A HEATED BATTLE

In premier NOSH event, 10 teams face off in three-round cooking competition

The competition was fierce and the atmosphere thick with tension and enticing aromas as some of Hamilton’s best chefs went head-to-head in a friendly showdown.

Chef Wars, held at Carmen’s banquet centre Thursday night, saw teams from Blend Catering, Brux House, Carmen’s Group, Eatwell/ Honest Foods, HAMBRGR, Mezcal TNT, Pokeh, Radius, Rony’s Rotisserie and The Beverly on Locke battle for bragging rights and a diningtable-length, custom charcuterie board donated by Rustic Designs by Rich.

The trio of judges included Leo Tsangarakis of Burnt Tongue, Shayne McCartney (Saltlick Smokehouse, Bar Sazerac), and Paul Baird (Los Fenix food truck).

Mezcal TNT and Uno Mas chef/ owner Manny Ferreira acted as MC, making the rounds with a microphone to egg on each team and keep the crowd in the loop.

Chef Wars is a marquee event during NOSH Week, a celebration of the city’s culinary scene that launched last fall. This year’s cosponsors were The Kraken Black Spiced Rum and Feed the Social, a local media consulting firm that took over from the city this year in organizing the event.

In each of three rounds – for an appetizer, entrée and finally, dessert, the teams were required to incorporate a specific ingredient into their entry. Coffee in the apps, apricots in the mains — and Black Spiced Rum in the desserts.

The first round elimination left Brux House, Eatwell/Honest Foods, HAMBRGR, Radius and The Beverly moving on to Round 2.

The Radius team, led by chef Gordon Goss, won the second round and placed second overall.

In the end, Mike Cipollo and Blair Millington-Hogg from HAMBRGR prevailed.

“It was an absolute pleasure to attend this event that was overflowing with talent from all over the city. Until next year, chefs,” read a congratulatory Instagram post from HAMBRGR.

“We did Kraken Kuchen, our take on apple kuchen,” Cipollo said Friday.

“Little apple beignets injected with Kraken rum caramel served with a Kraken rum flip — a little cocktail for the judges at the end of the night.”

PHOTOS BY JOHN RENNISON, THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR Gordon Goss of Radius checks on the delicate fish he was steaming for his main course entry using dried apricots.

Round 1: Chefs and sous chefs scramble to grab items to create an appetizer as the clock starts down from 15 minutes. Coffee was the required common ingredient. Chef Erica Guidi, of Blend Catering, right, and Blair Maddalura wait to present judges with...

Chef Manny Ferreira, acting as MC, provides animated commentary for the crowd.

Carmen’s Group executive chef Kyle Dren, left, and John Risidore prepare arepas with a coffee poached egg and coffee demi-glace.