Five Celebrated Chefs have been named as spokespersons for 2007 for the Pork Checkoff and “Pork. The Other White Meat.”

“Celebrated Chefs serve as educators to the country’s leading chefs and the foodservice industry,” says Craig Christensen, Ogden, IA, pork producer and chair of the Pork Checkoff’s Demand Enhancement Committee. “We’re pleased to have an eclectic blend of chefs from a variety of industries and backgrounds.”

The chefs include independent chef operators, restaurant consultants and leaders in the non-commercial segment. They were selected for their culinary excellence, creativity and originality in their menu planning of pork.

The 2007 Celebrated Chefs include:
- Klaus Happel of the Renaissance Scottsdale (Scottsdale, AZ);
- Michael Maddox of Le Titi de Paris (Arlington Heights, IL);
- Dean Thomas of the Barona Valley Ranch Resort and Casino (Lakeside, CA);
- Celina Tio of The American Restaurant (Kansas City); and
- Frank Scibelli of Mama Ricotta’s & Cantina 1511 (Charlotte, NC).

The chefs will be featured in a checkoff-funded, three-city media tour this spring to heighten awareness of pork’s attributes and to build a preference for pork among American consumers.