OXO® Unveils Stellar Lineup for Year Three of Its Chefs in Residence Program
Featuring New Culinary Powerhouses: Award-Winning Chef Joseph Johnson and Baked By Melissa's Melissa Ben-Ishay
NEW YORK, Sept. 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- OXO, an award-winning consumer brand from the Home & Outdoor segment of Helen of Troy Limited (NASDAQ: HELE), is delighted to announce the eagerly awaited return of its highly acclaimed Chefs in Residence program. Now entering its third year, the Chefs in Residence program continues to captivate audiences by offering an exclusive glimpse into the lives of esteemed chefs as they showcase their culinary mastery using their favorite state-of-the-art OXO tools. This year, OXO is proud to introduce Baked by Melissa's co-founder & CEO, Melissa Ben-Ishay, and the celebrated James Beard Award Winning Chef JJ Johnson as the latest additions to this exceptional culinary series.
Building upon the success of previous years, OXO Chefs in Residence is a collaborative series featuring inspiring creators with one common goal: bring a "better" experience to your kitchen. These in-house epicurean experts invite us into their everyday lives and share pro tips along the way. For the inaugural year of its Chef in Residence program, OXO partnered with chef personalities Eden Grinshpan, Rick Martinez, and Kwame Onwuachi, sharing delicious recipes and how they use OXO's tools to create them. As the series continued into its second year, OXO announced the newest class with James Beard Award Winning Chefs Gregory Gourdet, Joanne Chang, and Tim Hollingsworth, who shared an up close and personal look into their daily routines, how they run their kitchens and restaurants, celebrate holidays, and do what they do best: cook delicious food.
OXO Chefs in Residence possess deep expertise, from farmer's markets to flambés. The program is an invigorating way for culinary artists to bring in fresh perspectives, offer unique dining experiences to their patrons, and have a platform to showcase their skills. In the third year of Chefs In Residence, our new culinary masters will showcase cooking talents and educate consumers through an upcoming content series that will elevate their cooking and baking game like never before. Whether a seasoned chef or a home cook who is passionate about creating delicious dishes, this series has something for everyone. In the first part of the series, our Chefs in Residence will dive deep into pantry and refrigerator organization. A well-organized pantry is the secret weapon of every successful chef, and these experts will share ingenious ways to arrange ingredients for easy access, reduce food waste, and store ingredients to extend shelf life. The second installment will focus on creating unforgettable holiday feasts as the holiday season approaches. From Thanksgiving to New Year's and everything in between, learn how to craft stunning main dishes that will leave guests in awe and explore unique holiday recipes from different cultures, adding a global flair to your celebrations.
The duo of chefs will be featured in OXO's Master It series, where everyone can learn how to use award-winning tools to create classic staples and award-winning dishes by you got it, award-winning chefs. Each video is paired with a short anecdote or story about the chef to make the videos relatable and watchable. We follow each chef as they bestow their wisdom to make four seemingly dishes easy enough for everyone at home. The goal isn't to make the viewer a better chef but rather to make them more comfortable in the kitchen.
Meet OXO's New Chefs in Residence
Chef JJ Johnson:
Cultural tastemaker, family man and renowned American chef, JJ Johnson is most recognized for his innovative approach to African Caribbean cuisine. His work has earned him numerous accolades, including the James Beard Foundation Book Award and a two-time spot on the Nation's Restaurant News Power List. He has been featured on a variety of TV shows including Food Network's Chopped, Netflix's Street Food and Selena + Chef on HBO Max and hosts his own show, 'Just Eats with Chef JJ' airing for its fifth season on TV One's network Cleo TV this fall. Chef JJ's highly anticipated cookbook, The Simple Art of Rice: Recipes from Around the World for the Heart of Your Table, will be released in September 2023. At FIELDTRIP, JJ's rapidly growing multi-unit fast casual rice bowl concept, he champions sustainability, working with local rice farmers and producers to source the freshest ingredients. With three locations throughout New York City, he is a community advocate for food justice and equity, raising awareness within the industry. JJ also has a restaurant concept, E&J slated to launch in August with Mark Lowry and the team at Wonder Foods.
Melissa Ben-Ishay:
Melissa Ben-Ishay is the CEO and co-founder of Baked by Melissa, the New York-based dessert brand famous for its handcrafted bite-size cupcakes and treats. Since it was founded in 2008, the company has opened 14 retail locations in the NYC metropolitan area and beyond and ships its premier gifts nationwide. As a self-proclaimed "dessert person," Melissa believes that you can enjoy dessert daily if you get nourishment from mealtime. She shares this philosophy on TikTok, where she has been recognized as one of the most influential recipe creators by Business Insider, Mashed, Yahoo, and more. In 2022, her viral Green Goddess Salad was among the most searched recipes on Google Trends. Melissa has been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, People magazine, the TODAY Show, GMA, Rachael Ray Show, and more. Recent accolades include Inc. Female Founders 100 List, Create & Cultivate's Top 100, and AdWeek's Women Trailblazers.
"At OXO, we believe that cooking is an art form meant to be shared and savored. With the introduction of Melissa Ben-Ishay and Chef JJ to our Chefs in Residence family, we're embarking on a new chapter of culinary exploration," says Nicole Rivera, Vice President of Marketing at OXO. "Their stories, expertise, and creative flair, combined with the precision of OXO tools, will undoubtedly spark a renewed passion for cooking in kitchens worldwide."
The OXO Chefs in Residence program will unveil a culinary experience that will celebrate creativity, innovation, and the art of cooking, featuring captivating content, including behind-the-scenes looks into Melissa and Chef JJ's routines. The engaging videos and social content will give perspective on the world of culinary arts, leaving viewers eager to try creating culinary delights with OXO's support.
For exciting updates and cooking inspirations follow the OXO Chefs in Residence on the official OXO website (www.oxo.com/chefs-in-residence), YouTube (www.youtube.com/oxo), and Instagram channel (www.instagram.com/oxo).
About OXO
For over 30 years, OXO has been globally recognized for its groundbreaking, award-winning universal product design. Starting with the iconic OXO Good Grips Swivel Peeler in 1990, OXO has paired innovation and purpose to create tools and gadgets that make everyday living better, every day. Today, OXO makes products spanning several home categories: cooking, baking, cleaning, storage and organization, coffee, and baby essentials (TOT). The brand has won over 100 design awards worldwide; its products reside in the Museum of Modern Art collection and the Smithsonian Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum. OXO consistently challenges convention, solving problems and anticipating needs with thoughtful, modern design solutions. OXO is a proud member of 1% for the Planet, committing 1% of annual sales to support environmental nonprofits. Learn more about how OXO is making the every day better at www.oxo.com.
About Helen of Troy Limited
Helen of Troy Limited (NASDAQ: HELE) is a leading global consumer products company offering creative products and solutions for its customers through a diversified portfolio of well-recognized and widely trusted brands, including OXO, Hydro Flask, Osprey, Vicks, Braun, Honeywell, PUR, Hot Tools and Drybar. The Company sometimes refers to these brands as its Leadership Brands. All trademarks herein belong to Helen of Troy Limited (or its subsidiaries) and/or are used under license from their respective licensors.
Media Contact:
Alexandra Cano Soto
Senior PR Manager
acano@helenoftroy.com
Sylvia Lopez Morales
PR Associate
slopez@helenoftroy.com
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