US Foods Supports Celebrity Chef Spike Mendelsohn at Annual Burger Bash

ROSEMONT, IL--(Marketwire - Feb 24, 2012) - US Foods, one of the country's most innovative food companies and distributors, is supporting celebrity chef Spike Mendelsohn, of Good Stuff Eatery in Washington, D.C., in the 2012 Amstel Light Burger Bash at the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival. The competition takes place today and pits Chef Spike against other talented grill masters.

Burger consumption has been on the rise in recent years, with nearly 50 percent of consumers saying they ate a burger at least once a week in 2011. Given this burger revolution, it comes as no surprise that burger competitions are also increasing with chefs vying to put their own spin on this American classic.

"We held a burger competition among our customers late last year and we were blown away by the amount of unique and delicious entries we received," said Mark Eggerding, vice president, sales support and training, US Foods. "We're thrilled to support the very talented Chef Spike in this year's Burger Bash and can't wait to taste his culinary creation. A long-time US Foods customer, Spike prides himself on using high-quality ingredients and US Foods' products help him accomplish that. At US Foods, food always comes first."

Chef Spike utilized signature US Foods products to prepare his Parisian Bistro-themed steak frite burger consisting of ground steak, fries and béarnaise sauce. US Foods ingredients included in the recipe were Glenview Farms Crumbled Blue Cheese, Glenview Farms Double A Sweet Butter and Monarch spices, including Tarragon, for the béarnaise sauce.

"The innovative product lineup from US Foods helps me create one-of-a-kind dishes that taste great and keep my diners coming back for more," said Mendelsohn. "I depend on US Foods as not only my distribution partner, but also as my food innovation partner to help me bring my visions to life."

US Foods sells and delivers food and related products to restaurants and other organizations around the country, including healthcare, educational and government institutions. Helping customers to stay abreast of culinary trends, the company also operates more than 60 test kitchens in its distribution centers across the country.

About US Foods
With nearly $19 billion in annual revenue, US Foods is the 10th largest private company in America, and a leading foodservice distributor. Many of the entities that make up US Foods were founded in the 19th century, including one that sold provisions to travelers heading west during the 1850s gold rush. US Foods offers more than 350,000 national brand products and its own high-quality "exclusive brand" items, ranging from fresh meats and produce to prepared and frozen foods. The company proudly employs approximately 25,000 people in more than 60 locations nationwide, and provides the finest quality food and related products to more than 250,000 customers, including independent and multi-unit restaurants, healthcare and hospitality entities, government and educational institutions. The company is headquartered in Rosemont, Ill., and jointly owned by funds managed by Clayton, Dubilier & Rice Inc. and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. Discover more at www.usfoods.com.