Turtle Power and Leonardo Bring ATAS Ice Cream Wars 7.0 Glory

The team from ATAS International, Inc., used some turtle power and help from Leonardo … and Donatello, and Michelangelo, and Raphael … to secure its first Ice Cream Wars Championship on Saturday at the Da Vinci Science Center.

Inspired by the recent revival of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated franchise, ATAS named its team Turtle Takeover, posted images of the four popular characters throughout the Center, gave character masks to visitors, and called its winning recipe Leonardo da Minty. The ATAS theme also held thematic ties with the Da Vinci Science Center, of which Leonardo da Vinci is its namesake. The franchise’s four turtle characters were named after Leonardo and the three other legendary Renaissance thinkers.

The turtle-powered theme and the ATAS version of mint chocolate chip ice cream earned the company the Ice Cream Wars 7.0 crown after finishing as runner-up in Ice Cream Wars 6.0.

Nine Ice Cream Wars 7.0 teams from regional and global companies devised fresh batches of playful ice cream flavors and created their treats instantly for visitors using liquid nitrogen from Air Products at negative 320 degrees Fahrenheit as a flash-freezing agent. The liquid nitrogen evaporated quickly when mixed with ice cream ingredients and produced a smooth, creamy ice cream that was safe to eat in approximately five minutes. Visitors tasted the flavors and chose their favorite flavors. All nine teams decorated their stations, distributed gifts, dress colorfully, and cheered enthusiastically throughout the competition. The competition’s occurrence in the winter adds to its unique feel.

Ice Cream Wars 7.0 also set a new standard day visitation record for the Da Vinci Science Center with 1,345 total visitors. The previous single-day record was set Feb. 17, 2013, during an appearance of the world-famous Bodies Revealed exhibition, with 1,253 total visitors.

The team from B. Braun finished as runner-up in Ice Cream Wars 7.0, and the defending champion team from 401! Creative Weidenhammer finished third. The team from WFMZ 69 News won the first Ice Cream Wars 7.0 Best In Class Award, an award for culinary excellence given by a Foodie Fan Panel that included four classically-trained chefs. Scores from the foodie panel mixed with the competition’s visitor vote in a new formula to determine this year’s final rankings.

A record total of 775 visitor votes were cast during Ice Cream Wars 7.0, and ATAS topped the popular vote by nearly 61 percent over 401! Creative, which finished just ahead of B. Braun in the visitor vote. The visitor vote comprised 75 percent of this year’s championship formula with the Foodie Fan Panel’s scores comprising the remaining 25 percent.

Earning Tasteful Mention Awards in Ice Cream Wars 7.0 were Air Products; Avantor Performance Materials, Just Born Quality Confections; The Morning Call Media Group; Ice Cream Wars 5.0 Champion PPL Corporation; and WFMZ 69 News.

WFMZ 69 News Reporter Will Lewis performed as Ice Cream Wars host for the second year in a row. All Ice Cream Wars 7.0 teams were coached by a Da Vinci Science Center staff member. The Foodie Fan Panel included: Lisa Gotto, Editor-in-Chief of Lehigh Valley Style magazine;Ashley Russo, Host of The PEAK TV and President of ASR Media Productions; Lin Erickson, the Da Vinci Science Center’s Executive Director and CEO; Chef Scott Kalamar, Associate Professor of Culinary Arts at Northampton Community College; Executive Chef Alan Hartley from Sodexo USA; Executive Chef Michael Brack from Sodexo USA; and Chef Mark Protsko, Owner of Jessica’s Team Room at Weaversville Inn. The Da Vinci Science Center formed the panel with support of Kim Lilly, Executive Vice President of Discover Lehigh Valley.

The Foodie Fan Panel also bestowed Ice Cream Wars 7.0 spirit awards, with ATAS winning the Best Team Nickname Award. B. Braun won the Best Team Spirit Award and Just Born Quality Confections won the Best Theme Award. Avantor Performance Materials won the Best Costumes Award and PPL won the Best Use of Props Award. Air Products won the Most Unique Recipe Award, and The Morning Call won the Most Educational Presentation Award.

WFMZ 69 News won the Best Use of Social Media Award, and 401! Creative Weidenhammer won the Best Sportsmanship Award. Linda Schiaffino, the Da Vinci Science Center’s Director of Finance and Administration, won the Outstanding Performance by a Team Coach Award for her work with 401! Creative Weidenhammer and Air Products.

ATAS International, Inc., is the lead sponsor of the Da Vinci Science Center’s presentation of the traveling Be the Dinosaur exhibition and all of its Year of the Planet-themed experiences. ATAS also is sponsor of the Center’s Joe’s Workshop programs. ATAS President and CEO Dick Bus is a member of the Da Vinci Science Center’s Board of Trustees.