A recap of the Cook of the Week Challenge 2019

Leslie Meredith took home the giant spoon trophy Monday night at the 2019 Cook of the Week Challenge finale.

Still, it was a close race between the Arlington Heights home cook and the three other finalists: Lulu Chapa of Volo, Lisa Eberhahn of Mount Prospect and Ann Wayne of Barrington.

The secret ingredients the contestants were required to use were Coconut Infusions Non-Dairy Butter from NOW Foods, sweet potatoes, Skhug Sauce from Grecian Delight Foods and ground beef from Pre Meat. The cooks also had access to tables of other ingredients, including pantry staples and fresh fruits and vegetables.

Meredith's winning dish featured both a beef curry and a vegan curry accompanied by a homemade roti flatbread made from cauliflower.

While the four finalists were busy at their cooking stations, the audience of nearly 400 could enjoy hors d'oeuvres from the Westin Chicago Northwest in Itasca, nibble on vendor samples, buy tickets for raffle prizes and watch cooking demonstrations from celebrity chefs.

See more about the Cook of the Week Challenge in a special section in your Daily Herald on Dec. 11.

You'll read about the live cook-off and the contest sponsors, plus see recipes from the eight original home cooks.