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Chef’s Spotlight — Matt Kline

Not Your Ordinary Hospital Food

Matt Kline
Via Christi Regional Medical Center
Wichita, KS

Fast-Prep French Favorite
Croquettes have been a favorite for decades. Whether in the U.S. or in their native France, these potato-stuffed, breadcrumb-coated deep-fried cylinders are delicious and add a nice touch to the presentation of any plate. Thanks to convenience-oriented products from Basic American Foods, it’s even easier to prepare these favorites in today’s foodservice kitchens. Matt Kline, Sous Chef for the Via Christi Medical Center in Wichita, KS, has his own recipe for success with an easy-to-make Cheesy Potato Croquettes. 

Amazing Cheesy Potato Croquettes
Starting with Basic American Foods’ Nature’s Own^® Potato Pearls^® Premium Mashed Potatoes, Matt adds Parmesan and pepper Jack cheese, and then fries the croquettes until golden brown. For a final flourish he sprinkles them with a dash of grated Parmesan cheese. “I think it’s the combination of the texture–the crunchiness of the coating with the smoothness of the mashed potatoes and cheese surprise inside–is what makes this croquette so appealing,” he says. Get the recipe.

Doctoring Up Premium Basics
Matt appreciates the quality of Nature’s Own^® Potato Pearls^® Premium Mashed Potatoes from Basic American Foods. “The nice thing about the Basic American Foods products is that they’re uniform. No matter who makes it, and it always turns out the same. Plus, it’s a nice foundation to work from because you can add your own things to it,” he notes.