Produce: Identification, Fabrication, Utilization

Kitchen Pro Series: Guide to Produce Identification, Fabrication, and Utilization is the definitive guide to selection, purchasing and fabricating produce for professional chefs, foodservice personnel, culinarians, and food enthusiasts. Part of CIA's new Kitchen Pro Series focusing on kitchen preparation skills, this user-friendly, full-color resource provides practical and detailed information on product identification, seasonality, availability, storage, maturity and ripeness, taste and utilization tactics. If you're seeking a comprehensive guide to produce, then this publication is for you.

Brad Matthews is the director of purchasing and storeroom operations at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA). Directing a storeroom staff of more than two dozen, Mr. Matthews is responsible for all purchases on the college's Hyde Park, NY campus, including more than $6.5 million of food products for the college each year. Mr. Matthews and his staff must assure the value of those purchases through proper receipt, evaluation, storage, and timeliness of deliveries. He also oversees the distribution to the 41 kitchens and bakeshops of all food coming into the CIA campus.

Paul Wigsten is the produce buyer at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, NY. Mr. Wigsten also owns and operates Wigsten Farm in Pleasant Valley, NY with his family. In 2002, Wigsten Farm was awarded the Agri-Business Award by the Dutchess County Economic Development Corporation. Along with Mr. Matthews, Mr. Wigsten was awarded the 2006 Glynwood Harvest Good Neighbor Award.