoes, and they
looked just like radishes. I put them on both
of my dishes - my smoked potato salad
and ahi tuna tower and my seared chicken
with three cheese potatoes rajas and pickled
purple potatoes. "
Other potato favorites of Ms. Fricke include
potato gnocchi, thinly sliced potatoes as a
pizza topper - such as on pizzas in many
parts of Asia - and, of course, " good old
french fries and crispy potato chips, " she said.
Challenges Ms. Fricke faces in the food
industry sometimes include the price of
ingredients and staying current with trends.
" Cost is always an important point for
foodservice, " she said, " and that's why we
sell lower-end products and higher-end items,
such as inexpensive fries or at the other end
of the scale, premium fries. "
Culinology - December 2020

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