Rancho Dominguez, Calif. (August 20, 2013) – Today, the UNCLE BEN’S® Brand, the number-one selling brand of rice in the United States, along with famed New York chef and restaurateur Marcus Samuelsson joins children and parents from the local New York State PTA to set the record for most kids cooking with their parents at one time. The event celebrates the launch of the second annual Ben’s Beginners™ Cooking Contest, a movement designed to inspire healthy lifelong eating habits by encouraging parents and kids to cook together.

“We are grateful for this opportunity to bring PTA families “to the table” to inspire culinary creativity, to foster healthier food choices both at home and outside the home, and to support our schools as they strive to do the same,” said NY State PTA President Lana Jemian.

The record setting event, certified by RecordSetter.com, takes place at The New York Public Library where PTA families will prepare kid-friendly rice-based dishes from around the world. Chef Samuelsson will provide cooking tips and cook alongside the children. The record will be adjudicated by two officials from RecordSetter.com.

The UNCLE BEN’S® Brand also announces its first-ever Cooking Together Pledge, a way for parents across the country to commit to the value of cooking with their kids and establishing healthy eating habits. Parents can go online to www.unclebens.com and sign the pledge. All participating parents will receive a printable version of the pledge, a pledge activity sheet, so families can track how many meals they cook together and a certificate of achievement for young chefs committed to healthy eating.

“The UNCLE BEN’S® brand is focused on helping families use time spent cooking together to create healthy relationships with food and each other and I think that is so important,” said Samuelsson. “So much of my life is in the kitchen, and it is an honor to be a part of this program and help draw children and families into my favorite room of the house, to discover healthy eating.”

The Ben’s Beginners™ Cooking Contest is asking families with children in grades K-8 to submit videos of themselves preparing a rice-based dish and discussing their experience cooking together, for the chance to win $15,000 cash, an appearance on the “Rachael Ray Show” and a $30,000 cafeteria makeover for their child’s school. Submissions will be accepted at www.unclebens.com through 11:59 p.m. EDT on October 6, 2013.

“One of the best ways to learn about healthy eating is to step into the kitchen and just get cooking,” said Tim Snyder, vice president of marketing, Mars Food US, the parent company of the UNCLE BEN’S® Brand. “We hope Ben’s Beginners™ will inspire families to do just that.”

In addition to the grand prize winner, two finalists will receive $5,000 cash, an appearance on the “Rachael Ray Show” and a $10,000 cafeteria makeover for their schools. Additionally, the three schools with the most video submissions in their school size category will also receive $30,000 cafeteria makeovers. More information on the contest can be found at www.unclebens.com.

An Art – Science Collaboration

WHAT:           She has traveled around the ocean depths and seen mysterious animals. She has shared her discoveries and experiences at TED  and on the BBC and National Geographic channels. Most recently her use of bioluminescence to lure the giant squid was featured in the Discovery Channel’s documentary Monster Squid: The Giant is Real. The public is invited to meet Dr. Edith Widder during a special presentation at the Aquarium of the Pacific on August 27 at 7:00 p.m. and see some of what she has seen in a special underwater photography exhibit in the Aquarium’s Great Hall through August 31, 2013.

Widder and photographer and inventor Dr. Steve Bernstein have collaborated to produce an exhibition of photographs featuring digitally enhanced images of marine life. The photographs, captured by Widder from locations around the world and altered by Bernstein, depict sea creatures like sea jellies and squid, accentuating their colors and shapes. The exhibit pieces are printed on aluminum via giclée dye sublimation. Widder’s lecture at the Aquarium is titledThe Kraken Revealed: The Story Behind Finding the Giant Squid and will take place in the Ocean Theater and be broadcast live on the Aquarium’s website. A deep-sea explorer, oceanographer, marine biologist, and co-founder of the Ocean Research and Conservation Association, Widder was the first to capture video recordings of bioluminescent animals and the first to film the giant squid in its natural habitat.

WHEN:           Photography exhibit: daily, now – August 31, 2013

Lecture: Tuesday, August 27, 2013, 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.                     

WHERE:         Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA 90802

COST:            Exhibit: Included with general admission–$25.95 adult (12+), $22.95 senior (62+), $14.95 child (3-11), and free for children under age 3 and Aquarium members.

Lecture cost: $5 per person; free for Aquarium members, seniors age 62 and up, teachers, and students with valid I.D. and advanced reservations. (A free live stream of this lecture will be available on the Aquarium’s website)

AQUARIUM:  The nonprofit Aquarium of the Pacific is a community gathering place where diverse cultures and the arts are celebrated and where important topics facing our planet are explored by scientists, policymakers, and stakeholders in search of sustainable solutions. Home to more than 11,000 animals, the Aquarium features the new Wonders of the Deepgallery. A world of discovery awaits people of all ages and interests.

INFO/RSVP:   (562) 590-3100, ext. 0 or http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/events/info/the_kraken_revealed_the_story_behind_finding_the_giant_squid/

Photo Credit: Aquarium of the Pacific.