Marco Pierre White Is Now Shilling For Knorr in the US

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British celebrity chef/restaurateur Marco Pierre White is now the brand ambassador for Knorr "Homestyle" stocks in the US. He is no stranger to Knorr (a division of mega-conglomerate Unilever), as he's promoted the company's bullion cubes in the UK since 2006, going so far as as claiming that "I have used Knorr stock in my kitchens for 30 years. It is my secret ingredient." At least he's a fan?

Having had a long career in the UK including Michelin stars and TV shows, Marco Pierre White is relatively unknown in the states. People might remember his stint as the host and judge of the 2009 NBC reality show The Chopping Block that was cancelled after a meager three episodes.

In a recent interview, White addressed critics who said that he's "sold himself out" as a chef for promoting somewhat dubious products. (Last year White signed a six-figure deal in the UK to promote "the turkeys and pre-prepared foods" made by the controversial Bernard Matthews Farms.)

He said of his critics, "I'm allowed to make a living. I have a family. I have my children. I have to create security for them, and I have to feed them. You cannot criticize a man for going to work. You really cannot."

A commenter on Eater quipped: "But you can criticize a man for choosing to go to work as a pimp and a whore." PR speak in the US press release claims that the stock's "carefully selected ingredients are slowly simmered to perfection." Unfortunately Knorr's US website doesn't list the ingredients, but Knorr's Canada website does.

Here's the beef stock's ingredients:

Water, salt, modified palm oil, corn maltodextrin, yeast extract, vegetables (carrots, spinach, leeks), sugar, beef extract, xanthan gum, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, citric acid, dehydrated soy sauce (soybeans, wheat, salt), garlic powder, onion powder, carob bean gum, natural colour, beef fat, natural flavour, spice. And here's the chicken stock's ingredients:

Water, salt, modified palm oil, yeast extract, flavour, sugar, vegetables (carrots, leeks), chicken fat, xanthan gum, garlic, parsley, dehydrated chicken, natural colour, carob bean gum, thiamine hydrochloride, disodium inosinate, succinic acid, cysteine, spice, mustard oil. The products will be available at stores like Wal-Mart, Target, and Publix. Here's the press release:

World-Renowned Chef Marco Pierre White Partners with Knorr® to Introduce Knorr® Homestyle Stock to the U.S. New Concentrated Stock Offers Delicious Flavor and Versatility for Everyday Use

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, NJ – (August 4, 2011) – Though it often takes much time, effort and a lengthy list of ingredients to make a chef-worthy stock, Knorr®, the brand known for providing families with flavorful sauces and bouillons, has introduced Knorr® Homestyle Stock – a breakthrough innovation in the stock and broth category. Knorr® Homestyle Stock delivers delicious flavors in a new concentrated format, which makes it even more versatile for cooking than many liquid stocks and broths.

As part of the launch, Michelin Star-awarded chef Marco Pierre White has partnered with Knorr to introduce Knorr® Homestyle Stock in the U.S. Chef White has trained some of the world’s most iconic chefs and used Knorr® products in his restaurant kitchens for more than 30 years. Since his public praise of Knorr® in 2006, Chef White has become the brand ambassador for promoting good cooking-made-simple at home.

“My secret ingredient is Knorr® Homestyle Stock,” said Marco Pierre White. “It does all the seasoning for you and enhances dishes with an authentic taste.”

Chef White will kick off the U.S. introduction of Knorr® Homestyle Stock at BlogHer 2011 in San Diego, CA on August 5-6, offering master cooking classes to some of America’s top bloggers and providing tips and tricks to make simple, delicious meals at home. Additionally, pre-selected, passionate cooks will put their culinary talents to the test during a live cook-off on the BlogHer conference show floor in the Knorr® Homestyle Stock Kitchen.

Like any great-tasting stock, Knorr® Homestyle Stock’s carefully selected ingredients are slowly simmered to perfection. Its unique, concentrated format allows cooks – from those looking to enhance their culinary skills to those who can pull hundreds of recipes out of their chefs’ hats – to use it in a variety of ways. Knorr® Homestyle Stock’s concentrated format can be melted directly into a dish or diluted with almost any liquid – from water to fruit juices to ciders – so its versatility is virtually unmatched.

Prepared using a time-honored process to slowly cook the ingredients in order to release their full flavor and aroma, Knorr® Homestyle Stock features herbs and vegetables that you can see, without artificial preservatives or added MSG.

“With more than two thirds of all dinners decided within an hour of eating1, it’s important to provide home cooks with simple and versatile cooking aids that help make their homemade meals even more delicious,” said Donna Barker, Senior Director of Marketing for Knorr. ”We are thrilled to partner with Marco Pierre White to bring Knorr® Homestyle Stock to the U.S. Knorr® is a four billion dollar brand globally and Unilever’s largest food brand, so the introduction of Knorr® Homestyle Stock is one of the most significant launches for Unilever U.S. this year.”

Each package of Knorr® Homestyle Stock includes four packs of concentrated stock, and each pack produces three and a half cups of broth, offering a great value over liquid stocks and broths. The suggested retail price of each four-pack is $3.99.

Knorr® Homestyle Stock will be widely available in chicken and beef varieties in the broth aisle of retailers across the country including Wal-Mart, Target and Publix, among others.

· All Adventures in Shilling on Eater [-E-]
· All Marco Pierre White Coverage on Eater [-E-]