Recipes
Driscoll's Rosé Berries™ Debut on California Restaurant Menu
As restaurants around the country begin to reopen, both chefs and diners alike are looking forward to the return of some sense of familiarity and normalcy—and even some exciting new flavor combinations. In the heart of California and the home of where Driscoll’s Rosé Berries™ are grown, diners at Chef Todd Fisher’s location are in for a big flavor surprise! Chef Todd is the exclusive U.S. restauranteur to feature Driscoll’s Rosé Berries™ on his menu.
We sat down with Chef Todd, VP of Hospitality at Folktale Winery in Carmel Valley, California, Executive Chef at 7D Steakhouse in Carmel-by-the-Sea, and Director of Culinary at Rise & Roam Bakery, to discuss how his teams are embracing the industry’s current challenges, what he’s looking forward to as restaurants are reopening, and his exclusive partnership with Driscoll’s to feature the Rosé Berries™ on his menu.
When asked about how his businesses—and his teams—are weathering the pandemic, Chef Todd chose to find the silver lining. “It’s been a daily reinventing of ourselves, to be honest,” he said. “It’s been stressful, but it’s also been enlightening, especially to see our team go through it—to embrace change and be adjustable. I say all the time, I’ve got the most flexible team around.”
What Chef Todd is looking forward to most as his restaurants reopen, simply put, is getting back to work. “The thing I’m most excited about is getting my team back to full-time work, and to see them fulfilled at the end of a full day. For months now, schedules have been piecemeal, so the employees who are ready—some even desperate—to get back to work, we’re getting them back to work.”
Back in the kitchen, Chef Todd and his team are excited to create new flavors for diners to enjoy.
He explained that his vision for the Rosé Berries™ is an innovative one. “The way I approach the Rosé Berry™ is, it’s a delicate and unique flavor experience that I want to highlight as best I can.” We asked him to elaborate on that unique flavor experience. “The Rosé Berry™ has a soft creaminess to it—it’s a little bit tart with sweet-pea vibes. It’s a prime example of something that’s flavorful and incredibly delicious, but simply can’t be compared to a traditional berry.”
So how is Chef Todd incorporating Rosé Berries™ into his menu? He assures us his approach is strategic. “The artistry is making sure the focus ingredient, like the Rosé Berry™, is highlighted, and really trying to complement its flavor profile. The goal is never to overshadow the star ingredient.”
He gives us a few specific examples, all of which leave us feeling hungry. “At 7D, we’re compressing the Rosé Strawberry™ and using it with a peppered steak tataki, which highlights the floral notes of the strawberry.” Another combination Chef Todd created is Rosé Strawberries™ with creamy burrata cheese. “We’re doing the Rosé Strawberry™ with burrata—they both have a creamy element, and the acidic sweet-pea vibe of the Rosé Strawberry™ is really nice with the burrata.”
Chef Todd reminds us, of course, that not all Rosé Berry™ creations have to be five-star complicated; home chefs can incorporate the Rosé Berries™ into everyday cooking, like Rosé Strawberry™ Ice Cream and Rosé Strawberry™Toast. “At home the other day, I made a simple cashew butter toast with sliced Rosé Strawberries™ and I drizzled it with a chili honey and nice flaked sea salt. It was one of the best versions of a PB&J I’ve ever had.”
And with that mention of home, we asked Chef Todd what it’s like to live, work—and eat—in one of the most agriculturally fertile parts of the world, along the Central Coast of California. “If I lived elsewhere, I’d have to completely change my philosophy on cooking,” he said. “There’s simply no other place I’d rather be.”
We’re delighted to be working with Chef Todd to introduce our Rosé Berries™ to his guests, and to be supporting a local restaurateur on the journey back to business as usual. Cheers to you and your team, Chef Todd.