Late last month, the Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma teamed with one of Metro New York’s and the nation’s hottest chefs to educate both food service professionals and consumers on the evolution of one of the more delectable menu solutions.
“Prosciutto has certainly evolved into something far more than something wrapped around melon balls,” noted Legacy Records Chef Ryan Hardy. The affable toque hosted a number of the nation’s top food writers and bloggers in his private kitchen at the new Hudson Yards eatery.
“From a risotto dish to crisping slices with octopus, I am constantly looking for ways to use Prosciutto di Parma on my menus,” Hardy noted.
“Most importantly, even though there are many Prosciutto products available from distributors, there is only one Prosciutto di Parma,” Ryan Hardy told his audience. “From the way the product is salted by hand to the flavor profiles offered with the 12 and 18 month curing process, there’s a big difference in quality.”
Earlier this year, The Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma unveiled its newest training hub known as “The Whole Leg.” The website (thewholeleg.com) is dedicated to educating chefs and foodservice professionals on using the entire leg of Prosciutto di Parma with tips and training that reduce waste and boost profits.
The new training platform serves as a one-stop-shop for foodservice professionals looking to learn more about working with Prosciutto di Parma. In addition to helping chefs maximize the product’s value, the goal of the site is also usage-based. Specifically, reducing overall food waste when using the product, by redirecting food scraps from the trash to the table.
Through extensive primary research among chef and foodservice audiences, the Consorzio discovered a void in digital training resources around prosciutto. This need was amplified by findings from a recent Consorzio study, which revealed that specifying Prosciutto di Parma on menus allowed chefs to charge $1-3 more because customers are willing to pay extra knowing they were getting a geographically protected, high quality, 100% natural cured ham.
“We are thrilled to be a leader in the industry in offering such a valuable learning tool to our chef and foodservice audience in the U.S.,” said Consorzio Marketing Director Paolo Tramelli. “We understand and appreciate the impact this influential group has on our business and we are pleased to provide them with the resources they need to uphold the quality and service deserving of Prosciutto di Parma.”
Featuring hand-drawn illustrations and professional photography, the new training hub serves as a comprehensive platform for chefs and foodservice professionals to learn how to properly identify, prepare, store, use and serve Prosciutto di Parma.In addition to the above elements, users can also download training materials, find a supplier, sign up for in-person trainings and join the Cured & Crafted monthly newsletter. For more information, visit The Whole Leg training website.
“As a Prosciutto di Parma Specialist, I’m committed to upholding the standards and quality of the production in our NYC restaurants Charlie Bird, Pasquale Jones, and Legacy Records. The Whole Leg training site is incredibly valuable for those of us in the culinary field as well as for cooking pros at home; it provides the best tools and techniques for working with this elite product,” Ryan Hardy concluded. “Reducing waste and increasing profitability is critical to our business, so we appreciate the value in our staffers having access to this resource.”
About the Consorzio: The Consorzio was established in 1963 by 23 producers producing 53,000 branded hams who wanted to protect and promote their product throughout the world. Since then, the Consorzio has grown into a family of 150 Prosciutto di Parma producers supplying nearly 9 million hams annually to markets all over the world.
Today’s producers carry on a tradition that has been passed down through generations. The production of every Prosciutto di Parma is regulated by strict laws that define the quality and characteristics, represented by the Parma Crown branded on Prosciutto di Parma. Learn more, discover recipes and find out where to buy at www.parmacrown.com.
To learn more about Chef Ryan Hardy’s restaurants with Delicious Hospitality, visit their website.
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