Chef Adam Wilson has worked in nearly every corner of the culinary industry. From fine to casual dining, chains to independent restaurants, back of house to front of house, plus pizzerias, school cafeterias, culinary education, sales and commercial food equipment … he’s experienced it all.
One common thread of Wilson’s culinary roles: they all included Vitamix® blenders. “If there was no Vitamix machine, I brought my own,” said Wilson.
The first time Wilson tried a Vitamix Commercial blender, he was hooked. He made a tomato soup with Parmesan cheese, sweet San Marzano tomatoes, basil and chicken stock, as part of the popular soup and salad combo at Atlanta’s famed (now-closed) Mumbo Jumbo, where he worked during culinary school. Wilson still makes the soup—which gets its creamy texture from the Vita-Prep®—to this day.
It’s no surprise that Wilson’s career eventually led him to Vitamix, where he’s now the Culinary Exploration Manager. In this role, he’s able to explore new applications and recipes, and connect with chefs and foodservice professionals to help solve challenges with Vitamix machines.
Wilson loves—and has always loved—the consistency and reliability Vitamix machines provide in an industry that is anything but consistent and reliable.
“Whether you’re a fine-dining restaurant or a coffee chain, customers expect their orders to be identical from one experience to the next,” said Wilson. “The Vitamix blender allows you to achieve that perfect texture and consistency, so everything looks and tastes exactly as it should.”
Wilson firmly believes that any employee can use a Vitamix blender, regardless of their training, and achieve the same results. That may help explain why 62 percent of restaurants use Vitamix machines.
“There are countless nuances with other commercial appliances that affect the end product,” said Wilson. “Combi ovens have so many programs and abilities, it takes a long time to get the true potential out of the machine. Gas cooktops, induction cooktops and radiant cooktops all have different temperature controls and heat more or less effectively, so you really have to understand what you have and how they work with your pans,” he continued. “By contrast, a Vitamix blender is straightforward. Turn it on, (typically) ramp up to high and you’ll get the results you desire.”
Vitamix machines’ unique ability to break down whole foods—from smooth, homogenized purees to rough chops, to fine powders—helped Wilson find his own unique culinary niche: farm-to-table cooking. Wilson is a fan of using local farmers’ produce to create cuisine with powerful, fresh flavor. His go-to farm-to-table dishes with Vitamix-blended components include an English pea salad with Manchego cheese, mint, tomato concassé and red wine vinaigrette; risotto with fresh, in-season vegetables; a sweet potato puree for a dynamite sweet potato soup or sauce; and fresh summer fruits like peaches or berries in a nice cobbler or crisp, or as a balance to a savory pork.
Perhaps most importantly, Wilson sees Vitamix machines as tools to help others.
As someone with two decades of experience in the culinary industry, Wilson knows how the work can take its toll on mental and physical health. He constantly connects with foodservice professionals, listens to their needs and thinks about how to improve their daily experiences—finding faster alternatives to traditional techniques, improving training methods or solving everyday challenges.
Wilson also works to help foodservice professionals and home cooks alike discover the great taste and ease of incorporating healthy, whole foods into everyday cuisine. From nutritious school lunches to recipes that combine decadence and dietary benefits (Vegan Avocado Chocolate Torte, anyone?), it’s clear that Wilson sees his role not as a test kitchen manager, but as someone with the power to change lives.
Want to get to know more of the Vitamix culinary team? Learn about Chef Matt Dugan and get more behind-the-scenes looks at the chefs in action on Instagram and LinkedIn.