Fresh milk products and great customer service at Stew Leonard's!

STEW LEONARD’S ANNOUNCES CUSTOMER COOK-OFF WITH GRAND PRIZE OF $500 AND RECIPE FINALISTS FEATURED IN STORE’S COOKBOOK
(Stew Leonard’s Cook-Off to be Held September 20 – Recipes Due by August 30)

NORWALK, Conn., July 9, 2003 – Stew Leonard, Jr. is putting out the call to his customers to win a chance to have their favorite recipe featured in the family-owned food store’s upcoming cookbook, tentatively titled, Stew Leonard Cooks.

Stew Leonard’s is publishing the cookbook to time with the opening of the fourth Stew Leonard’s store in East Farmingdale, NY in late 2004. Among the 300,000 customers shopping at each of the three Stew Leonard’s stores every week -- in Norwalk and Danbury, Conn. and Yonkers, NY-- there are many budding chefs and gourmands.

“When I talk to customers, they always tell me about this great meal they just made using ingredients they bought at Stew Leonard’s, such as filet mignon, lobster, fresh mozzarella and corn-on-the-cob. It just makes my mouth water,” said Stew Leonard, Jr., president and CEO of Stew Leonard’s. “Customers love to share their recipes and this Cook-Off will give them the opportunity to do so, as well as have a chance to be featured in our cookbook and become part of the Stew Leonard’s lore.”

The Stew Leonard’s Cook-Off is open to all customers – whether they shop at Stew’s regularly or make a special trip occasionally. The winning customer recipes will be selected by a panel of Stew Leonard’s chefs, celebrity judges and customers in a Cook-Off to be held on September 20, 2003. The top three finalists in each category will be invited to participate in the Cook-Off, with one winning recipe selected in each category, along with the top three overall finalists. Stew Leonard’s will feature the winning customer recipes among the cookbook’s 250 total recipes, along with their profile. In addition, the overall top three recipes will win a $500, $200 and $100 Stew Leonard’s gift certificate respectively, and all category finalists will receive $50.00 gift certificates.

The categories for recipe submission are based on each of Stew Leonard’s fresh food departments:

Meat: Recipe must use at least one pound (may be a combination) of any cut of meat
Poultry: Recipe must use at least one pound (may be a combination) of any cut of poultry
Fish/Seafood: Recipe must use at least one pound (may be a combination) of any cut of fish or shellfish
Deli: Recipe must use at least one pound (may be a combination) of any deli meats or cheeses
Produce: Recipe must use at least 1/2 pound (may be a combination) of any fruit or vegetable
Coffee: Recipe must use at least 1 cup brewed coffee
Bakery: Recipe must use at least 1/2 loaf of bread or the equivalent of another Stew Leonard’s bakery product.
Dairy: Recipe must use at least 1 cup milk or milk product (may be a combination)

The criteria for each recipe is:

All recipes must be original and not previously published.
Recipes must have no more than 10 ingredients including water, salt, and pepper
Each recipe must be submitted separately and list ingredients in exact, standard U. S. measurements.
Recipe entry must include: category, name of recipe, number of servings, customer name, address, e-mail address and daytime telephone number
Recipes must be received by August 30, 2003.

Entry forms and official rules can be found by clicking here. Additionally, recipe entry forms can be found at Stew Leonard’s stores. Recipes can be submitted by mail, e-mail, download pdf version, or at any Stew Leonard’s customer suggestion box to:

Stew Leonard Cooks! Customer Cook-Off
100 Westport Avenue Norwalk, CT 06851
Attention: Public Relations

Recipes will be judged on taste, creativity, ease of preparation and appearance. Finalists will be notified on September 10 and invited to participate in the Cook-Off on September 20.

Click here for Offical Rules

About Stew Leonard’s
Unlike traditional grocery stores that sell an average 30,000 items, each Stew Leonard’s store carries only 2,000 items, chosen specifically for their freshness, quality and value.
Among the store’s unique features that distinguishes it from typical supermarkets: an in-store dairy plant where milk is packaged in front of customers; costumed characters and animatronics throughout the store; one continuous aisle that winds through the store; and 80 percent of the products sold are fresh – that is, brought in daily or prepared directly in-store.