Olivado Natural Nutrition Launches 2007 International Chef Quest Competition with

Women Chefs & Restaurateurs (WCR)

Women Chefs Compete to Develop Healthy Recipes Using Award-Winning

Avocado Oil

Los Angeles , CA - - Women Chefs and Restaurateurs (WCR), in partnership with Olivado Natural Nutrition, announces the "2007 Olivado Avocado Oil Chef Quest: Celebrating Women Chefs" competition.  This exciting contest, is open exclusively to WCR members, challenges their women chefs to create innovative and healthy recipes using Olivado’s award-winning avocado oil. 

Three winners will be selected from each of the following categories:

• Best poultry or meat recipe

• Best seafood recipe

• Best vegetable recipe    

Recipes will be judged by a panel of award-winning chefs and tested at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.

“Chefs understand that the quality and taste of the most basic ingredients, such as oil, set the stage for the most memorable meals,” says Helene Kennan, WCR President. “Our chef members are some of the most creative in the industry and, as women, understand the balance of good taste and good health for the everyday cook. That’s why we are proud and honored to be working with Olivado Natural Nutrition on the 2007 Chef Quest competition.”

Each of the three winners and a guest will be flown to Australia for a ten-day trip that includes first-class hotel accommodations, meals, and sight-seeing trips. The deadline to submit recipes is April 13, 2007. Winners will be notified by May 9^th.

At the same time women chefs are competing here in the United States, they are also competing in a contest Olivado is hosting in Australia. The US and Australian winners will then compete against each other for the 2007 Chef Quest Cup on June 10^th at Olivado’s Seafood Festival in Moreton Bay, Australia.

“We want to encourage women chefs who are not currently members of WCR and who are interested in this competition to consider joining WCR,” says Kennan. Women chefs have until April 13 to join and enter the competition.  For more information on becoming a member, go to www.WomenChefs.org, or call 877-927-7787.

“In addition to our commitment to good health, we want to help women chefs break the glass ceiling and advance in the culinary profession,” says Chris Nathan, founder and managing director for Olivado.  “We believe that our Chef Quest competition will help to focus on the culinary talents of our women chefs.”

Olivado Natural Nutrition pioneered the avocado oil production process by creating the first cold pressed extra virgin avocado oil to become today’s leading international brand. Olivado’s avocado oil is one of the heart-healthiest cooking oils available today. Its light flavor and color enhances the taste of food, and its high smoke point makes it ideal for a variety of cooking methods.

“Avocado oils are for people who enjoy good food,” explains Nathan. “This is why our partnership with WCR chefs is ideal. WCR members are passionate about good food and we know they will bring a new dimension to our product and its potential uses.”

Olivado’s Extra Virgin Cold-Pressed Avocado Oil is one of the healthiest edible oils in the world.  The benefits include:

• Having the highest level of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats (in comparison to other oils)

• High levels of alpha and beta-carotene, which protect against heart disease and cancer

• The highest levels of essential vitamins and minerals and a generous dose of vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant

• Twice the amount of lutein as olive oil, which protects against macular degeneration and blindness

• Valuable omega-3 fatty acids, which help lower blood cholesterol

• Ounce-per-ounce, avocado oil ranks highest in monounsaturated fat, vitamin E, folate, potassium, magnesium, lutein, Beta-Sitosterol, and glutathione.

• An Ohio University study shows that avocado oil significantly boosts the body’s ability to absorb nutrients from salads by up to 17 times.

ABOUT OLIVADO NATURAL NUTRITION

Olivado Natural Nutrition is based at Kerikeri in the beautiful Bay of Islands, near the top of New Zealand’s North Island – the so-called “Winterless North”. Olivado has been recognized as one of the top food innovators in New Zealand by top food magazine Cuisine, which praised Olivado for helping found the avocado oil industry in New Zealand and for its strong marketing initiatives that have been crucial in making both the product and brand a success. Olivado is one of “13 cool companies transforming Kiwi business,” according to a leading business publication. It is also the proud recipient of the 2002 Massey University Food Award for Best Gourmet Foods, the Enterprise Award, the 2001 Television New Zealand/Marketing Magazine Small Business Award, and many more. Olivado believes that the complex combinations of nutrients naturally found in fruits and vegetables, as opposed to supplements, are essential in order to maintain optimal health, and to that end their products are all designed in order to enhance natural nutrition. Olivado products are distributed around the world and available in gourmet centers and grocers across the United States. To learn more go to www.Olivado.com.

ABOUT WOMEN CHEFS & RESTAURATUERS (WCR)

More than 50 percent of the food service industry workforce is women, yet few reach the upper echelons of their profession.  The mission of Women Chefs & Restaurateurs is to promote the education and advancement of women in the restaurant industry and the betterment of the industry as a whole. WCR offers career-enhancing scholarship and internship opportunities for both beginning and experienced culinary professionals. Candidates can apply for tuition credit to enter premier culinary programs or for the opportunity to study in the kitchens of the world’s most talented chefs.  To learn more go to www.WomenChefs.org.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO SCHEDULE AN INTERVIEW WITH  WCR BOARD MEMBERS, OR OLIVADO, CONTACT:

Trina Kaye

The Trina Kaye Organization

310-915-0970

TrinaKaye@tkopr.com

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