Competition heats up in Elgin for spot on U.S. culinary team
Some of the country's top culinary talent will be in Elgin this weekend to compete for a spot on Team USA.
No luge or curling in these prelims. Rather, 28 chefs will have 17 hours over the course of two days to prepare, plate and present showstopping cold dishes to a panel of American Culinary Federation judges. The winners will earn a spot on the six-member ACF Culinary Team USA that will complete in the 2012 culinary Olympics, formally known as the International Culinary Art Exhibition, in Erfurt, Germany.
Chefs Rudy Smith, corporate chef of Unilever Foodsolutions in Lisle, John Reed, owner of Customized Culinary Solutions in Skokie and Timothy Bucci, associate professor at Joliet Junior College, are the local hopefuls in the field that includes acclaimed chefs and pastry chefs from as far away as Colorado, Texas and Connecticut.
"ACF Culinary Team USA tryouts are not a venue in which to learn for first-time competitors. This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and experience that moves careers to new levels," said ACF Culinary Team USA Manager Steve Jilleba, corporate executive chef at Unilever Foodsolutions in Lisle. "Experience and knowledge in the craft of cookery at a skilled level is essential, as is being able to produce garde manger (cold) food and hot cuisine at the highest possible level."
Those who make it through this round will advance to the hot food tryouts later this year.
You can meet the chefs and marvel at their creations from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21, at the Spartan Terrace Restaurant in the Culinary Arts Center on the ECC campus, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. The viewing is free.
Since 1998, all ACF Culinary Team USA teams, including national, regional, pastry and student, have won 33 gold and 12 silver medals.
Bravo to Chi-town chefs: When "Top Chef Masters" premiers in April, there will be some familiar faces among the cast of 22 chefs.
Vernon Hills resident, cookbook author and award-winning chef Rick Tramonto, as well as Graham Elliot Bowles of Graham Elliot Restaurant in Chicago, and Tony Mantuano of Spiaggia in Chicago will compete on the popular Bravo reality cooking show. Last season's "Top Chef Masters" had Chicagoan Rick Bayless taking home the title and Art Smith of Table 52 joining him in the final four. I have no doubt the Windy City will be well represented in the show's final weeks.
"Top Chef" pits the chefs against each other in a series of quick-fire and elimination challenges with one chef dropped at the end of each show. As the chefs progress in the six-week competition they have the opportunity to win money for their designated charities. The chef crowned Top Chef Master will receive $100,000 for the charity of his or her choice.
The series premieres at 10 p.m. Wednesday, April 7; its regular time slot will be 9 p.m. Wednesdays. Meet the rest of the "Top Chef Masters" cast at BravoTV.com.
Art at 50: Speaking of Art Smith, some of the aforementioned chefs and a gaggle of other culinary greats will be in Chicago March 1 to celebrate Smith's 50th birthday and raise money for Common Threads, a charity that Smith co-founded.
From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Soldier Field, chefs including Stephanie Izard ("Top Chef" winner season 4), Nigella Lawson and Ming Tsai will serve up global gourmet cuisine at the World Festival event. Actor and comedian Tim Meadows, formerly of Saturday Night Live, and Second City's Brad Morris will emcee the live auction.
General admission is $250 per person; VIP tickets cost $500 per person. Tickets can be purchased at commonthreads.org. Common Threads, a nonprofit organization, aims to teach children ages 8 to 12 healthy eating and cooking habits. The organization has 18 sites in Chicago, two sites in Los Angeles, three sites in Miami and four sites in Washington, D.C.
Wing it: Gator's Wing Shack in Palatine is hoping for another good showing at the legendary Chicago Wing Fest on Sunday, Feb. 28.
The suburban pub has held its own in recent years against Chicago's popular sports bars and eateries in what started as a small, friendly competition and now attracts more than 2,000 wing enthusiasts.
Tickets cost $24 and are going fast for the event from 1 to 6 p.m. at the Bailey Auditorium, 1340 W. Washington St., Chicago. Get tickets at WingFest.net. Attendees must be 21 or older. The price is a bargain for all-you-can-eat wings, entertainment, a raffle ticket and sponsor giveaways. A $50 ticket gets you all that and a drink package. A portion of the proceeds will go to Chicago Neighbors United, an organization that provides scholarships to inner city youth.
- Deborah Pankey
• Contact Food Editor Deborah Pankey at food@dailyherald.com or (847) 427-4524. Listen to her discuss food and restaurants on Restaurant Radio Chicago, 5 to 6 p.m. Saturdays on WIND 560 AM.