Bell Flavors & Fragrances hosted RCA Chicagoland members at its headquarters in Northbrook, Ill., for a Foraged Foods Event on October 23, 2019.
During the event, RCA members learned about native and wild ingredients that can be found in nature all around us. Dave Odd, founder of Odd Produce, presented and taught the group about wild ingredients that can be found in the Chicagoland area. He led attendees on a small foraging expedition at the Potawatomi Forest Preserve where they discovered the various flora and plants that can be used in culinary development.
Attendees had the opportunity to taste foraged ingredients in savory, sweet, and beverage applications that were prepared by the Bell Flavors & Fragrances Culinary team. The foraged menu included dishes like Chicken of the Woods Mushroom & Acorn Bisque, Wild Amaranth Crab Cake with Sumac Remoulade, and many other delicious foraged-inspired bites.
Dave Odd lives in Illinois and has been foraging as a hobby for years prior to starting Odd Produce. In 2009, he has been a supplier of several varieties of local wild mushrooms, ramps, and other foraged edibles to Chicagoland restaurants. Currently, Odd Produce has supplied over 300 local restaurants with other 500 ingredients and continues to look for new varieties daily.
With over 100 years of industry experience, Bell’s deep passion is to create products that captivate the world’s taste buds and stimulate the senses. This passion was instilled by Bell’s founder William M. Bell, and continues today. Bell is proud to call over 800 employees its family and is opening more doors for new career opportunities.
