Sam's Club adds to chef brigade

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Sam's Club announced that Eddie Matney, Reinaldo Alfonso and Michael Vlasich have joined the company's Simply Delicious Chef Brigade, a team of all-star restaurant chefs who creatively use one ingredient in multiple dishes as inspiration for everyday cooking.

Matney, from Scottsdale, Ariz., is the owner of Eddie's House restaurant in Scottsdale and offers tip on how to use ham before and after the holidays.Alfonso, of Philadelphia, who works at the acclaimed Stephen Starr restaurant Alma de Cuba, offers heart-healthy salmon recipes for the new year.

Vlasich comes from Indianapolis where he serves as executive chef of the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown featuring Champion's Sports Bar and Restaurant and Circle City Bar and Grille. His proximity to the 2012 Super Bowl stadium serves as his inspiration for festive recipes for game day gatherings and easy-to-make savory snacks, according to Sam's Club.

Launching now through January, the Chef Brigade's mealtime solutions will be highlighted on SamsClub.com/meals and the Sam's Club Facebook page, the company said.

"Modifying the everyday menu to accommodate added houseguests can be a difficult, time-consuming task," says Shawn Baldwin, SVP fresh and freezer/cooler at Sam's Club. "Sam's Club is committed to providing our members with quality, crowd-pleasing mealtime solutions that reduce stress and allow all to enjoy this busy time of year. The Simply Delicious Chef Brigade demonstrates the ease of using a few simple ingredients to plan a week's worth of restaurant-quality meals at home."