Press Release / Lifestyle / Kontos Foods Enlists Culinary Expert Angie Shaghaghi for Recipe Development, Social Media

Kontos Foods Enlists Culinary Expert Angie Shaghaghi for Recipe Development, Social Media

Kontos Foods, Inc. (www.kontos.com), a manufacturer and distributor of traditional Greek and Mediterranean foods, today announced it has named Angie Shaghaghi, a culinary expert and familiar face on celebrity cooking shows, for recipe development and social media. As Kontos Foods seeks to expand its line of French-Style Traditional and Savory Crepes and other baked goods into retail stores, Shaghaghi will help to educate consumers on how Kontos products can be used as an inspiration for nutritious family meals, casual or formal entertaining and healthy snacking.

Like Kontos, Angie Shaghaghi has a deep passion for creating delicious meals that promote good health, wellness and enjoyment of life and eating. She is emerging as an energetic, creative celebrity cook who combines delicious culinary ideas with practical ways to eat better and healthier, said Steve Kontos, vice president of Kontos Foods. Additionally, Angie hails from Tarpin Springs, Fla., a Gulf Coast community rich in fresh foods, and, interestingly, Greek culture. We are delighted to have forged a relationship with her.

Shaghaghi will work closely with Kontos Executive Chef Demetrios to develop and communicate delicious, easy-to-prepare meals with flair. Retailers and consumers will start seeing Angie soon, in Kontos Foods digital and social media outlets in particular, sharing her ideas via video, postings and interviews.

Earlier this year, Shaghaghi appeared in Lipton Tea commercials, as a culinary expert and judge with Ted Allen, currently airing on the Food Network. In 2011, she was voted a fan favorite on Rachel Ray’s "Hey Can You Cook All Stars" with Mexican cooking sensation Marcella Vallavolid. In 2009, she appeared on Food Network’s "Chopped." She got her start in 2008 on Rachael Ray’s "Hey Can You Cook," where she competed for five weeks, judged by Gordon Ramsay. Along the journey, she has cooked for Michael Bubl and Ming Tsai from Food Networks "East Meets West.

Shaghaghi is the owner and founder of New Jersey-based Creative Cooks!, which provides cooking programs for all ages. A mother of three, she also dedicates herself and her cooking skills to philanthropic causes such as Habitat for Humanity and Share Our Strengths No Kid Hungry program.

Shaghaghi credits her family as her inspiration. My father instilled in all his children a love for home-grown and home-cooked meals at a very early age. Vegetables were home grown, fish for dinner was freshly caught, and trips to the supermarket were a family affair. Our garden was our hub ripe with fresh fruits and vegetables, picked with our own hands. As a cooking educator, my mission is to help home cooks explore ingredients and recipes that are unique, delicious, nutritious, and of course, filled with love.

Warren Stoll, Kontos Foods marketing director, said the companys motivation for partnering with Shaghaghi is to create a deeper sense of engagement with its target audience. When I saw Angie on Rachel Rays Hey Can You Cook and on the Food Networks Chopped, I knew that her enthusiasm, creativity and enjoyment of all types of food would make her an ideal social media evangelist for our brand, and help us further build a public profile for our products.

About Kontos
Founded in 1987, Kontos Foods, Inc. is a Paterson, NJ-based provider of traditional Mediterranean foods for restaurants, hotels, food service, retail specialty stores and supermarkets worldwide. The family-owned company specializes in hand-stretched flatbreads, including the Kontos Pocket-Less Pita, fillo dough, pastries, olives, gyro meats and Greek yogurts, as well as over 40 varieties of multi-ethnic flatbreads. Kontos, which has over 200 employees and was founded by Evripides (Evris) Kontos together with his son Steven, together bring over 100 years experience in the premium food industry. To learn more, visit www.kontos.com, or call (973) 278-2800.

Media Contact
Patty Buchanan
Fastlane Communications
(973) 670-1203
pbuchanan@fast-lane.net

Kontos Contact
Warren Stoll
Kontos Foods Inc.
(973) 278-2800, ext. 326
WarrenS@kontos.com