Chef Duff Goldman transforms Kellogg’s cereal beyond the cereal bowl

At the Kellogg’s NYC Café, celebrity chef Duff Goldman showed fans that cereal is more than just food in a bowl with milk. Are you ready to think beyond the bowl?

Growing up, and even still, a bowl of cereal is my typical start to the day. While celebrity chef Duff Goldman appreciates a good bowl of cereal, that traditional breakfast food can be transformed in much more. During a recent event at the Kellogg’s NYC Café, Goldman showcased Kellogg’s cereals in creative recipes. While the menu featured some sweet treats, the savory recipes can truly inspire the home chef to think beyond the cereal bowl.

For the two-day special event at the Kellogg’s NYC Café, Chef Duff created appetizers, entrees and desserts for guests to enjoy a full meal featuring Kellogg’s cereal in creative ways. While the recipes were quite impressive, the event benefitted a worthy cause. Donations that were raised went to the No Kid Hungry campaign, which looks to eliminate childhood hunger and food insecurity.

As part of this special event, Chef Duff Goldman spoke with me about his recipe inspirations and his connection to No Kid Hungry. Before talking specifically about the recipes, I asked Chef Duff what was his favorite cereal growing up? While I would have guessed that his favorite cereal was something sweet, he surprised me. His favorite cereal growing up was Special K. He mentioned that the textures were something that just really appealed to him.

Chef Duff Goldman at Kellogg’s NYC Café, photo provided by Kellogg’s

Continuing the conversation, Duff mentioned that his mom would use cereals in some of her recipes. Apparently his mom’s secret is to use cereal as a type of binder. For example, the combination of flavor and texture turns a typical, boring sloppy joe into a bigger flavor experience.

Since many home cooks have cereal in their pantries, I asked Duff what would he recommend as a way to inspire home cooks to re-think cereal. He mentioned one of the easiest ways is to think about cereal as a bread crumb substitute. Since bread crumbs are boring and bland, substituting cereal can add a big boost of both flavor and texture.

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For example, Rice Krispies are generally a very neutral cereal. This particular cereal could be a great starting point for the home cook’s experimentation. Even substituting smashed Rice Krispies for the traditional bread crumbs in a meatloaf or a breading for a chicken is a great start. The change doesn’t have to be dramatic. It can be a simple substitute.

Looking at Chef Duff Goldman’s menu, several of the recipes are quite ambitious. While the Food Network personality often showcases impressive cakes from his bakeries on his shows, this Kellogg’s inspired menu showcases a wide variety of flavors. From a reference to a Hispanic drink to a riff on a Turkish pizza, this menu pushed the boundaries of what cereal can be.

Personally, I had never tried a Lahmajoun (Turkish lamb pizza). I asked Chef Duff about this recipe because it was quite intriguing. Raisin Bran is used in the lamb sausage. At first, this idea made me wonder about the texture. Chef Duff told me that the trick is to grind the lamb and the Raisin Bran together. By putting both ingredients into the meat grinder at the same time, the texture comes out perfectly.

Turkish pizza featuring Raisin Bran, photo provided by Kellogg’s

I have to say that this trick work. The combination of the nuttiness from the bran flakes and the sweetness of the raisins complements the lamb. This flavor combination has me rethinking other lamb (or proteins) dishes and the use of cereal in those dishes.

One of the points of this special Kellogg’s event was to get people thinking about cereal in new ways. Of course, the morning bowl of cereal will never be replaced. Still, there is much more to cereal. Even if the home cook just starts with using Rice Krispies or Corn Flakes as a breading, that simple change can start the creative juices flowing.

Looking at other recipes, Duff’s creativity is quite apparent. Just like cereal itself, these ideas are fun. Whether it is using cereal in a pie or taking the classic Apple Jack flavor and showing its complexity, these recipes and the event encourages everyone to have a little fun in the kitchen.

In addition to the delicious food, this special event raised funds and awareness for No Kid Hungry. This campaign seeks to end childhood hunger in America. Kellogg’s and Chef Duff Goldman have been huge supporters of this organizations. Many chefs partner with this charity because it focuses on something that chefs love, feeding people. Chefs understand the food sourcing and are in a great position to assist with this food issue.

No Kid Hungry Chef Duff Goldman bowl, photo provided by Kellogg’s

Duff mentioned that 1 in 6 kids are facing a hunger issue. Many kids are food insecure. Events, like this one, can raise both funds and awareness. For example, $1 million dollars in donations can provide 10 million meals to those in need.

While the majority of people weren’t able to attend this special Kellogg’s NYC Café event, everyone can help No Kid Hungry. Many companies, like Kellogg’s with the limited edition Chef Duff cereal bowl or Williams Sonoma celebrity spatulas, donate proceeds from sales to the cause. An even better way to get kids involved with this cause is through a bake sale.

For example, Duff mentioned that one young girl hosted a bake sale and raised $700 for No Kid Hungry. While the monetary total is impressive, the impact that it has on that girl could be even more substantial. She got in the kitchen, created food and saw how food could benefit others. That type of lesson will go even further than the monetary donation.

Personally, I enjoyed chatting with Chef Duff Goldman. Thank you to Kellogg’s for arranging this opportunity.

After adding Raisin Bran to lamb sausage, I will definitely never look at my morning cereal bowl the same again. Of course, I’m not ditching my morning staple, but I am being more thoughtful with my food choices. Flavor, texture and a little ingenuity can go a very long way in the kitchen.