Waffles, Tostadas, Empanadas & Girl Dinner: Lentils Take Center Stage in 2025 Kitchen Collaborative Chef Creations

Lentils.org participated in the Kitchen Collaborative program for the first time in 2025, supplying lentils to 100 chefs across the U.S. representing high volume commercial and non-commercial foodservice operators. These chefs worked with various ingredients and products to pull together innovative concepts in hopes of winning a ticket to an immersive culinary experience in Dubai in early 2026. 89 of those 100 chefs submitted unique recipe concepts featuring lentils, and while there could only be one lentil winner, we wanted to feature some of the most exciting dishes out of the 2025 program.

2025 Winner:

Chaat Lentil Waffle with Tikka Lamb Ham Hash

Nathaniel Malone – Corporate Executive Chef, Creative Dining Services

  • The Dish: Red lentil and oat milk waffle, tikka lamb ham hash with tamarind syrup, coriander chutney and crispy lentils dusted with a chaat spice blend.
  • Inspiration: I was inspired by using lentils as an alternative to flour and the versatility of the concept of Chaat – Chaat is exciting because it has a blend of tangy, sweet, spicy, and savory flavors and a complex blend of textures from crispy to smooth and saucy.
  • “Lentils are a staple in my kitchen and though I love them simply cooked and seasoned as a side dish they are a versatile ingredient that shows up in cuisines from around the world. Using them as a gluten-free alternative starch in baking is extremely simple to do and the sweet nuttiness they bring really compliments a lot of baked goods” states Malone. “In 2024 I traveled to Mumbai to research Indian street food for a Chaat concept I developed for my company. The diversity of flavors and textures blew me away and has inspired so many of my dishes since. This dish is an attempt to be respectful of the rich culture of food in India while showcasing a unique way of bringing those flavors to the breakfast segment and appeal to the American Audience.”

Notable Innovation:

Indian-Inspired Girl Dinner

Ashley Chappell – Senior Director of Marketing, Morrison Healthcare

  • The Dish: A complex and aromatic spread with flavors like fennel, mustard seed, garam masala, curry, coriander, chili powder, and mustard oil – this board includes bubbling lentil dal makhani baked brie, tangy watermelon rind chutney, creamy red lentil dal spread, crunchy Indian-spiced nuts, pickled carrot, made-for-dipping beetroot thepla, and smoky sliced tikka masala lamb ham paired with kasundi mustard dip.

  • Inspiration: Girl dinner is trending at the marketplace but also a personal favorite – this concept kicks it up a notch with an ethnic spin – a little bit of this, a bite of that, and punch of this!

  • “I’m constantly examining trends and consumer behaviors in my role, and while I’m responsible for determining our promotional and programming calendars, I don’t often get to actually work with the food itself. While somewhat intimidating initially, this was such a wonderful and unique experience to have a turn on “the other side.” Who says girl dinner is just for girls,” says Chappell.

Lentil Tostadas with Watermelon Chili Crisp Salsa

Carron Harris – Independent

  • The Dish: Vegetarian Tostadas with all of the flavor – Mexican-spiced lentils with smoked paprika, onions, roasted garlic, toasted cumin, tomato paste, and Anaheim chile marry perfectly with a rich aged cheddar and finished with a sweet and spicy watermelon and chili crisp salsa.

  • Inspiration: Meatless Mondays and Mexican cuisine – lentils seemed like the perfect avenue to carry all of the flavor of this dish.

  • “It was super fun to use the lentils for taco meat. I wanted to make tostadas instead of tacos for the crunch factor, but tacos would have worked too,” says Harris.

Lentil & Brie Empanada dusted with Garam Masala, served with Mint Cilantro Chutney

Rajiv Jaggi – Director of Culinary Development, Sodexo

  • The Dish: Empanada stuffed with lentils, sweet potato, onions, lemon zest, and brie; dusted with garam masala and baked to golden brown; served with a mint, cilantro, mango, jalapeno, and lemon-flavored chutney.

  • Inspiration: Being Indian, samosas are an intricate part of our cuisine but travelling to South America I tasted a lot of empanadas which inspired me to fuse both into one.

  • “Lentils are a main part of my diet, and I make all kinds of dishes like Dal, stews, soups, and stuffings for samosa and roti. So, when I received lentils, I was excited to use them the best way – they are so easy to work with and are a blank canvas that flavors can be painted on. Also, lentils are packed with protein and healthy at the same time,” notes Jaggi.

Congratulations to all of the Kitchen Collaborative 2025 winners and we can’t see what everyone comes up with for 2026!