Sierra Mist Natural and Food Network Chef Aaron Sanchez Team Up To Celebrate the Family Meal

Sierra Mist Natural and Food Network Chef Aaron Sanchez Team Up To Celebrate the Family Meal

Latin-Inspired Recipes Bring the Family Together

PURCHASE, N.Y., April 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Holidays don't have to be the only time families get together to share a meal and create lasting memories. We all know the benefits of family time - tighter bonds, better communication and memorable traditions, and recent studies confirm all the positive effect of family time, especially in children.

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Sierra Mist Natural is teaming up with Chef Aaron Sanchez, star of Food Network's "Chopped" and "Heat Seekers," to launch "Comer Juntos: Una Tradicion Natural," a program that encourages families to gather around the dinner table to share fun times over delicious Latin-inspired food and drinks.

"'Comer Juntos' means 'Eating Together' in English,and I'm excited about showing parents that there's real joy in instilling the practice of a family meal, not only on special occasions but any night of the week," said Chef Aaron, one of the country's leading contemporary Latin chefs. "Some of my favorite memories bring me back to cooking in the kitchen with my mom, it inspired me to become a chef and that's a testament to the power of food and family."

The "Comer Juntos" program will include 10 original recipes by Chef Aaron that deliver big Latin flavors yet require minimal heavy-lifting in the kitchen, freeing-up more time to spend with friends and family. From mouth-watering Slow Cooked RoastedFiesta Pork to refreshing Raspberry Rumba, each recipe highlights how the crisp, clean lemon-lime taste of Sierra Mist Natural is the perfect complement or unexpected ingredient for Latin flavors.

If Sierra Mist Naturalas an ingredient surprises some, it shouldn't. One of Chef Aaron's secrets unveiled in the program is how the lemon-lime taste and real sugar enhances some of his recipes such as the Slow Cooked Roasted Chipotle Chicken. This flavorful chicken is slow cooked with Sierra Mist Natural for a hint of citrus, which marries beautifully with the smoky heat of chipotle.

Starting April 9, "Comer Juntos" will go live with seven step-by step videos of Chef Aaron's delicious recipes, in both English and Spanish with new recipes unveiled every week. A downloadable recipe booklet will be also available including three bonus recipes. Chef Aaron's videos and recipes will be featured at www.facebook.com/sierramist

"Ultimately our collaboration with Chef Aaron is a celebration of family and the bonds created around the dinner table," said Brett O'Brien, Vice President - Marketing, Sierra Mist Natural. "We salute his talent and are pleased to share his culinary creativity with families from all backgrounds through this exciting and engaging web series."

About Sierra Mist

Sierra Mist Natural is a product of Purchase, N.Y.-based Pepsi-Cola North America Beverages (PCNAB). It is the only leading lemon-lime soda made with real sugar and 100% natural flavors so that nothing gets in the way of its crisp, clean lemon-lime flavor. For more information, please visit www.facebook.com/sierramist.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo is a global food and beverage leader with net revenues of more than $65 billion and a product portfolio that includes 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in annual retail sales. Our main businesses - Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito-Lay and Pepsi-Cola - make hundreds of enjoyable foods and beverages that are loved throughout the world. PepsiCo's people are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth by investing in a healthier future for people and our planet, which we believe also means a more successful future for PepsiCo. We call this commitment Performance with Purpose: PepsiCo's promise to provide a wide range of foods and beverages for local tastes; to find innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment by conserving energy and water and reducing packaging volume; to provide a great workplace for our associates; and to respect, support and invest in the local communities where we operate. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.

About Chef Aaron Sanchez

Chef Aaron Sanchez is the co-star of Food Network's hit series "Chopped" and "Heat Seekers," as well as the executive chef/co-owner of Centrico restaurant, located in New York City, and Mestizo, located in Kansas City. He is also the culinary visionary behind Tacombi Tacqueria in New York City and Crossroads at House of Blues nationwide. The son of celebrated Mexican cooking authority Zarela Martinez, Aaron's passion, commitment and skills have placed him among the country's leading contemporary Latin Chefs. Today Aaron stars on multiple Food Network shows including: Heat Seekers, Chopped, Chopped All-Stars, Best Thing I Ever Ate, and Best Thing I Ever Made. In 2011, Aaron joined forces with FOX's Utilisima to create Aaron Loves NY, a Spanish language cooking series that airs in South America, Latin America and North America. In 2005 Aaron was nominated as the "Rising Star Chef of the Year" by the James Beard Foundation. The same year he was named one of People Magazine and People En Espanol's 50 Most Beautiful People. Aaron's first book, La Comida del Barrio, was published in May 2003. His new book, SimpleFood, Big Flavor: Unforgettable Mexican-Inspired Recipes from My Kitchen to Yours was released in October 2011. When he's not in the kitchen or shooting his TV shows, Aaron spends most of his time with his family, writing and traveling the world exploring different and interesting cultures.

CONTACT: Elisa Quackenbush, +1-914-253-2408, Elisa.quackenbush@pepsico.com

SOURCE PepsiCo

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PepsiCo

Web Site: http://www.pepsico.com

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