Marriott Courtyard Raises Victory Spatula Again in Big Brothers / Big Sisters’ 7th Annual Chef’s Challenge Event
Photo: Cathy Duffy
SARATOGA SPRINGS – By a paper-thin margin – necessitating two tie-breaking procedures, Chef Thomas Gulbrandsen bested last year’s People’s Choice Champion Chef Krista Espinal by a single point to achieve his fourth straight victory at the Seventh Annual Chef’s Challenge, benefitting Big Brothers / Big Sisters of the Capital Region (BB / BS). This event was held on Thursday evening, May 24, at the Excelsior Springs Event Center (47 Excelsior Ave, Saratoga Springs) before an SRO crowd of well-fed food and beverage enthusiasts.
While the Chefs were battling through the three-course ‘Iron Chef’-style competition – the secret ingredient was Ricotta cheese – other purveyors around the perimeter of the event space were offering their wares in hopes of garnering votes in the Best Beverage, Best Dessert, and Best Entree’ Dish categories – the latter to be crowned the 2018 ‘People’s Choice’ and earning the right to face off against this year’s Chef’s Challenge winner in 2019. That honor went to Harvey’s Restaurant and Bar.
Nothing Bundt Cakes of Schenectady won the ‘Sweet Endings’ honor.
The beverage competition was won by Upstate Distilling, who will compete against runner up Fish at 30 Lake head-to-head in next year’s beverage competition:
Also providing absolutely delicious and visually stunning samples were:
– Olde Bryan Inn
– Malcolm’s
– Nanola
– Suburban Kitchen
– Artisanal Brew Works
It says here that all of the offerings were masterful and tasty enough to merit a visit to their establishments in the coming year. Bravo everyone, for lending their efforts to Big Brothers /Big Sisters of the Capital Region! Visit their website HERE to learn more.
And now – let’s dig in to a super-sized gallery: Allez Cuisine!
THE GALLERY: ALOTTA RICOTTA!
**************************************************************
PHOTO INTERLUDE:
An exciting, yet ‘un-Iron Chef’ wrinkle in this competition is that the Chefs and the guests – indeed even the BB / BS organizers – none of them – know who will be the Judges when they arrive. No, these three highly coveted positions at the Judge’s Table are auctioned off live at the beginning of festivities. I have to give a shout-out to one candidate for the ‘bench’ – a nice lady I met that evening named Noelle. The shout out comes from being the spokesperson for that expression ‘Highly Coveted’:
Noelle, in fact, was outbid in the first of the three auctions, but clearly was not going to be denied when given a second chance….
Yup, Highly Coveted. The Honorable Judge Noelle has been seated. Now back to the gallery.
******************************************************************************************
Arthur Gonick
May 28, 2018
