The illustrious judging panel for this fourth round: Chef Albert Ponzo (Le Select), Luiz Londono (Libreterre Meat), and Chef Aaron Foster (Formely of Little Anthony’s now Executive Chef of the Movenpick Resort and Spa, Phillipines)
Last Monday the fourth round of the 2013 Discovered Chefs Competition was held at Nella Cucina on Bathurst Street, Toronto.
In its second year, the Discovered Chefs Competition pits 56 of Ontario’s best up-and-coming kitchen talent against each other in an Iron-Chef-Black-Box-style challenge, with the winner walking off with an all expenses paid trip to Spain to work with a renowned chef for a weeklong cooking stage.
In speaking with Nella Cucina’s Brae Mason she explained the format of this terrific competition:
“There are 14 weeks of preliminary rounds which gives us 14 semi finalists…plus two Facebook Fan favourites that are voted back in for a total of 16 semi finalists. The last preliminary competition for Week 14 is Monday July 8 and then the Semi-Finals are on Saturday July 13 & Sunday July 14… with the Finals happening on Monday July 22. However the total number of competitors over the entire competition would be 4 each week for a total of 56”
Nella Cucina are still accepting applications, and so to find out more or to join in the action check out the Discovered Chefs Facebook Page or contact brae@nellacucina.ca
As well as the black box ingredients the contestants can utilise anything they wish from the amply stocked larder generously provided by Hiliner Foods
Presented with a black box of Chicken Wings, Tomatillo Sauce, and… wait for it… Captain Crunch, contestants Brian Tartaglia (from a mysterious restaurant beginning with M) and Sarah Hsieh (Seasons, Oakville) get stuck in as the timer counts down
The series’ ever-entertaining host Jim Reganti quizzes the judges regarding the dishes prepared by the competitors… Matthew Park (Gusto 101/Cadillac Lounge) looks a little scared here
What Matthew Park made from a black box of Chicken Wings, Tomatillo Sauce, and Captain Crunch
What Sarah Hsieh made from a black box of Chicken Wings, Tomatillo Sauce, and Captain Crunch
What Brian Tartaglia made from a black box of Chicken Wings, Tomatillo Sauce, and Captain Crunch
Hidden within the pantry are a whole load of magic tricks kindly provided by John Placko of Powder For Texture fame… I reckon that any Chef who has prior experience with this stuff (and some of the more interesting bits of technology in the well equipped kitchen… antigrill anyone?) could easily take the prize… Just saying…
Competitor Matthew Park does what he can with a black box of Pork Chops, Blue Cheese, a Cob of Corn, and (every Chefs’ favourite*)Rice-A-Roni… and he did a smashing job of stuffing the chops with the rice and corn… a pretty bold move
One of the best things about the Discovered Chefs series is the way in which the various judges never all quite agree… it’s quite fascinating to observe actually
What Brian Tartaglia made from a black box of Pork Chops, Stilton Cheese, Corn On The Cob, and Rice-A-Roni
What Matthew Park made from a black box of Pork Chops, Stilton Cheese, Corn On The Cob, and Rice-A-Roni
What Sarah Hsieh made from a black box of Pork Chops, Stilton Cheese, Corn On The Cob, and Rice-A-Roni
And it’s down to the final two… the dessert round… Brian Tartaglia wonders what on earth he’s going to do with a black box of Coconut Milk, Dark Chocolate, Tapioca Flour, and Green Curry Paste… What the heck would you do? Me, I’d create a culinary disaster, that’s for sure.
It’s crunch time for the judges too… Sarah’s dessert ended up not quite what she had wished, and Brian’s was damn amazing…. but… it’s the overall scores that count!
What Brian Tartaglia came up with when presented with a black box of Tapioca Flour, Dark Chocolate, Coconut Milk, and Green Curry Paste
What Sarah Hsieh came up with when presented with a black box of Tapioca Flour, Dark Chocolate, Coconut Milk, and Green Curry Paste… but unfortunately her panacotta didn’t set… Oh no!!!
And the winner is… Sarah, Line Cook from Seasons Restaurant in Oakville!!! Superb.
Edinburgh-born/Toronto-based Sommelier, consultant, writer, judge, and educator Jamie Drummond is the Director of Programs/Editor of Good Food Revolution… And he’s looking forward to judging on the 6th of May and the 10th and 24th of June!
