Each team is given 5 1/2 hours to create two elaborate platter presentations, one centered around seafood and one on meat, each accompanied by three original garnishes.
The platters are presented before 24 judges, each among the most esteemed chefs in their country. The dishes are judged on overall harmony of flavors in the dish, presentation of the platter and techniques employed by each Chef and their teams.
Other notable Chefs participated in the event who are on the Culinary Council: Grant Achatz of Alinea, George Mendez of Aldea, Michael White of Ai Fiori/Marea and Chris Hastings of The Hot and Hot Fish Club and more.
Special thanks to event sponsor @KitchenAidUSA for inviting me to attend the event at CIA as a VIP to experience the excitement of the competition!
We sampled amazing gourmet food – shrimp burgers, falafel and hummus, baba ganoush, foie gras, cheese and Bridor croissants, short ribs,
French champagne by Nicolas Feuillatte and lattes and cappucinos by Nespresso. It was an amazing event filled with USA’s top culinary talent and I wish all the Chefs the best of luck in next year’s 2013 competition in France!
I also had the pleasure of meeting Chef Denny Tratham of Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC and Chef Billy Skiper of Sodexo/Kennesaw State University in Atlanta, GA.. It was such a beautiful day we had to take the French champagne outside!
Check out all of the behind-the-scenes photos of the event in the slideshow below:
I took the most amazing trip to Boston and Martha’s Vineyard over Labor Day holiday and fell in love. Boston is one of those places that feels like a big city but is actually pretty small and low-key if you ask me. I loved the slower pace, the still quietness of the South End on a Saturday night. The views of the harbor, the blue and white hues of sailboats and water surrounding the city’s edge. The amazing Italian food in the North End, the historic architecture all over the city and along the Freedom Trail, and the beautiful campus of Harvard University.
Watching the sunset at dusk over the Charles River. Amazing lobster and seafood on the harbor with views to match…and for a big city girl like me, I think I could live here one day.
We stayed at the amazing Colonnade Hotel (with a rooftop pool and bar!) in Back Bay.
The next day, we headed to Newbury Street in Back Bay for shopping…
then we wandered through the Public Gardens, heading to historic Charles Street to see all the beautiful old homes in Beacon Hill
We spent most of the day hiking the Freedom Trail to see all the old historic buildings and sites around town.
That night we had amazing dinner in the South End at Sibling Rivalry and had some delicious seafood.
Our last day there, we made our way to Harvard University and trekked around Cambridge! Boston is definitely small enough to see in a few days, but the views and slower pace will make you want to stay a lot longer.
Here’s a few places I went to that you don’t want to miss on your next trip to Boston:
North End (Boston’s Little Italy): If you are in the mood for Italian food and pastries, this is the place to go. Just head straight to Hanover Street and you’ll find a multitude of shops, restaurants and cafes, delis, pizzerias, bakeries, pubs and taverns. Many have lines out the door on a Friday night so reservations are highly recommended!
We had an amazing dinner at a really nice Italian restaurant called Lucca on N. Hanover Street (Grilled Veal with Truffled Mash and Asparagus) and Lobster Tagliatelle!
Then we hit Mike’s Pastry for amazing cannolis and gelato. Um, YUM!
Back Bay/South End – These are two of Boston’s nicest neighborhoods in my opinion. Back Bay is the best place for shopping, art galleries, gardens, cuisine and culture in Boston. There are gorgeous historical homes and churches, clothing boutiques, spas and salons and fabulous restaurants to explore. Head to Newbury Street and make your way to the Public Garden to check out the Swan boats or just hang out in the park. The Charles River Esplanade is a great place to get a gorgeous view of the harbour and stroll along the river on a sunny day.
The South End is a tree-lined neighborhood known for its fine dining, art galleries, open market, restaurants and high end martini clubs and jazz bars. Head to Tremont Street and check out Sibling Rivalry, Stella, Tremont 647 for a nice dinner.
Waterfront/Seaport District – If you want a great view of the Boston Harbor, then you need to go to Waterfront and Seaport District. You can start in the North End near the Bunker Hill Bridge and then continue around Atlantic Ave to Christopher Columbus Park and view the harbor islands. From here you can walk to the Aquarium where there are several cruise lines that take you around the harbor. Head down to Rowes Wharf to check out the show cruise ships and Boston Harbor Hotel and Towers and then cross the old Northern Bridge to the Seaport District.
The two places I recommend for Waterfront Dining are the famous seafood restaurants Legal Sea Foods and across the street the Legal Test Kitchen
(we ate at LTK and I had the most amazing Shrimp Cocktail
and Truffled Lobster Mac ‘n Cheese – to die for!)
For casual dining and terrific cocktails on the harbor, there’s no other place than Tia’s Restaurant and Bar on the Waterfront! Closer to the North End than the Seaport, but awesome place for happy hour and watching the sunset..
If there is ever a place I would like to go after retiring myself from the hustle and bustle of New York City, Martha’s Vineyard has to be top of my list. This charming island is the epitome of beautiful architecture, history, charm, quietness, tree-lined streets, locals, antiques and oh, seafood.
We took a train to Woods Hole from Boston and then took a ferry to Vineyard Haven, a lovely area of the island full of shops, restaurants, beautiful homes and even more stunning views of the ocean.
We strolled the streets for awhile and then made our way to the famous Black Dog Tavern, a restaurant and pub established in 1971,
That night we hit The Seafood Shanty for some delicious Lobster Bisque, Seafood Pasta, and Grilled Scallops and Shrimp. Situated right on the harbor, this is a great place for fresh seafood and great waterfront views. The prices are pretty reasonable too! After we stuffed our faces, it was time to have some fun.
We headed down to a fun area near the harbor and stopped at a local pub, and ran into a wedding party who pretty much took over the whole center of town. To top off the night, we went to the Atlantic Fish & Chop House for a drink and headed back to crash out!
The next day it was raining so our plans to hit Aquinna Beach on the other side of the island were ruined, but we had an amazing “Vineyard Breakfast” at our B&B with homemade apple cinnamon coffee cake,
scrambled eggs and bacon and some juice and coffee. Such a cute place!
We walked off breakfast by strolling around on N. Water Street for awhile..
and then we took a stroll down Main Street to check out more beautiful old homes, bookstores, shops and antique stores before we had to leave.
One of my favorite finds was Murdick’s Fudge – delicious creamy fudge in about 10 different flavors! Who can resist that?
The Vincent House was also really cool – the original home built in 1672 was actually transported into Edgartown and you can tour the house to see the classic Vineyard architecture and antique furnishings.
Imagine cooking in a big old fireplace like this–Love the cast iron pots!!)
This was definitely one of the most fun trips I’ve taken in a while..and I’ll most definitely be back (maybe for good!)
On Labor Day weekend I fell in love. With Martha’s Vineyard, that is. And an amazing clam chowder from a famous little place called The Black Dog Tavernin Vineyard Haven on the harbor. The Black Dog’s story began in 1971 on the beach in Vineyard Haven when Captain Bob Douglas opened an 88 seat restaurant named for his beloved black dog. The tavern has grown from a small island haunt to a nationally renowned restaurant with stores and merchandise branded in the Black Dog Tavern name. No trip to the Vineyard is complete without a meal at The Black Dog, especially to try their infamous Quahog (Clam) Chowder that’s been on the menu since 1971!
Quahogs are hard shell clams, different from soft shell clams, otherwise known as “steamers”. This recipe is from The Black Dog Summer on the Vineyard Cookbook that I acquired on my recent trip. It is fairly easy to make, and a little more time consuming if you are using fresh clams but totally worth the effort for that fresh flavor. It’s rich and creamy, has a touch of thyme and paprika and lots of delicious clams, potatoes, celery and onion making it the perfect chowda’ for a Fall afternoon.
Serve with crusty bread, oyster crackers or croutons and a glass of white wine or a locally brewed ale. Now all you need is the gorgeous view of Martha’s Vineyard harbor to make it a true New England experience! Â Oh, and stay tuned for the full report and photos of my Boston and Martha’s Vineyard Labor Day weekend trip. More foodie fun to come! Enjoy.
A Taste of Martha’s Vineyard: The Black Dog Tavern’s Quahog Chowder
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 8-10 servings
Ingredients
2 oz salt pork, rind removed (or 8-10 slices of bacon, diced)
2 c diced onion
1 c diced celery
3 c diced potatoes
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp ground black pepper
4 c shelled quahogs with juice - 6 lbs in shell (or use jarred whole baby clams)
1/2 c salted butter (1 stick)
1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 qts. light cream (or 1 qt heavy cream + 1 pint half and half)
Instructions
Dice the salt pork or bacon and saute in a large pot until translucent. If using bacon, saute over high heat until cooked through, then drain fat except for 2 tbsp. and return to the pot. Add the onions and celery and saute for 5 minutes.
Pour in about 1 1/2 cups of the clam juice and add the potatoes and seasonings. Simmer the mixture until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan. When it is bubbling, add the flour and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often. This is called a "roux".
Roughly chop the quahogs, reserving any liquid (if you use whole baby clams you can skip this step).
When the potatoes are tender, add the quahogs to the large pot and simmer for 2 minutes.
Stir in the roux and continue simmering for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently. This is your chowder base.
In a separate saucepan, scald the cream by heating it on high until small bubbles appear around the edges of the pan. Do not boil.
Stir in the hot scalded cream into the chowder base, mix together, and remove from the heat.
At The Black Dog, they serve it topped with croutons and a dollop of butter, accompanied by oyster crackers or crusty bread. Garnish with paprika and enjoy!
Dice the salt pork or bacon and saute in a large pot until translucent. If using bacon, saute over high heat until cooked through, then drain fat except for 2 tbsp. and return to the pot. Add the onions and celery and saute for 5 minutes.
Pour in about 1 1/2 cups of the clam juice and add the potatoes and seasonings. Simmer the mixture until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan. When it is bubbling, add the flour and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often. This is called a “roux”.
Roughly chop the quahogs, reserving any liquid (if you use whole baby clams you can skip this step).
When the potatoes are tender, add the quahogs to the large pot and simmer for 2 minutes.
Stir in the roux and continue simmering for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently. This is your chowder base.
In a separate saucepan, scald the cream by heating it on high until small bubbles appear around the edges of the pan. Do not boil.
Stir in the hot scalded cream into the chowder base, mix together, and remove from the heat.
At The Black Dog, they serve it topped with croutons and a dollop of butter, accompanied by oyster crackers or crusty bread. Garnish with paprika and enjoy!
This is a gorgeous video created and edited by the talented David Sciascia, a brilliant Creative Director living in NYC, originally from New Zealand. The video was shot in Cartagena, Columbia when David visited for three weeks to learn Spanish and decided to capture the essence of this village through interviewing local subjects to tell the story. His narrator and main subject Mario Diaz, tells his personal story and experience of Cartagena, and takes you through this magical place. The video displays its beauty and unique character through nature, local residents, artisans and food vendors, back streets and architecture to truly represent the “Spirit of Cartagena”. The footage and music are raw and refined, yet authentic, and will make you want to experience Cartagena for yourself!
Find out more about David Sciascia and his work on LinkedIn or Facebook