OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill.—Three teams from New Jersey and one each from North Carolina and Florida will square off for top honors in the 2014 Culinary Competition sponsored by the Association for Healthcare Foodservice. The competition will take place June 4, during AHF’s annual conference in Orlando, Fla.
Chefs already have submitted the recipes for the dishes they will be preparing. However, his year for the first time the teams will be given a list of mystery ingredients, one of which must be added to the recipe. The mystery ingredient will count for up to five points in the overall score.
The five teams and their dishes are:
- Steven Bressler, retail services manager, and John Graziano, CDM, executive chef, The Valley Hospital, Ridgewood, N.J.; Lemon Grass Poached Mahi Over a Black Bean Quinoa Cake, Jicama Grapefruit Avocado Salad, Refried Bean Crisp and a Salsa Verde.
- Timothy Gee, executive chef, and Nicholas Mercogliano, sous chef, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick, N.J.; Ranch Dusted Pork Loin with Black Bean Mole, Zucchini Corn Cake & Refried Bean Mille Feuille, Pickled Onion and Sweet Corn Puree.
- Joanne McMillian, R.D., and Aatul Jain, retail operations manager and chef, Saint Clare’s Health System, Denville, N.J.; Bodacious Beans and Bass.
- Jessica Marchand, R.D., director of food and nutrition services, and Jennifer Leamons, chef, WakeMed Health & Hospitals, Raleigh N.C.; Gluten Free “Rice and Bean” Raviolo with Shrimp and Cilantro Pesto Cream.
- Robyn Butsko, chef manager, and Bryan Boatman, banquet chef, Florida Hospital-Orlando; Santiago Bean Dusted Aged Filet served with a Crispy Sweet Potato & Cuban Bean Stuffed Pepper featuring a Poblano Pepper and Tomatillo Sauce.
All dishes were required to fit within prestated nutrition guidelines. They also must cost less than $7 to prepare and be an appropriate dish for regular menu rotation in retail, catering or patient foodservice.