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By STEVE MOCARSKY smocarsky@leader.net
Monday, March 03, 2003 Page: 3A
PRINGLE – More than two dozen of the region’s finest chefs gathered at the
West Side Vocational Technical School on Sunday for the Professional Chef’s
Association of Northeastern Pennsylvania annual “Hot Food Contest.”
Area chefs as well as those from New York, New Jersey and Maryland were
given an hour in one of six portable kitchens to create culinary masterpieces
for accolades and awards.
It also gave the chefs a chance to improve their cooking skills by taking
advice and constructive criticism from three judges and two apprentice judges
who observed and sampled their work, said Michael Struzzeri, a certified
executive chef and co-chairman of public relations for the association and the
event.
Eighteen chefs competed in the contest and scored points in categories such
as utilization of ingredients, use of allotted time, sanitation, ingredient
compatibility, nutritional balance and presentation.
But the most important and heavily weighted categories included flavor and
texture of the food, culinary techniques, creativity, skills and
craftsmanship.
“Put simply, they score the most points if their food tastes good and is
cooked right,” said certified master chef Brad Barnes, the lead judge for
Sunday’s contest.
The chefs benefited from Barnes’ expertise, Struzzeri said. As one of only
62 certified master chefs in the United States, Barnes brought a wealth of
advice to the participants.
Barnes advises the American Culinary Federation’s team of chefs that
competes in the Culinary Olympics every four years in Germany. He is a food
and beverage consultant in New York and is working with two restaurants in
Manhattan after being hired to save them from financial failure.
Nello Allegrucci, executive chef at Marywood University in Scranton, said
Barnes suggested reducing the portion sizes of his veal rib steak with a
mushroom and bacon reduction (sauce), warm carrot and daikon slaw and roasted
garlic red-skin mashed potatoes, for which Allegrucci won a silver medal and
$50.
A gold medalist two years ago, Allegrucci said he practiced preparing his
dish five times before Sunday and concentrated on “neatness, professionalism
and discipline” during the competition.
He recommended aspiring chefs ask themselves “if all the things you’re
putting together go together” and if “the flavors harmonize on the plate”
when preparing for competition.
Barnes told certified chef de cuisine Thomas Koval that he might consider
grilling the red and green bell pepper cornbread he served with his blackened
chicken or make it a cornbread pudding to “take (the dish) up a step.”’
Judge Garry Waldie, a certified executive and pastry chef and instructor at
the Restaurant School in Philadelphia, suggested that Koval, who works as the
sous chef at the Huntsville Country Club, dice the tomatoes in his jicama – a
black bean and tomato mix – evenly for competition.
Struzzeri said the competition is so tough that chefs rarely win a gold
medal and $100 prize. Only one chef from Baltimore earned that distinction in
this year’s contest, Struzzeri said.
Struzzeri said the public is always welcome to attend the annual
competition. Although the culinary creations are reserved for the judges’
tasting only, refreshments are available for spectators.
Steve Mocarsky, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 459-2005.