With Americans eating about 40 billion burgers and sandwiches a year, bread often takes the form of slices or buns, which has evolved from simple white or wheat into a whole new world of trendy grains and artisan flavors. To help restaurants tap into the artisan bread trend, US Foods offers two new buns that will take every burger and sandwich to a new level of enjoyment.

The divine order of dining calls for the best to be served last. And there's no better way for you to ensure a perfect dining experience from beginning to end than by offering delicious desserts, especially now that consumers are eating more desserts than ever. The most recent Technomic consumer trend research report showed 70% of Americans eat dessert at least once a week, with only 1% saying they did not eat dessert.

Remember when the word "salad" described a handful of iceberg lettuce tossed into a faux wood bowl with a tomato wedge floating in a sea of French dressing? Times have changed. Today, salad describes a wide range of vegetable, noodle, pasta and other dishes that can be hearty entrées or lighter sides – with iceberg nowhere in sight.

If you want to give your grilled foods a spicy, international flair that a growing number of diners crave, then hit the sauce. A sauce is the first thing to touch the tongue, which means you can transport diners to Mexico, Korea, Portugal and other exotic locations with the very first bite. Sauces can go under, in, on top and within your creations. Nothing revs up the flavor of meat, poultry and fish like a sauce.

Meet Pat LaFrieda. He's going to help energize your menu and increase sales. LaFrieda is the secret behind America's most acclaimed steaks and burgers. He's held in such high regard by so many top chefs that he's getting his own reality TV show this year. US Foods has teamed up with the legendary LaFrieda to create two delicious new Chef's Line™ products exclusively for customers.

When you think of Texas food, traditional barbecue is usually at the top of the list. But the StarChefs.com Rising Stars Awards Gala in Austin demonstrated that cuisine in the Lone Star State is more eclectic and exciting than ever thanks to a growing number of adventurous chefs who are revolutionizing the dining experience.

Korean is the new Thai and lamb is the new pork, which was the "other white meat" not too long ago. These are just a few of the discoveries made at the 37th Winter Fancy Food Show where more than 18,000 food fans munched and sipped their way through 80,000 specialty products.

StarChefs.com included Portland, Oregon as a city this year in its Rising Stars Revue. Our own Chef Bill Brooks spent time at the event earlier this month among the winners and shares his perspective.

A special ingredient or a unique preparation can make all the difference in a recipe. In this season of gift giving, we asked four of our corporate chefs to share a favorite tip and impart the best ways to make a few sweets and treats part of your holiday tradition.

Raise your glasses! If there ever was a perfect combination, the wine and cheese duo is it. Now you can combine the varieties on your cheese plate with the offerings in your wine cellar and give your customers another reason to celebrate this holiday season. We’ve taken the mystery out of which wine pairs best with which cheese. And now it’s your turn to cheer!

Thanks to all who participated in the first-ever US Foods Creative Pizza Recipe Competition, which ran from September 1 through October 31, 2011. We’re excited to announce our eight weekly winners.

Our curiosity got the better of us and we had to know, so we sat down with seven of our corporate chefs to ask them to recall a favorite holiday meal memory. Some had an answer immediately; others spent time pondering. For better or worse, one particular holiday left an impression on each of them. Here’s your chance to get to know our chefs as they share their stories and relive a memorable holiday.

Thanks to all who participated in the Callebaut Chocolate Recipe Contest sponsored by US Foods and Callebaut Chocolate. We’re excited to announce our grand prize winner and four finalists.

Where can you find the ultimate cheeseburger? All over the United States! The 15 winners of our Ultimate Cheeseburger Contest, cosponsored with the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, have transformed an American classic into a trend-setting menu item. The recipes were judged on creativity, originality, innovative cooking techniques, use of current industry trends, inclusion of Wisconsin cheese. But it all came down to just one question: If you saw this cheeseburger on a menu, would you order it?

Where do you get inspiration? Corporate Chef Bill Brooks’ blog is a great place to start. Chef Bill has a passion for anything culinary and, now, one of his other great passions is blogging! Check out his recipes, the latest food trends, and other must-reads to keep you in the know. It’s addicting…just like all his recipes.

Anuga, the world’s largest food and beverage industry trade fair, was held October 8 through 12 in Cologne, Germany. Our chefs regularly attend the event to learn about new products, innovative trends and future-oriented concepts. Catch a few of the highlights as offered by Chef Bill.