NEW ORLEANS – Eight chefs from across the Gulf Coast have been announced as finalists for the fourth annual Farm and Table Chefs Taste Challenge (CTC), which takes place September 7, 2018 at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.
Team NOLA
Byron Bradley
Consultant, Dooky Chase
New Orleans, LA
Matthew Guillory
New Orleans School of Cooking
New Orleans, LA
Justin Ross
Peche Seafood Grill
New Orleans, LA
Roseann Rostoker
Red Gravy
New Orleans, LA
Team Gulf Coast
Brandon Burleson
Plow & Anchor
Georgina, AL
Melissa Donahue-Talmage
Sweet Melissa’s Cafe
Sanibel, FL
Chris Motto
Mansurs on the Boulevard
Denham Springs, LA
James Versfelt
Shelborne Hotel
Miami, FL
The eight chefs will compete to create the best dishes that utilize farm-fresh items from a pantry of pre-selected ingredients. Items stocked in the pantry will be representative of ingredients that are in-season in various regions at the time of the competition. This year, chefs will not only be competing to create the best individual dish, but will be working to achieve victory for their home turf as part of a team representing either the Greater New Orleans area or the Greater Gulf Coast region.
Participating chefs’ dishes will be judged by a panel of renowned judges. Confirmed judges include Izabela Wojcik, Director of House Programming, The James Beard Foundation; Chef Hari Pulapaka, winner of the 2015 Chefs Taste Challenge; Chef Kaimana Chee, winner of the 2017 Chefs Taste Challenge; and Chef Kimberly Brock Brown, the Vice President of the American Culinary Federation, Southeast Region.
The top dish, as selected by the judges, will be selected as the overall winner. A “Fan Favorite” award will also be presented based on voting from dinner attendees, and the team with the highest score as determined by our judges will also win an award. All eight selected chefs will receive national recognition for their participation in the Chefs Taste Challenge dinner event.
Tickets for the Chefs Taste Challenge will be available for purchase in mid-July and will be $99 each. The ticket will provide attendees with tastings of the menus prepared by the competing chefs, wine pairings sponsored by organic wine company Bonterra, a beer bar sponsored by Lazy Magnolia Brewery, and a voting card to determine a “fan favorite” dish. A portion of each ticket sold will go to Edible Schoolyard New Orleans, a program dedicated to teaching school-aged children how to cook and grow their own meals.
The Chefs Taste Challenge is produced by the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The event is held in conjunction with Farm and Table NOLA, taking place September 7-8, 2018 at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The Farm and Table Experience, an educational conference with industry experts on the most pressing issues facing the agri-culinary community will take place on September 7, and the FAMboree, a free festival for foodies, farmers and family fun will take place September 8. Farm and Table NOLA explores the cultivation, distribution and consumption of food and drink sourced locally to globally. For more information on Farm and Table, please visit farmandtablenola.com.
For more information about our featured chefs, please Click Here
Website and Social Media Links:
Website: chefstastechallenge.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChefsTasteChallenge/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/chefstastechallenge
Instagram: @chefstastechallenge
Hashtag: #CTC18
About The Chefs Taste Challenge
The fourth annual Farm and Table Chefs Taste Challenge is a fun, fresh take on a food competition aimed at broadening awareness for the use of fresh, healthy, sustainable ingredients in preparing food. This event will provide a platform to feature eight of America’s best farm to table chefs from across the South. The CTC is held in conjunction with the Farm and Table NOLA. Farm and Table NOLA explores the cultivation, distribution and consumption of food and drink sourced locally to globally. For more information, visit farmandtablenola.com and www.chefstastechallenge.com.
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