YAN STIRS UP INTEREST IN ASIAN FOOD AT WEGMANS

BARBARA MURRAY

PRINCETON, N.J. -- Center Store goods were featured in an Asian food demonstration by celebrity chef Martin Yan at the Wegmans Food Markets store here recently.

Chinese New Year was the theme at the large cooking station at the back of the produce department and at other locations in the store, witnessed by SN during a recent visit. Yan cooked beneath red and gold banners and paper lanterns with Chinese characters delivering a message of good luck.

He was there from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26, cooking a ginger beef with broccoli stir fry, Wegmans' "Meal Solution of the Week." The recipe Yan followed promoted Wegmans' own Discover the Orient garlic sauce, and rice was suggested for use with the meal.

Wegmans' merchandising also included goods from other parts of Asia, and extended around all four sides of the cooking station.

Canned water chestnuts, sliced bamboo shoots, Asian Gourmet brand stir-fry vegetables and Oishi Genen Shoyu premium low-salt soy sauce were stacked below the demo counter. On another side, the Kikkoman and Asian Gourmet lines of sauces and marinades filled eight shelves and were priced at $1.99 each; Asian Gourmet rice vinegar was also featured at $1.69. Bags of basmati rice from India were below the sauces. Tazo teas in various flavors were on yet another side of the station.