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Meet this week's Cook of the Week Challenge judges

Let's meet the judges who will examine dishes in Challenges 3 & 4 of the 2015 Daily Herald Cook of the Week Challenge: Jamie Andrade 2014 Challenge winner; Laura Blumer of Green County Tourism; Jimmy Nicolau of Grecian Delights; Dan Rich, 2013 Challenge winner; Maggie Ziph from NOW Foods; and Mike Burton, Westin Itasca general manager.

Jamie Andrade of Elk Grove Village — 2014 Cook of the Week Winner

Her winning dish? Cornmeal-dusted sturgeon with sweet potato pumpkin puree topped with a whiskey orange brown butter sauce. She learned all about cooking for her family through experimentation — no formal training. She works in logistics. “My dad's family used to own a pizza shop years and years ago so when I was little we did make your own pizza nights. We'd make the dough; make the sauce and everything else.” What she's looking for in the winning contestant? “I'm looking for someone who has a good use of the ingredients and makes them work cohesively. I want to see the contestants put up a solid dish that makes me think, 'Hey, I've had a can of pumpkin in the pantry forever. I'm going to try this one.'”

Lauren Blumer, 2015-2016 Green County Dairy Queen

Lauren Blumer is the 2015-2016 Green County Dairy Queen. Along with her parents, Trent and Krishell and her brother Evan, she lives on Plainview Stock Farm, a fourth generation family farm located just outside of Albany, Wisconsin. As a junior at Albany High School Country, Lauren is a member of the track, cross-country and forensics teams and is involved with choir, musicals, quiz bowl, and FFA. She enjoys spending time with family, helping on the farm, playing piano, and traveling. Lauren has a passion for the agricultural industry, having grown up watching her father, grandfather and great-grandfather put their heart and soul into a farm, which currently has a herd of about 2,000 heifers and 3,000 acres of cropland. She is also a part owner of a branch of the family's business called Udderly Swiss LLC where she assists with milking 40 cows and other farm chores. Lauren's goal is to major in pre-med in college and become a doctor.

Jimmy Nicolau, director of Midwest Sales, Grecian Delight Foods

Jimmy Nicolau is no stranger to the culinary world. His culinary background stems back to his childhood. His family was in the restaurant business and his father was an executive chef at several top eating spots in Chicago. While Jimmy didn't follow directly in his father's footsteps, he did acquire the love and appreciation for amazing food. Jimmy earned a business degree from Harper College where he also played football and has done culinary coursework at Kendall College.

With more than 20 years at Grecian Delight Foods, Jimmy has served in a variety of sales roles, as well as the role of corporate trainer. He currently acts as the Director of Midwest Sales for the family owned and operated Greek food manufacturer. One aspect he loves about his job is working with food service customers on menu ideation.

Today, Jimmy enjoys the outdoors and spending time with his wife, Paula and their three children. One of his favorite meals to make at home is Christmas brunch, which has turned into an event with three different feedings.

Daniel Rich from Elgin was the 2013 Cook of the Week winner

His winning dish was sautéed chicken breast stuffed with Israeli couscous and covered in a wild mushroom sauce, creamed peas with sage, and a brûlée fruit compote with rosemary Muzzie. “It was the Muzzie that won it,” he said.

Rich works for the city of Elgin, 21 years, part of the Citizen Services Team of the City Manager's Office. He says his culinary training consists of lots of Food Network, and a whole bunch of trial and error at home. What he's looking for in the winning contestant? Simple-Love of food-Honesty-Depth I am looking for an understanding of what they're doing and a bit of flash and flair.

Chef Maggie Ziph, R&D Culinary Specialist and Recipe Developer, NOW Foods

Maggie Ziph joined the NOW Foods Culinary Innovation Team in June 2014 to drive the development of innovative and delicious recipes utilizing NOW Foods natural and organic products. Her talent for cooking is matched only by her passion and commitment to helping people live healthier lives through food.

Prior to joining the NOW team, Chef Ziph obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics from Eastern Michigan University and an Associate Degree in Baking and Pastry Arts from Le Cordon Bleu. In her short time at NOW, Chef Ziph has developed a strong portfolio of recipes in the natural, healthy, gluten-free and sugar-free categories, and they're all dishes that any home cook can recreate.

Mike Burton, general manager, Westin Chicago Northwest

Mike Burton has been General Manager of the Westin Chicago Northwest since June 2015. Since Mike's arrival, the hotel has begun planning for a multimillion dollar renovation that will begin in November of this year. Mike is relocating to the northwest suburbs from Dallas, Texas, where he was hotel manager of a 1,840-guest room Sheraton with 230,000 square feet of meeting and event space. Prior to the Sheraton, Mike was at the Westin Galleria as Director of Operations overseeing a major renovation, which resulted in the hotel being named, “Westin Hotel of the Year.”

Mike's career started in culinary, where he held a chef's position at Gina's by the Sea in Cape Cod, MA. Today, Mike holds degrees in both Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management. Mike will be living in St. Charles with his wife and four children. Born in Michigan, he is looking forward to spending more time with his family and friends in Grand Rapids. In his free time, you will find him in the great outdoors, sharing quality time with the loves of his life, his wife, Lisa, daughters Victoria and Virginia, and sons Clint and Conrad.

Editor's note: To correct the story that ran Sept. 9, the judges panel for Challenges 1&2 included Penny Kazmier, 2011 Challenge winner, Maggie Ziph of NOW Foods, Rich Kator of the Flower Wagon Nursery, Michael Pennisi 2012 Challenge winner, Kimberley Stakal of Whole Foods, Schaumburg, and Rachael Kunst-Curotto of AMITA Health.

Penny Kazmier of South Barrington — 2011 Cook of the Week winner, the first year of the contest

Her winning dish was stuffed pork tenderloin with root beer adobo glaze, sweet potato hash and cranberry chutney. She's been married to husband, John, for 31 years and they have four children. ”I love taking cooking classes and have attended more than I can count. The topics included international cuisine and specific cooking techniques like braising and even molecular gastronomy.” What she's looking for in the winning contestant? “The winning contestant should be someone who loves food and is able to think like a scientist creating something with the right balance.”

Chef Rachael Kunst-Curotto, chef manager, AMITA Health Corporate Office, Arlington Heights

Rachael Kunst-Curotto is the Chef Manager for the AMITA Health Corporate Office in Arlington Heights. Rachael studied culinary arts at the Cooking and Hospitality Institute in Chicago, part of Le Cordon Bleu. She believes in a healthy and creative approach to her cooking and enjoys sharing that with others. When not in the kitchen, Rachael enjoys running, going to concerts and spending time with her family.

Rich Kator, owner, The Flower Wagon Garden Center and Nursery, South Elgin

Rich Kator owns and operates The Flower Wagon Garden Center and Nursery in South Elgin. Rich previously managed the garden center and nursery for Frank's Nursery & Crafts and a variety of local independent garden centers. Rich has been in the industry for more than 24 years and has taken horticulture coursework at the College of DuPage and the Chicago Botanic Garden.

Rich's lifelong dream was to own a garden center and nursery and he was able to make that come true in 2011. The Flower Wagon, originally a carnation grower, has developed into a retail garden center and nursery. Today, Rich, his dad, uncle, and a variety of family and friends who help with the business operate business. On the weekends, you might catch Rich's two young children on the grounds visiting dad.

Michael Pennisi, of Carpentersville — 2012 Cook of the Week Winner.

A physics teacher at Schaumburg High School. His winning dish was sautéed salmon over pureed sweet potatoes with Brussels sprouts slaw. These days he's cooking for himself and wife, Christy. Besides winning the Cook of the Week competition, he says he got to make pizza in an outdoor wood-burning pizza oven that was halfway up the side of a mountain in Italy. “The view was spectacular, he said. “The hospitality of the family we stayed with was overwhelming. The pizza was life changing, no exaggeration.” About this year's challenge he says, “The ingredients and rules in this competition tend to be complex. So to me, synthesizing that complexity into a recipe accessible to home cooks is where the challenge lies.

Angela Dennison, Healthy Eating Specialist, Whole Foods Market, Naperville

Angela Dennison has eleven plus years in the natural and organic food industry. She has been the Healthy Eating Specialist with Whole Foods Market, Naperville for three years with a special emphasis on plant strong diets. She loves different types of foods, inventive recipes and has an appreciation for all things culinary. Angela has a B.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics.

— Mary Jekielek Insprucker

Jimmy Nicolau, Grecian Delights manager and Cook of the Week Challenge judge
Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com ¬ Cook of the Week Challenge contestant Penny Kazmier of South Barrington with Goat Cheese her favorite ingredient in her foods.
Christopher Hankins/chankins@dailyherald.com ¬ Cook of the Week Challenge entrant Michael Pennisi of Carpentersville.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com ¬ Cook of the Week Challenge competitor Dan Rich, of Elgin. MUG 2013
Christopher Hankins/chankins@dailyherald.com ¬ Rich and Jaci Kator at The Flower Wagon in South Elgin.
George LeClaire/gleclaire@dailyherald.com ¬ Cook of the Week Challenge contestant Jamie Andrade with her favorite ingredient, cilantro, in Elk Grove Village on August 20, 2014. ¬
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