Thursday, September 8, 2011

  Largest stir-fry: UMass Amherst set world record (HD Video)

AMHERST, Mass., USA -- Armed with a custom-built, one-ton, 14-foot frying pan, Dining Services chefs from the University of Massachusetts Amherst led by celebrity chef Jet Tila have cooked up 4,010 pounds of vegetables and chicken - setting the new world record for the Largest stir-fry, according to World Record Academy (www.worldrecordacademy.com).

  Photo: Dining Services chefs from the University of Massachusetts Amherst led by celebrity chef Jet Tila have cooked up the world's largest stir-fry of 4,010 pounds of vegetables and chicken. ( enlarge photo )

  The previous Guinness world record for the largest stir-fry weighed 1052 kg (2319 lb 4 oz) and was achieved by the Wesvalia High School in Klerksdorp (RSA).

Guinness World Records also recognized the world record for the largest serving of fried chicken: it weighed 746.16 kg (1,645 lb) and was achieved by the Canoefest Fryers Club (USA) in Brookville, Indiana, USA .

  Cooking the stir-fry, with the help of student and faculty volunteers, were lead chefs Jet Tila, who helped UMass make the world's largest California roll last year, and UMass executive chef Willie Sng.

  "Our goal was to do more than just set a new world record," says Ken Toong, executive director of Auxiliary Enterprises at UMass Amherst.

 "We did it while also supporting sustainability and promoting healthy eating as we welcome our students back to school."

  Toong says the UMass cooking team used fresh vegetables from a student-run farm, the permaculture garden on campus and local farmers. In addition, they used canola oil with zero grams trans-fat.

  "We started feeding off the energy from last year's world's longest California roll ," said project manager Christopher Howland.

  According to Howland, the event was funded entirely through donations from vendors and no meal plan money was used.

  The recipe for the World's Largest stir-fry called for 800 pounds of chicken, 400 pounds of carrots, 300 pounds of broccoli, 200 pounds of peppers, 200 pounds of green beans, 200 pounds of bok choy, 200 pounds of root vegetables, 500 pounds of onions and 200 pounds of peanuts plus smaller amounts of basil and garlic, cooked in 50 pounds of oil and topped with 200 pounds of Kikkoman sauce.

  The 2,500-pound stir-fry pan was built in North Grafton by All Steel Fabrication with the drawings and design by Scott A. Civjan, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at UMass Amherst.

  And once it was clear the new record had been achieved, Toong says, the stir-fry was offered up to the crowd of students and guests at the event. Much of it was also transported to dining halls across campus to be served for dinner.

  The record challenge was fully underwritten by donations from corporate sponsors, including Kikkoman, the National Peanut Board, McCormick, Kraft Foods, Dole, Bush's Best, Performance Foodservice, Coca Cola, Bunge, Barilla, FreshPoint, Tyson, Hormel Foods, Green Mountain Gringo, Campbell's and Texas Pete.

  The stir-fry was part of the annual "Welcome to UMass Barbeque" first week event, which included burgers, music and t-shirt giveaways, in addition to the record-setting event.  

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