KC Flavor Champion: Timothy Conklin

Many of the chefs participating in Kitchen Collaborative 2025 upped their recipe ideation game by developing menu concepts that incorporated multiple sponsor products, discovering exciting new complements in flavor and texture. Still, the news that his Triple Chocolate Sriracha Empanadas, featuring ingredients from both Otis Spunkmeyer and Lee Kum Kee, had been selected a winner by the Asian sauces manufacturer, left Timothy Conklin in “utter shock.”

“I am elated that Lee Kum Kee was the sponsor that chose me,” says Conklin, director of food and beverage, The Royal Sonesta Boston, and chairman of the Sonesta Culinary Committee. “My main focus was to create something I haven’t personally seen and that would stand out.”

Deep frying cookie dough was a decidedly different approach in this dessert concept inspired by classic food truck empanadas. First, Conklin thawed the cookie dough and used it in a tortilla press to create the thin carriers that would be filled with more cookie dough. But the challenge was how to fry the empanadas so that the oil would not absorb into the cookie dough and make it too soft. Conklin’s solution was to triple down on the cookie dough—by baking a few cookies to a crispy finish, breaking them apart and then using the crumbs to create a cookie “breading” that would insulate the empanadas.

“Once I had the empanada, I started to think about how I could elevate the flavors,” he continues, explaining where the Sriracha comes in. “I have used sweet with heat in recipes for a while. Here, I made a spicy chocolate sauce combining the Sriracha with milk, a little cocoa powder and sugar.” The Sriracha, he says, offers a smooth, balanced heat level that makes it a good pair with sweet profiles.

Conklin’s empanada dessert also features a second sauce—an avocado crème anglaise—that he created to provide something of an “antidote” to the heat of the Sriracha sauce. All of the components were originally presented on a plate from sponsor Libbey. “In the end, I was very pleased with how the dish came out—and even more pleased that others thought so, too.” The Triple Chocolate Sriracha Empanadas will soon gain greater exposure, as Conklin plans to add them to the next menu cycle at the Royal Sonesta Boston and is considering adding them to all Sonesta hotels as a limited time offering.

SPINNING FLAVOR STORIES

In Kitchen Collaborative 2025, the fresh update to the menu ideation program created in 2020 by Summit F&B and Flavor & The Menu, concepts submitted by participating chefs were judged blindly by sponsor teams, who evaluated descriptions, photos and other relevant information. The chefs behind the winning dishes will travel to Dubai with Flavor & The Menu and Summit F&B in January to attend Gulfood 2026 and enjoy the region’s dynamic culinary scene.

“I have never been to the Middle East, so this trip will be an amazing opportunity to experience the food and culture in Dubai,” says Conklin, who is also looking forward to meeting the other winners and indulging in their shared passion for food together.

Conklin is no stranger to recipe ideation projects like Kitchen Collaborative. “I had been blessed to be part of the Aramark national menu development tea and did a lot of ideation with them both at their innovative culinary center and hosting a test site at my location,” he recounts. Highlights of the process then and now center on working with a broad range of ingredients, being fearless in taking chances on flavor combinations and techniques and learning something new. “I always come back reinvigorated and more passionate,” he says.

MORE INSPIRED TAKES

Conklin was clearly taken by Lee Kum Kee’s Asian sauces, using them in multiple menu concepts to add impact and a complex depth of flavor. Following are two of those examples.

 

Red Lentil Cakes with a Micro-Herb Salad and Sriracha Ricotta Cheese

This twist on an arancini appetizer features sponsor products from Lentils.org, BelGioioso and Lee Kum Kee, presented on a plate from Libbey. With the traditional Sicilian rice balls in mind, “My thought was to sub the rice with the lentils, using them like risotto,” says Conklin of his inspiration.

He cooked split red lentil in vegetable stock adding a hit of Chiu-Chow-style chili crisp oil. “That gave a great pop of flavor and heat,” he explains. The cakes were formed around a ricotta center and bound with a gluten-free flour plus fresh herbs. An additional dollop of ricotta was spiked with Sriracha and a fresh herb salad with chili-lime-honey dressing provided a refreshing complement.

 

Lamb Ham Benedict with Sriracha Hollandaise

“I really do love hash and brunch items,” says Conklin of his decision to play in the breakfast space by riffing on the iconic eggs benedict with products from Aussie Select and Lee Kum Kee. “Using the lamb ham really made it special.” At the Royal Sonesta Boston, Conklin menus a Sriracha hollandaise on a crab cake benedict, which he found to be a perfect pair with the lamb-based dish.

“This is a decadent and spicy twist on the classic dish,” says Conklin. “Imagine a foundation of perfectly toasted English muffins, each half cradling a generous portion of tender, slow-cooked or pan-seared lamb. The lamb could be pulled, sliced or even formed into small patties, offering a rich, savory counterpoint to the sweetness of the muffin. Add a flawlessly poached egg, its yolk a vibrant molten gold, ready to burst upon the slightest touch.”

But it’s the Sriracha hollandaise that Conklin considers “the crowning glory” of this dish. “This isn’t your typical creamy, lemon-laced sauce. Instead, it’s infused with the fiery kick of Sriracha, lending a red-orange hue and a complex flavor profile,” he notes. “The sauce retains the richness of traditional hollandaise, but with a tangy, garlicky heat that builds with each bite.”

Look for more profiles of the chefs behind the winning menu concepts of Kitchen Collaborative 2025 to be featured in the months ahead.

Kitchen Collaborative Project Management: Summit F&B
Triple Chocolate Sriracha Empanadas photo: Photography: otysonphoto.com // Food Styling: Peg Blackley