The fourth annual Produce First! American Menus Initiative was held at the end of January, the latest part of the drive to increase the number of fruit and vegetable offerings available on menus at some of the top chain restaurants, hotels and supermarkets in the US.

Chefs and culinary executives met with some of the leading players in the country's fresh produce sector as part of the collaboration between the Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) and the Culinary Institute of America (CIA).

Guests at the event were treated to demonstrations highlighting culinary strategies from kitchens across the globe, including Mexico, the Mediterranean, California and the Asian kitchens of Japan and India, before taking part in teams to cook using different world cuisines.

'We are very pleased with the success of Produce First!,' said PBH president and CEO Elizabeth Pivonka, who opened the St. Helena, California-based event. 'this annual collaboration with the CIA brings chefs, menu developers and marketers together with fruit and vegetable suppliers and never fails to generate new recipes and menu ideas.

'I was particularly impressed this year to learn how some returning attendees had successfully and profitably implemented changes in their operations that included more fruits and vegetables,' she added. 'They offered suggestions to other attendees about how to overcome perceived barriers to including more fruits or veggies on their menus.'

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