Tag Archives: Competition Dining

foodie b’eat: Competition Dining Recap: Click to join triadfoodies at Competition Dining!

This week at the Got To Be NC Competition Dining saw some amazing battles between our local chefs using local ingredients. These battles connect the chef, the farmer and the diner. It is so fun…so exciting! As a diner, YOU get to judge the dishes. What makes it extra special is you don’t know going in what the featured ingredient will be and you have no idea (nor should you guess) which chef made which dish. Keep reading to find out how you can join us this Monday. Click the link for tickets and join us for the fun!

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Chef Michael Harkenreader, Undercurrent

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Chef Kevin Reddick, The Screaming Radish

We were media guests this past Monday as The Screaming Radish Food Truck Chef Kevin Reddick battled Chef Michael Harkenreader in Battle Black Mountain Chocolate and Bertie County Peanuts…hereby dubbed “Battle Peanuts and Chocolate.” Are you allergic? I hope not because you’d miss out on something tasty. Here are the photos from the night along with the scores.

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COURSE 1 Smoked Heritage Farms Cheshire Pork Shoulder, Black Mountain Chocolate Cocoa Nib Wonton, Bertie County Blister Fried Peanut Sauce, Strawberry-Chili Purée, Pickled Beets, Foy Farms Radish Microgreen Chef Michael Harkenreader Voter Score: 27.623 Pro Score: 24.667

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COURSE 2 Braised Veal Cheek, Bertie County Peanut Soubise, The Specialty Farmer Roasted Rainbow Carrots, Grilled Scallion, Pickled Big Oaks Natural Farm Garlic Scapes, Foy Farms Pea Shoots, Foy Farms Lionhead Mushrooms, Foy Farms Radish Microgreens Chef Kevin Reddick Voter Score: 29.136 Pro Score: 27.333 Weighted Score: 28.595

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COURSE 3 Black Mountain Chocolate Cocoa Nib-Sea Salt Rubbed Certified Angus Beef® Brand Ribeye, Benton’s Bacon-Bertie County Peanut Risotto, The Specialty Farmer Honey Glazed Rainbow Carrots, Britt Farms Asparagus, Black Mountain Chocolate Dark Chocolate Glace, Dried Cherry Aioli Chef Michael Harkenreader Voter Score: 31.738 Pro Score: 30.333 Weighted Score: 31.316

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COURSE 4 Sous Vide Maple Leaf Farms Breast of Duck, Black Mountain Chocolate-Bertie County Peanut Sauce Molé, Chimmichurri, Goat Lady Dairy “Classic Chèvre” Spiked Coldwater Creek Farms Grits, Heirloom Tomato Carpaccio, Crispy Leeks Chef Kevin Reddick Voter Score: 25.918 Pro Score: 25.000 Weighted Score: 25.623

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COURSE 5 Black Mountain Chocolate Dark Chocolate-Sea Salt Ganache, Bertie County Peanut Meringue, Cloister Wildflower Honey Buttercream, Cactus Creek Tanzanian Peaberry Coffee Ice, Bertie County Blister Fried Peanut Sauce Chef Michael Harkenreader Voter Score: 31.344 Pro Score: 31.000 Weighted Score: 31.241

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COURSE 6 Roasted Bertie County Peanut-Black Mountain Chocolate Dark Chocolate Panna Cotta, Chocolate Laced Iberico Bacon, Candied Peanuts, Black Mountain Chocolate Cocoa Nibs, Pickled Blackberries, Balsamic Jelly, Berry Coulis Chef Kevin Reddick Voter Score: 31.373 Pro Score: 20.667 Weighted Score: 28.161

On Tuesday, Chef Christian Froelich of Hearth at Sanders Ridge battled Chef Anders Benton…Winner: Chef Froelich. He’ll take on Chef Harkenreader on June 16 in the quarterfinal round. On Wednesday night, Gianno’s of High Point/Giada’s Trattoria of Kernersville Chef David Nicoletta took on Meridian chef Mark Grohman…Winner: Chef Nicoletta, he’ll battle the winner of Monday, June 8’s battle.

So want to see how it will shake out?

Again, we’re headed back for a special night as I represent YES! Weekly and triadfoodies on a special night!

We’ll be headed to Winston-Salem as media guests at “Got To Be NC” Competition Dining on Monday, June 8. So excited! Chefs competing that night will be Chef Travis Myers of River Birch Lodge in Winston-Salem and Chef Alex Pierce of Greensboro Country Club. If you follow Travis on Twitter you know he’s a huge fan of Competition Dining, a great sport and an awesome chef!

USE THIS LINK to purchase tickets. Let’s get a whole group together and make it a truly fun evening!

More about “Got to Be NC” Competition Dining:

The “Got To Be NC” Competition Dining Series is an emotionally inspiring interactive dining experience connecting the chef, the farmer and the diner. Each evening, two restaurants battle it out in a neutral kitchen location. Diners will rate each dish on an app downloaded to their smart device ultimately deciding who goes on and who goes home! This year, Raleigh, Charlotte and Winston-Salem host the high-pressure series.

YOU BE THE JUDGE! is what differentiates us from all other cooking competitions. As our guest, you savor a full service “blind” six course dinner (3 dishes from each team) that revolves around a featured NC ingredient. As you dine, you’re voting on criteria such as, presentation, aroma, flavor, creativity and more. “Share” your dishes with your friends on social media right from the app! Get live peeks behind the scenes, watch interviews with the chefs and experience the intensity as the scores are revealed right in front of you.

Join Triadfoodies at Competition Dining in Winston-Salem

foodie b’eat: Got To Be NC Competition Dining Series is coming to Winston-Salem!

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You may notice a few changes with Competition Dining. First, it’s now being referred to as the Got To Be NC Competition Dining Series. Gone is the “Fire in the…” title. The other BIG change is that this year it’s in WINSTON-SALEM. And it’s about time! We know we have great chefs across the Triad and especially Greensboro, but it’s time that the rest of the Triad came on over to the Twin City to see its gorgeous downtown and enjoy this competition, where plenty of WSNC chefs will be featured along with their counterparts across the county line and beyond. Take a look at the brackets which were announced today at the media event at the Benton Convention Center.

The Winston-Salem series features 16 chefs starting May 26. Here’s the official release from the Got To Be NC Competition Dining Series which lists the chefs and the match-ups. Come out for one of the greatest night’s of food…ever. And be sure to catch the full story and some one on one interviews in the next issue of YES! Weekly coming out on May 13.

The Got to Be NC Competition Dining Series, a single-elimination tournament highlighting the best of the state’s food, agriculture and culinary talent, will pit 16 highly competitive chefs against each other in its upcoming regional tournament in the Triad. For the first time in competition history, the local series will be held in Winston-Salem. All of the 15 interactive battles will be hosted at the Benton Convention Center from May 26 through July 7, and tickets are now available at www.competitiondining.com/events/triad.

In every Got to Be NC Competition Dining Series dinner event, two chef teams battle it out preparing three courses each centered on a featured North Carolina ingredient that is revealed only an hour before they start cooking that day. Ticketed dinner guests savor a full-service, six-course meal without knowing which chef prepared which dishes. Unlike any other cooking competition, attendees vote on each course using a free app, and ultimately help determine who moves on to the next battle round and who goes home.

Series competitors are randomly assigned to brackets. The Triad preliminary match-up battles include:

May 26 Dinner: John Bobby of Noble’s Grille in Winston-Salem, versus Andrew Nicholas Davila of Belle at the Jones House in Cary
May 27 Dinner: Matthew Montandon of The Phoenix in Brevard, versus Dion Sprenkle of Chef Dion Sprenkle in Lexington
June 1 Dinner: Michael Harkenreader of Undercurrent Restaurant in Greensboro, versus Kevin Riddick of The Screaming Radish in Winston-Salem
June 2 Dinner: Christian Froelich of Hearth Restaurant at Sanders Ridge in Boonville, versus Anders Benton of Gia in Greensboro
June 3 Dinner: Mark Grohman of Meridian Restaurant in Winston-Salem, versus Dave Nicoletta of Giannos in Highpoint
June 8 Dinner: Travis Myers of River Birch Lodge in Winston-Salem, versus Alex Pierce of Greensboro Country Club in Greensboro
June 9 Dinner: Richard Miller of Graze in Winston-Salem, versus Michael Roberson of The Iron Hen Café in Greensboro
June 10 Dinner: Trey Prescott of J. Pepper’s Southern Grille in Kernersville, versus Tim Barbrey of Perky’s Bistro in Jamestown

“We’re excited to be going to Winston-Salem and really impressed by the level of culinary talent in the competition this year,” said Jimmy Crippen, Competition Dining Series founder and host. “We have chefs from Winston-Salem, Greensboro and across the state. They’ll all face off in what I know will be one of the most fun, competitive and delicious tournaments for everyone involved.”

During 2015, the Got to Be NC Competition Dining Series is hosting bracketed tournaments in three regions of the state: Raleigh, Winston-Salem, and two brackets in Charlotte. For the first time ever, the tournament will also host a bracket in South Carolina, which will be held in Greenville this summer. The five winners each receive a grand prize of $2,000, a handmade chef knife by Ironman Forge and the coveted “Red Chef Jacket” provided by ALSCO. Additionally, all five move on to compete in the battle of champions at the end of the year.

All Triad events are held at the Benton Convention Center located at 301 W 5th Street in Winston-Salem. Tickets range from $55 to $75, excluding beverage, tax and service fee. Guests can attend as many dinners as they like and tickets must be purchased by midnight the day before a battle. Reservations are open now at www.competitiondining.com/events/triad.

About The Got to Be NC Competition Dining Series

The Got to Be NC Competition Dining Series is sponsored by the NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, Pate Dawson-Southern Foods, Certified Angus Beef®, Pepsi Bottling Ventures, Libbey, ALSCO, NC Egg Association, Hits Technology, Joyce Farms and local partners in each region of the state. The goal of the series is to celebrate local North Carolina products and agriculture, and to showcase the culinary ingenuity and talent across the state. For more information, visit www.competitiondining.com or get in on the conversation at www.facebook.com/competitiondining and @CompDiningNC on Twitter or Instagram.

Graze (as in sip, share, savor) Restaurant: Winston-Salem

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Sometimes I think few things make people shudder than the thought of eating in a “hotel restaurant.” Granted, it’s not always the best dining experience. BUT!! The Marriott Hotel in the Twin City Quarter of Downtown Winston-Salem houses Graze Restaurant…and though technically not “locally-owned” (okay, okay I’m a bit of a badgering snob about that), the dedication to source most of its ingredients locally as well as the talents of the culinary team are enough to make all of us change our thinking.

I liked the space when it was WS Prime. But, when it was revamped into Graze in early 2014, it became more comfortable and communal. They now offer small plates, a few more salads and sandwiches and scaled down the selection of entrees. Oh and lest you think you can’t take the kids, you totally can. Grab a booth because all of them have personal flat screen TV’s, put on some kids programming and you’ll be in heaven. Or you can catch up on your own favorite.

The Chef de Cuisine, Richard Miller, is becoming a force to be reckoned with…placing first runner-up in Competition Dining’s Fire in the Triad last year. He’s ready to battle again this summer. Really, he’s a super nice guy with a passion for exemplary food with local fare. By the way, you can see him in action at our Food and Wine University Tent on June 6 at Salute! NC Wine Celebration. He’s accepted the All-Local Challenge Entree Demonstration. Mark your calendars for that.

On a recent visit, mr. foodie and I shared an appetizer of Fried Green Tomatoes with pimento cheese, goat cheese, honey habanero and a balsamic reduction. One of my favorite salads is a Wedge of Iceberg Salad, and Graze’s is just a touch delightfully different with chipotle bleu cheese, bacon, queso fresco, heirloom baby tomatoes, grilled white corn and pickled red onion. The sweet and sour pickled red onion makes that salad top notch.

Fried Green Tomatoes

Wedge of Iceberg

And get this…right now and for who knows what kind of limited time, that crazy chef and his team are offering the Graze Burger. This burger. Gah! I die. A 4 oz. Certified Angus burger, with smoked gouda, cheddar, Texas Pete Cha buttermilk ranch, bacon AND AND a Joyce Farms fried chicken breast on top. If you are thinking ‘~~calorie buster”~~ “awesome protein to carb ratio,” you’d be RIGHT! 🙂 This is not an everyday burger. This is an “I’m feeling like splurging because I’m awesome and deserve it” burger. Okay? So, get it.

Graze Burger..ain’t it glorious?

“Inside view” of the Graze Burger

The menu changes seasonally at Graze and Chef Richard and his team like to offer special features to celebrate our region. Know that no matter what the season, you’ll find local chicken, lamb, NC trout, NC sweet potatoes, Johnston County meats, locally-sourced veggies. For a hotel restaurant and for MANY restaurants, few support our local farmers and providers like Graze. Prices for small plates are $5-9, lunch will be from $10-15 for any number of great looking salads, sandwiches or burgers and dinner entrees are $20-28. Check back during the work week for Happy Hour specials…snacks for $5.

I will say that if you get a chance to pop these deviled eggs into your mouth, I highly recommend. They are so good. They aren’t always offered but if you luck out, you won’t be able to decide if you like traditional best or the smoked salmon or the pork belly-topped best. It’s a 3-way tie.

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“Traditional w/ Cha! & Microgreens; Pork Belly; Smoked Salmon

A couple of other interesting options, Okra Nachos. Fried Okra with pimento cheese, goat cheese, honey habanero sauce, tomato and scallions. Don’t they look yummy? There are also some good looking flat breads, one with Maple Leaf Farms Duck.

Okra Nachos (photo: Courtesy Graze Restaurant)

Oh and presently on the appetizer selections is Joyce Farms Fried Chicken Skin with Texas Pete Cha! Aioli. I I can’t imagine why you wouldn’t want that in your belly, foodies.

I look forward to hearing back about your experience at Graze.

Have you been presently surprised by a hotel restaurant?

Enjoy eating local!

Graze Restaurant
425 North Cherry Street
Winston-Salem, NC
336.722.5232

Competition Dining Chefs Fire It Up at the New Belk Home Store

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It’s so fun to be a part of whatever Competition Dining is doing. On Thursday, August 14, the Got to Be NC Competition Dining Series and Belk celebrated the new freestanding Belk Store (604 Green Valley Rd.) in Greensboro with a unique, interactive cooking class that taught us how to to cook like a Competition Dining Series chef! If you missed it, don’t despair, all the pics and even recipes are below.

This is the first freestanding Belk Home Store devoted solely to tabletop and housewares. The store has a tremendous selection of high-end kitchenware…some of which were put into action at the event. Two of the 2014 Fire in the Triad quarterfinalists – Chef Chris Russell of B. Christopher’s in Greensboro and Chef Kevin Reddick of Artisan Restaurant in Winston-Salem, shared some of their tricks of the trade with an onsite cooking demo. AND we got to taste the deliciousness and took home some recipes to boot! Some lucky winners even got to take home some Got to be NC swag. Belk also gave away an incredible Le Crueset grill pan to one of our winners.

Chef Chris Russell

Chef Kevin Reddick

These two chefs are very engaging and are at the helm of two of the Triad’s yummiest kitchens. We encourage you to give them each a try very soon! Chef Kevin shared with us a Marinated Tomatoes and Compressed Watermelon with Grouper. He vacuum sealed the melon on-site which gave the melon an interesting texture as well as intense flavor. Then he seared the grouper and placed it on top of the melon and tomato. Wonderful! His second dish was a Virginia Lump Crab Cake with Summer Corn Aioli. Chef also juiced corn with a juicer provided by Belk (juicing corn!!) and used that juice to add sweetness to his aioli and just added a hint of corn flavor. A delightfully different twist to a traditional aioli.

Chef Chris Russell’s first dish was a Mini Crab Cake with Roasted Corn and Tomato Relish, which is one of his specialties at his restaurant. He seared his crab cakes but finished them in an “not so conventional” oven for our demo. The corn relish was really great and summery. Chef’s second dish was an Applewood Smoked Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp with a great horseradish marmalade. There’s just something about bacon cooking, right?

Ahh…the smells. The tastes! The chefs. So friendly and fun to watch. And these guys are busy…just after our event, Chef Russell headed out to cater a party for Crosby, Stills & Nash. How rockin’! And the following Monday, Chef Reddick was a featured chef at Dates Make a Difference’s Eat for a Cause.

The Got to Be NC Competition Dining Series is unlike any other dinner experience in the country! It’s a single-elimination tournament highlighting the best of the state’s food, agriculture and culinary talent. The competition hosts five regional tournaments throughout the year, including the surrounding markets for Wilmington, Asheville, Greensboro, Raleigh and Charlotte. The 2014 Fire in the Triad series pitted 16 top local chefs against each other this past April through June until a final winner emerged. You can find all of the results from the regional competition here. And next year, be sure to attend. It will be an evening you won’t soon forget!

From the Kitchen of Kevin Reddick | Artisan Restaurant | Winston-Salem, NC
Recipe: Marinated Tomatoes and Compressed Watermelon with N.C. Grouper

Ingredients:

3 large heirloom tomatoes 2 Tbsp. basil
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 2 Tbsp. sliced chives

1 ripe watermelon
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
4 (4-6 oz) portions fresh grouper Vacuum seal bags
Vacuum sealer

Method:

For the melon: Dice melon into 1/2” cubes, reserving as much liquid as possible. 2 cups total. Slice chives very thin and harvest at least 2 tsp. Put 1/2 melon in each bag, cover with juice, a touch of kosher salt, 1/2 tsp. chives, and seal. Chill for 2 to 4 hours.

For the tomatoes: Slice 3 tomatoes into steaks (slices). Toss in bowl with 2 tsp. kosher salt, 1 tsp. fresh ground pepper, 2 Tbsp. basil, and 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil. Place in single layer in flat dish, cover, and chill for

2 to 4 hours, turning once.

For the fish: Heat cast iron skillet or pan of choice, add grape seed oil and cook until 120 to 130 degrees, turning once.

Place tomatoes and melon on serving platter of choice and top with seared grouper. Drizzle with good finishing quality olive oil, eat and enjoy!

From the Kitchen of Kevin Reddick | Artisan Restaurant | Winston-Salem, NC
Recipe: Virginia Lump Crab Cake with Summer Corn Aioli

Ingredients:

3-4 ears of fresh corn 1/2 cup corn juice
1 1/4 cups mayo
1 egg

2 Tbsp. chopped shallots 2 Tbsp. sliced chives
1/2 tsp. red chili powder 1/2 tsp. old bay

Zest of 1 lemon
1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs Juicer
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper

Method:

For the aioli: Harvest 1/2 cup corn juice and combine with 3/4 cup mayo and 1/2 tsp. kosher salt.
Chill for at least 1 hour.

For the crab cake: Drain and pick crab. Add all ingredients except breadcrumbs and gently combine. Add breadcrumbs and gently fold in. Portion into cakes and chill for at least 1 hour. Sauté until 120 degrees and golden brown on both sides. Place on plate with dollop of aioli and serve with your favorite sides or a nice summer salad.

From the Kitchen of Chris Russell | B. Christopher’s | Greensboro, NC
Recipe: Mini Crab Cakes with Roasted Corn and Tomato Relish

Ingredients:

1# jumbo lump crab meat
1/2 finely diced red bell pepper
1/2 finely diced white onion
3 Tbsp. mayo
3 Tbsp. panko (Japanese) bread crumbs 1/2 tsp. whole grain mustard
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 ears silver queen corn (in husk)
3 Roma tomatoes. diced
1/2 finely diced red onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Juice of one lime
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Sweat pepper and onion in sauté pan with olive oil. Set aside. Mix mayo, mustard and lemon juice in mixing bowl. Add crab meat, bread crumbs, salt and pepper and fold trying not to break apart the crab lumps. Refrigerate for 30 min. Shape into small patties. In a hot oiled pan, brown both sides for approximately 30 seconds or until golden brown and set aside. Finish in a 350 degree pre-heated oven for 8-10 minutes. Serve with lemon-dill sauce.

For the salsa: With husks on, roast corn on pan sheet in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 40 minutes or until husks are completely brown in color. Let sit to cool. Unwrap corn and shave kernels off the cob. Mix all ingredients in mixing bowl and let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving to let the mixture marry together for best flavor. Serve with crab cakes.

From the Kitchen of Chris Russell | B. Christopher’s | Greensboro, NC
Recipe: Applewood Smoked Bacon – Wrapped Shrimp

Ingredients:

Peeled and deveined white shrimp (tail on)

Applewood smoked bacon slices (thick cut)

6 inch skewers
Good quality orange marmalade Horseradish to taste

Method:

Wrap each shrimp with one piece of bacon, leaving tail exposed.

Skewer two shrimp per skewer.
Grill on Panini grill until bacon is cooked through.

Combine orange marmalade with horseradish to taste.

Serve the shrimp skewers with horseradish-orange marmalade dipping sauce or any favorite sauce.

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