Scott Randolph, senior director of culinary research and development for T.G.I. Friday's, is adapting the winning recipes from the Food Network's “Ultimate Recipe Showdown“ to fit the chain's menus. Read or listen to an extended interview with Scott Randolph.

Featuring winning home cook recipes from Food Network's “Ultimate Recipe Showdown” on T.G.I. Friday's menus sounds like a lot of fun. What prompted the idea?

T.G.I. Friday's has been looking at the opportunity to team with the Food Network for a while. We've been testing concepts of this nature for a long time, such as a “best of” competition, so we believe this partnership really works and is going to be successful for both of us.

The inaugural show aired Feb. 17 and focused on three chicken recipe categories. What were your impressions of that first show and the dish that won?

It was a very close competition, which was really cool, but I'm really glad Amparo Alam's recipe for Peruvian Herb-Roasted Chicken won. Everybody does gumbo and a lot of people do beer-can chicken, but who do you know that does a Peruvian Herb-Roasted Chicken?

How did you adapt it for Friday's kitchens?

We stayed with the exact same flavor profile that Amparo created. The wonderful cumin, olive oil, garlic, and all those herbs and seasonings and flavors that she used, we actually used in our recipe. Adapting the dish to work in 600 stores consistently, we removed some of the herbs she used during the roasting process, adding them on at the end, so we're still getting that true rich green color on every single piece of chicken.

What goes on the plate with the chicken?

Amparo's recipe called for yucca fries, but we didn't think those were ready for prime time. But it just so happens we've been working on sweet-potato fries for almost three months now, and they were a perfectly natural fit for this product. There's also a cup of ahi-pepper sauce that goes on the plate that gives a nice bold sweetness up front and then a lingering heat.

How will you promote this dish and the other winners?

Following the next six Sunday shows, the menu will have inserts about the winning items and information about the people behind the recipes. We'll also be doing POP on tables. Our national advertising team has also shaped a commercial that centers around the show's host, Guy Fieri, and the fact that the only place you can get a taste of the “Ultimate Recipe Showdown” recipes is at T.G.I. Friday's.

Does this promotion signify a new direction that you may go with your limited-time offers?

This is just one step further in the right direction. Instead of being “It's all about bacon” or “It's all about garlic,” this is almost like a food-a-pallooza. It's the next stepping stone to educate guests on new and interesting products.

Read or listen to an extended interview with Scott Randolph.