Well, *that* was interesting... 11/02/2011
 Spicy Baked Caramel The last time we chatted, Team Popcorn Chef was deep into the thick of processing an order for participation in the 32nd News and Documentary Emmys held in New York on September 26. There's a story on that we'll share later.... Anyhow, couple this with expiring Groupon and Moolala deals - plus the holiday season - and you can guess what we've been doing. Now that we've completed inventory and reopened for business, things are crankin' along with corporate orders, parties, fundraisers and gifts. Let us know how we can make your event a popping one, and place your gift orders by December 9 for guaranteed Christmas delivery. Not much else to report, but we did have a customer ask if we'd prepare a spicy version of our Baked Caramel. Why not? If you're interested, pop on over to our Facebook page and let us know you're game for a batch. We'll check back in soon! 1 Comment We're In! 09/12/2011
 Kitsap Gourmet Popcorn Maker Goes to the Emmys Local gourmet popcorn will be among the goodies News & Documentary Emmy Awards VIPs will take home BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, WA - September 12, 2011 - Some participants in the 32nd Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards will walk away with prestigious trophies - but all the VIPs will get to take home a taste of Kitsap County. Bainbridge Island-based Popcorn Chef was among 30 businesses selected to provide products for the official gift bags to the 800 VIPs at this year's event. Hosted at the Time Warner Center in New York City, the News & Documentary Emmy Awards will include celebrities, television personalities and media stars among its guests. Larry King will receive the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, and all those in attendance - including some of television and Internet media's most influential people - will receive official Emmy gift bags with items ranging from jewelry and candles to stationery and pet products. For Popcorn Chef owner Doña Keating, large orders to be shipped all over the world are not an unusual request. But when she was approached by Off the Wall Ideas, the provider of the bags for the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, she recognized the opportunity to increase this niche. "We receive quite a few emails from different entities and some of them are just starting out, so we investigated to ensure it was a legitimate invitation," she said. "I thought it would be fun to do - we've had a few things sent out to celebrities in the past and received highly positive feedback." She liked the fact that Off the Wall Ideas, which is headquartered in New Hampshire, was especially looking to promote small businesses. The mission of the nonprofit National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, to advance the arts and sciences of telecommunication and foster leadership in the industry, was also an attractive cause. Thus far, Popcorn Chef is the only one from Washington state to be selected among the product placement participants, who do not receive payment for their products. Val Wilson, producer of the Official Emmy Gift Bags, said a team of researchers looks up potential businesses in specific categories, which include gourmet foods. "Popcorn Chef had a nice website," said Wilson, who owns Off the Wall with her husband, Mike. "The flavors looked delightful." Popcorn Chef has nearly two dozen sweet and savory flavors including such enticing choices as Butterscotch Heaven, Spicy Southwestern Cheddar, and Dark Chocolate with Chipotle, Cayenne & White Truffle Oil. It didn't take long for Keating to decide what treats to provide for the VIPs. She's creating a new mix, appropriately called "Emmy Medley," with four popular flavors that complement each other: White Cheddar with Cracked Black Pepper and Bleu Cheese, Dark Chocolate with Alder-Smoked Sea Salt, Baked Caramel, and Golden Cheddar. "The biggest challenge is the labor involved," said Keating, who frequently recruits her husband, Charles, and other friends or family members to help out. "We decided to do something different and use packages larger than our sample size but smaller than our small bags. It's more labor intensive to put our products in small packages, label them and so on." The other challenge is the fast turnaround. Though Popcorn Chef was invited two weeks ago, it made its decision three days ago. Keating and crew only have days to prepare the goodies, which must arrive in New York by Sept. 22. That means her company will have to go into high gear for this production, while working to fill other orders and tending to the other businesses the couple own (including corporate consulting). For Keating, however, the endeavor is well worth it. It was only six years ago when she launched Popcorn Chef. Since then, the business has blossomed to include corporate clients and fans all over the world. "What I appreciate about this opportunity is that we've gotten to the point where we're being sought out. It's a nice turning point," she said. "So many business fail within five years, particularly in this economy. To be going strong in our sixth year and be invited to the Emmys is quite rewarding, as is the opportunity to again show the world the wonderful things going on in Kitsap ." PopcornChef.com ships made-to-order popcorn internationally. It offers corporate gifts, fundraisers, private parties, and its products include quality organic ingredients. www.popcornchef.com www.Facebook.com/PopcornChef www.twitter.com/thepopcornchef # # # Contact: Rodika Tollefson Tollefson Creative Solutions (253) 273-0802 rodika@rodikat.com www.rodikat.com Catching Up... 09/06/2011
 Kitsap Wine Festival We had a fabulous time at Kitsap Wine Festival. We were next to Dee Coppola of WestSound Home and Garden, who shared her table with Patricia Graf-Hoke, Executive Director, Kitsap Peninsula Visitor & Convention Bureau. What a fun time we had! It's always a treat to watch those who haven't had our popcorn as they taste it for the first time - everyone was raving over the White Cheddar w/cracked black pepper and bleu cheese, Dark Chocolate dusted with Crimson Cove's smoked sea salt, and Dark Chocolate Coconut. If the opportunity presents itself, we'll be back next year! Popcorn Chef is regularly contacted by outfits seeking our products for VIP/celebrity swag bags. Some are offers we've decided to pass on, but others we've considered. A recent invitation was to be an item in the Official Emmy Gift Bag for the 32nd Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards on September 26th in New York City. We're looking into it and will let you know what happens...wish us luck! Monica's Waterfront Bakery and Cafe is the winner of our recent FREE Popcorn Tasting Party. We had nine contestants and it wasn't an easy decision, but Monica and Mark Downen planned to celebrate the first day back to school for Central Kitsap *and* their 20th wedding anniversary. Tomorrow (Sept. 7) we'll be on site from 11am-2p to share samples of some of our delicious flavours to go along with the fabulous sparkling wine they'll be offering. Come and toast the wonderful owners and staff of this popular Old Town establishment. Kitsap Economic Development Alliance provided a welcome basket of local goodies to its new Executive Director, John Powers. We gladly donated a bag of our delicious Gold Cheddar and Baked Caramel "Chicago Mix" for his enjoyment. Welcome, John! Many of you may notice the size of the popcorn in your recent order. Yep - we've started using a new Monster Mushroom kernel and are getting rave reviews! Almost 40 orders went out the day we received it, and landed in Toronto, Seattle, Minnesota, Dallas, New Mexico, Virgina, Maine, Chicago, Ohio, Port Orchard, California, London, Michigan, Hong Kong, Pennsylvania, Sydney, and more! Speaking of reviews, stop by our Facebook page and let us know what you think of our products. We always appreciate your honest feedback. And thank you to our 19,000+ fans! We enjoy working and playing with you. Win a FREE Popcorn Tasting Party! 08/15/2011
 Your chance to win a free party* starts now! Watch your home, office, or event location pop! with the smell of wonderful popcorn, happy friends, and gourmet gnoshing. Pair our delicious flavours with wine, beer, or just because. To enter, provide a brief and description of your gathering on our Facebook page- when, where, why, who's coming - and we'll select a winner on August 26. Be creative, and good luck! *Local participants only. Party size limits may apply. Serve Me Up Another Eight... 07/31/2011
 Now that Summer has officially arrived - late July in Washington - we've been enjoying the great weather and outdoor activities. The Inaugural Bremerton Summer Brewfest held last weekend was our best single-day event ever (other than online corporate orders). It was awesome to chat with several dozen friends who stopped by to visit our booth, the only food vendour at the fest. Attendees soaked up some sunshine and enjoyed about 24 breweries, each providing excellent tastes of their craft. We look forward to next year, and would love to hear about some of your favourites at the Brewfest. Let us know! Speaking of the heat, we'll be communicating more with those who order our caramel, chocolate or butterscotch flavours so they're delivered in perfect condition. Sometimes we can't ship, or rates will increase as we overnight and add gel ice. In some cases we've limited shipping to Monday through Wednesday so your korn isn't sweating over a hot weekend. Thanks for your patience! What's up with the octo-graphic? Not much guesswork needed. Let's just say life is always interesting. Wouldn't have it any other way....cheers! A Slap on the Hand... 06/13/2011
 Ouch! We've gotten a slap on the hand from friends and customers who wanted to know if we'd given up on blogging. No excuses but busy with the corn. What's been going on? Let's see...we're smack in the middle of Kitsap Macaroni Kids Father’s Day Giveaway, had a great Moolala Deal of the Day last month, missed Southworth Art & Garden Flea Market due to a temperamental vehicle (boo!), and had a blast giving away free popcorn at KiDiMu’s First Annual BIRTHDAY BASH. We just finished our busiest Father's Day season ever, and are gearing up for Bainbridge Island's 2011 Grand Old Fourth of July, then Inaugural Bremerton Summer Brewfest. As if that's not enough, we're in the middle of fulfilling a massive fundraiser order for the wonderful Olympic High School Football Team. Throw in a couple of contests on our Facebook page, and you'll understand why we haven't been posting. Speaking of Facebook, in early April we had a bit over 7000 fans. Now we have over 18,000! Wooot! Yep, we know it's not about the numbers - we're grateful and engaged. Thank you to each and every fan! If you're traveling or just on the go with a bag of our stuff, drop us a note with a pic to let us know. Above is Debbie from Legend Harley Davidson, who won a bag of Butterscotch Heaven in one of our infamous caption contests. Congrats! Now go and do summer, all. We'll check back soon! Spring Has Sprung...Join us! 05/12/2011
 Perhaps we're jumping the gun a bit, but who cares? It's time for Spring and we've been out and about in between some great holiday production.Where to start.... Mother's Day was a phenomenal holiday for us this year! You really love your mums. We were busy, but found time to wrap up a nice vignette at West Sound Unity rental kitchen with former MTV producer Mike Barnet of i Heart Kitsap and Mindy Byers of MegaMouth Networks. If you haven't seen it, take a look now. Of course, now we're in Father's Day mode, and just to make it interesting we've participated in Kitsap Macaroni Kids Father’s Day Giveaway. Some other events and happenings:
The long and short of it is we're going to have a fun Spring and Summer, so check back often for news about what we're doing. Ciao for now! Fun in the Sun 04/21/2011
 Vanilla Turtle Corn Bars For those of you familiar with the Pacific Northwest, you'll know we've had a particularly rainy winter and spring. Not that I'm complaining too much: we've lived in climates where all that water would be snow and ice! Still, when the sun makes an appearance, everyone here seems to get jazzed and upbeat. In preparation for more sunny days, we at Team Popcorn Chef have been busy fulfilling orders, making new products, and preparing for upcoming events. This Saturday evening you'll find us at UNITY EARTH CONCERT and Easter Eve inDULgenCE Festival. If you haven't gotten your tickets yet, click the the event's Facebook page and do it today! We're giving away a special prize to the person who brings the most friends: a bottle of wine from Gordon Brothers Winery, dark chocolate sea salt caramels from Carter's Chocolates, and a bag of our dark chocolate with chipotle, cayenne & white truffle oil popcorn. Yum! Got friends? Get hooked up with this prize... Do you see what I see above? Vanilla Turtle Corn Bars...just in time for Easter! We'll have these, our regular Turtle Corn Bars, and Vanilla-dipped Dark Chocolate Coconut Popcorn Bars at Saturday's earth concert, along with many of our signature popcorn items. Recently, we had a blast filming a vignette at West Sound Unity rental kitchen with former MTV producer Mike Barnet of i Heart Kitsap and Mindy Byers of MegaMouth Networks. If you're a Kitsap business or organisation looking to distinguish your message and delivery regarding the great things happening within your entity, put them on speed dial and commission your own vignette. Meanwhile, stay tuned for our short feature on all the fun we have making popcorn. Finally, we've asked our Facebook fans to weigh in on a possible new product. Click the link and tell us what you think. Enjoy your fun in the sun! Put On Your Dancing Shoes! 04/06/2011
 We're still busy with the many orders from our loyal and new customers. We thank you, and are so thrilled you enjoy our delicious popcorn! Our Turtle Corn Bars continue to be a hit, and we're constantly baking, dipping, shipping...and running out! For those of you who've asked when we'll be vending and offering the opportunity to purchase smaller quantities of our products, your chance has arrived. Join us on Saturday, April 23 at UNITY EARTH CONCERT and Easter Eve inDULgenCE Festival (Dulce, sweets...get it?) for a night of delicious foods, music, and community. Spirit Wind West and West Sound Unity will join forces to produce an exciting event where you can purchase treats from Carters Chocolates & Ice Cream, Loaf and Round Bakery, Popcorn Chef Gourmet Popcorn, beer and wine from Moondogs Too, and Herbal Teas by Moonstone Energy Works. Adrian Xavier Band and Aaron McFadden is the featured reggae artist - make sure you're dressed for dancing! - and there will be a visual light show by Sean Bonsell. Tickets are $12 at the door, and $10 in advance at Spirit Wind West, 740 Bay Street in Port Orchard. Contact them at 360.876.4499. Meanwhile, we look forward to seeing you at 7p at West Sound Unity, 1712 Trenton Ave, Bremerton (Manette), WA. Click the event's Facebook page and let us know if you can make it - Team Popcorn Chef hopes to see you there! Speaking of all this fun with dancing and eats, we'll be filming a vignette regarding our business with i Heart Kitsap. How cool is that? Like their Facebook page, take a look at the wonderful local businesses being showcased, and stay tuned for our upcoming feature. We're also in the queue for an upcoming Moolala deal, where you can not only get 50%-90% off a 'deal of the day', but actually earn money when you refer your friends. By developing a network, you'll earn as long as they're buying deals. It's a great win-win, so sign up for Moola today. Finally, have you heard? We now have over 7000 Facebook fans and counting! Again, we know it's not just about numbers and are committed to engaging and welcoming each of you, but it's encouraging that so many of you support and partner in our efforts to provide the best gourmet, made-to-order popcorn ever. Thank you! Oops! 03/23/2011
 We've been busy making yummy popcorn, participating in events, and offering contests. Now March is nearly gone and not one blog post. So let's catch up.... Thanks to those who stopped by our booth at West Sound Business Expo. A good time was had by all, and we even won a Grand Prize: a two night stay at Clearwater Casino Resort, Golf for two with an electric power cart, and an $80 dining gift card. Not bad, eh? Our St. Paddy's Week deal was a great success, offering daily deals and entering each purchaser in a drawing for a grand prize, a 3.5 gallon tin of their choice. Marion Lynch from AZ was the lucky winner. We finally got our Turtle Corn Bar right....now that was an adventure....and can't keep them in stock! If you haven't tried them yet, you're missing out. And for those of you who celebrate Easter, get your orders in soon for our delicious white or dark chocolate treats. Last but not least...our Facebook page now has over 6000 fans. Thank you for your support! | AuthorYou are likely to hear from a number of members of the Popcorn Chef team. ArchivesNovember 2011 CategoriesAll |
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popcorn photos and logo: Wet Apple Media
