Thomas Keller, multi Michelin Starred Chef, partners with Supplant, revolutionary plant-based sugar ingredient

Multi Michelin starred Chef Thomas Keller, has partnered with Supplant™, developers of an innovative plant-based sugar product, to develop sweet treats. Today, I was amongst the first in the world to sample a shortbread cookie and scoop of vanilla ice cream, topped with his own K+M (Keller & Manni) chocolate sprinkles made with Supplant™ sugar. The dessert was created by Keller and his team. Beside the terrific taste, the ice cream was scooped and served to me by Chef Keller himself, during the special two day International Debut, which took place in my Yountville, CA.

I want to report back that the ice cream tasted delicious, exactly as it should as per Keller fabulous  vanilla ice cream and shortbread standards.

Due to International COVID travel restrictions,

Supplant™ Founder, Dr. Tom Simmons, could not join Chef Keller in the exciting launch. Dr. Simmons founded The Supplant Company in 2017 with the hope to start using plant science and the ambition to do something important. Supplant-ears (CITYPEEK name) call their company "a plant food company changing food for good."

The ice cream and cookie recipes prepared by Chef Thomas Keller and his culinary team for this special offering contains less refined sugars, the balance of sugars are from  Supplant™ --  sugars from fiber and unrefined sugar sources. Supplant and Keller hope to encourage companies like Cadbury Chocolates or Kellogg's Cereal, to substitute Supplant™ into their food products. K+M (Keller & Manni) olive oil-chocolate partnership has been firm for many years. Together Keller with Alberto Manni's olive oil have produced a chocolate production methodology that retains the naturally occurring antioxidants of the cocoa beans, unlike traditional chocolate-making process.

"Nutrition is always at the forefront of what we (Thomas Keller Group) do; being able to add nutritional impact to our foods, and therefore to our bodies.  Supplant™  sugars from fiber is yet another prime example that prioritizes this, as well as emphasizes sustainability, innovation and health," shares Chef Thomas Keller.

The innaugural launch took place on Washington Street, in Yountville, just steps from Keller's famed restaurants Bouchon Bakery, Bouchon Bistro, La Calenda and The French Laundry. The delicious Supplant™ sweetened ice cream, as well as K+M (Keller & Manni) chocolate will be offered at Keller's California and New York restaurants, The French Laundry and Per Se, as well as in packaged shortbread cookies available for purchase solely at Bouchon Bakery in Yountville. Don't look for it in the grocery stores, Chef Keller and his team are tasked with developing groundbreaking items using Supplant, they will not be mass marketing said items.

What is this trail blazing sugar ingedient called Supplant™  and Why is Chef Keller involved?

Supplant in the dictionary is a verb synonomys with : replace · displace · supersede · take the place of · take over from · substitute for · undermine · override · oust · usurp · overthrow · remove · topple · unseat · depose · dethrone · eject · dispel · succeed · come after 

Keller explained, while scooping that Supplant™ is a revolutionary  new sugar he had to be a part of. He describes using the Supplant ingredient as a, well, historical moment, if you will. Your body will take in the sweet ingredient as a fiber product, not sugar. SUPPLANT is made by upcycling agricultural side streams. It is product creating a new blend of real sugars, found naturally in plant fiber. For example, in wheat and rice, it's made from the straw, not the grain. In corn (maize), it's made from the cob, not the kernel. These fiber-rich parts of crops are hugely abundant and don't typically make their way into the food system.

Being made from fiber, Supplant™ sugar mean lower in calories, having a lower glycemic response and is prebiotic! Baked goods and other treats using Supplant™ maintain the same texture and taste as those prepared with cane sugar. This is going to lead the way to lower cholesterol, less diabetes and blood sugar issues in people. The next generation will be healthier and so can we, beginning with buying items made with Supplant™! These amazing, forward thinking product that will continue into the next generation.

Phots: Credit CITYPEEK/Patti Neumann

A Little Background on World Famous Chef Extrordinaire Thomas Keller:

Thomas Keller is an iconic and humble man.  His name is synonymous with quality and high standards. The chef and proprietor has established a collection of restaurants that sets a new paradigm within the hospitality profession, including The French Laundry, in Napa Valley, and Per Se, in New York, among others. He is first and only American-born chef to hold multiple three-star ratings from the prestigious Michelin Guide, as well as the first American male chef to be designated a Chevalier of The French Legion of Honor, the highest decoration in France. Chef Keller has earned countless accolades, including The Culinary Institute of America's "Chef of the Year" Award and the James Beard Foundation's "Outstanding Chef" and "Outstanding Restaurateur" Awards. In 2017, Chef Keller led a team from the U.S. to its first-ever gold medal in the Bocuse d'Or, a prestigious biannual competition that is regarded as the Olympics of the culinary world. With more than 1.5 million copies in circulation,  he is the author of six cookbooks, including the recently released The French Laundry, Per Se.

Why K&M Chocolate?

Chef Keller met Armando Manni and they have collaborated since then. Mr Manni uses a singular “Live Oil” process, which he developed in partnership with the University of Florence and the National Council of Research of Italy. The process makes MANNI organic extra-virgin olive oil the only oil in the world to maintain its extra-virgin quality and taste for three years, instead of the industry-standard 12 months. The Live Oil process also gives Manni oil higher levels of antioxidants (phenols) than any other olive oil.

The Supplant™Company was founded by Dr. Tom Simmons, who holds a PhD in Plant Science. and who did postdoctoral in plant sugars and fibers research in the Biochemistry Department of the University of Cambridge. Simmons quickly realized developments in alternative sugar had immense potential for global impact if brought to market. "At The Supplant Company, we're committed to building a food system that is good for people and for the planet. We're thrilled to launch Supplant™ sugars from fiber with Chef Thomas Keller, whose caliber as one of the world's greatest chefs is a huge asset for us as we roll out this innovative product across the food system," he states.