Saratoga!
Last night, two chefs from the Capital Region battled it out in an "Iron Chef" style competition! It was game on between Albany vs. Saratoga as Chef John Ireland of Panza's Restaurant and A.J. Jayapal of The Brown Derby Restaurant went head to head to see who could be labeled the ultimate culinary mastermind. The chefs were told seconds before the competition what the secret ingredient was (a lemon!) which had to be used in each part of the meal - the appetizer, main entree and dessert.
Last night, two chefs from the Capital Region battled it out in an "Iron Chef" style competition! It was game on between Albany vs. Saratoga as Chef John Ireland of Panza's Restaurant and A.J. Jayapal of The Brown Derby Restaurant went head to head to see who could be labeled the ultimate culinary mastermind. The chefs were told seconds before the competition what the secret ingredient was (a lemon!) which had to be used in each part of the meal - the appetizer, main entree and dessert.
The
dishes were beautifully created and presented to panel of judges. The judges
included three local celebrity food experts - Steve Barnes of Table Hopping Chef Jasper Alexander, owner and chef at Hattie's restaurant and local
food blogger Dr. John Sconzo. Chef John Ireland of Saratoga stole the show as the judges declared him "the clear winner of the competition!"
Congratulations! Next year he'll go head to head with another chef of
the Capital Region to redeem his title.
In addition to the competition, guests enjoyed some top notch cuisine from local area restaurants. These dishes were absolutely incredible. Some items on the menu included:
The event was held to raise money for the Big Sister Big Brother Foundation. Thanks to everyone to donated their time and talent to make this event such a success. I look forward to next years' Chef Challenge!
*The
mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region is to provide
children facing adversity with strong, enduring, professional supported
mentoring relationships. To learn more about how you can get involved,
please visit their website here.
In addition to the competition, guests enjoyed some top notch cuisine from local area restaurants. These dishes were absolutely incredible. Some items on the menu included:
- Totellini a la vodka by Augie's
- Braised and Roasted Pork Shanks with Prosciutto and Porcini Mushrooms from Cardona's Market in Albany
- Coconut Lobster - Fresh lobster tail tossed in coconut and deep-fried, with a touch of sweet an sour mango sauce by 2Shea Catering (These were unreal!)
- Elk "Nachos" and Elk Pastrami Carpaccio by The Ilium Cafe
- Mini Filets - Pear and apple BBQ tenderloin of beef with celophane noodles with a drop of Thai peanut sauce by 2Shea Catering
- Pan Asian Chicken - Sesame coated service with roasted banana and red curry mayonnaise by 2Shea Catering
The event was held to raise money for the Big Sister Big Brother Foundation. Thanks to everyone to donated their time and talent to make this event such a success. I look forward to next years' Chef Challenge!
*The
mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region is to provide
children facing adversity with strong, enduring, professional supported
mentoring relationships. To learn more about how you can get involved,
please visit their website here.
Deb Castellucci is happy to share food related tips & tricks, recipes, favorite restaurants and ideas for entertaining and more! I'm happy to share what I have learned over the years and look forward to learning more from my Glens Falls neighbors! I grew up in the Glens Falls area and I know that there are tons of fellow foodies out there who would love to share what they know too! Feel free to contact me here or like us our Glens Falls Gourmet Facebook page to see daily posts!
Mary Longley Beside cooking being my middle name, most people call me Mary. My cooking experience started out of necessity, and with lots of successes and not so successful gourmet delights, I learned to be a little creative with some foods and found things that stay consistently on my list. Spending time in the kitchen is therapy for me and entertaining to share the successes. I look forward to sharing some of my creativity with everyone.
Amberly Rundell Hey foodies! My name is Amberly and I'm absolutely thrilled to be a part of this blog. One of my greatest passions is trying different foods from around the world - from Asian to Indian, to Thai and Mexican, I love it all! My recent travels have opened up my palette to whole new world of tastes, spices and aromas and I'm so excited to share them with you all. Im also a huge wine enthusiast. I love to cook with wine. (And sometimes, I even add it to my food!) I welcome you to add little "spice" to your life. Explore our blog for some of the best recipes and wines from all over the globe!
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