From Farm to Fine Dining: Next Restaurant Adds Tiny But Mighty Foods to Seasonal Menu

CLEVELAND, November 23, 2015 — /EPR NETWORK/ — Grant Achatz’s critically revered Chicago restaurant, Next, has introduced its latest menu of artfully prepared dishes with a twist. Achatz and Executive Chef Dave Beran have created an all-new Terroir themed menu, highlighting two standout dishes made with Tiny But Mighty Popcorn grown, harvested and sold by Iowa farmer Gene Mealhow and his family.

Mealhow’s company, Tiny But Mighty Foods, specializes in cultivating tiny kernels packed with flavor and nutrients that represent “what popcorn used to be.” These unique seeds date back to the 1860s and are free of gluten, dairy and GMOs. The small popcorn pieces are easy to chew and digest because their thin outer hull disintegrates upon popping. Using organic and sustainable growing methods, Tiny But Mighty Popcorn is a delicate and carefully developed food that adds a savory taste and texture to inventive meals.

Next restaurant ordered bulk bags of un-popped kernels to cook and prepare dishes like a popcorn soup with hazelnuts, apples and brown butter, as well as a hazelnut cake caviar with popcorn and sorrels. The kernels are packaged using StandUpPouches.net’s environmentally friendly, FDA-approved flexible pouches that lock in and preserve flavor, freshness, nutritional value and quality, guaranteeing each ingredient appeals to Next’s epicure clientele.

“The team at Next did something special with this menu that they’ve never done before,” says Ashley Arp, Marketing, Social Media and Events Manager for Tiny But Mighty Popcorn, “which was choosing all of the wine selections first, then planning the dishes on the menu based on those selections.”

Next offers an exclusive, luxury dining experience, selling pre-priced tickets for specific dates and times similar to the way one would purchase admission to a theater, concert or sporting event. The restaurant is currently accepting reservations for guests to taste the fares from its new Terroir menu.

Tiny But Mighty Popcorn is available as a gourmet ingredient in the restaurant’s new courses, and it is also for sale to customers in whole kernels or ready-made varieties like butter, sea salt and kettle.

About Tiny But Mighty Foods
Gene and Lynn Mealhow, and their sons, have been producing Tiny But Mighty Popcorn® since the late 1990s. A third-generation family farmer and soil consultant by profession, Gene continues to consult with farmers regarding sustainable practices. He bought the popcorn business from Richard Kelty, whose family had farmed in Urbana, Iowa for several generations.

About Next
Next constantly explores the world of cuisine, changing its prix fixe menus and dining experience completely every four months. Founded by chef Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas and under the direction of Executive Chef Dave Beran, Next has received an unprecedented twelve 4-star reviews from the Chicago Tribune and won a James Beard Award as Best New Restaurant in America.

About StandUpPouches.net
ABC Packaging Direct, home of StandUpPouches.net, is a leading online supplier of flexible retail packaging solutions for many of the world’s largest brands. By partnering with small and mid-market businesses, the company has helped its customers build their brands and successfully market their products using the finest printed pouches in the industry.

Contact-Details: Brittany Nader
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