Five contenders ready for Cast Iron Cook-Off
OK, all you foodies who eat up television cooking contests such as “Chopped,” “Food Network Star” and “MasterChef.”
A Chattanooga version of these head-to-head battles will take place Sunday, Sept. 18, at Chattanooga Market when five local chefs compete in the annual Cast Iron Cook-Off.
Charlie Loomis from Feed Company Table & Tavern is returning to defend his 2015 title. Taking him on will be Andi Cagle from the Culinary Institute of Virginia College, Rebecca Baron from St. John’s Restaurant, JR Crutcher from Cafe on the Corner and Hardin Cowan from Terra Mae.
These five competitors will arrive at the market Sunday morning armed with nothing but their own cast-iron cookware, knives and serving dishes. The market provides each with some basics (salt, pepper, oil, etc.) and gives them some cash to shop the market’s vendors at 11:45 a.m. for the ingredients they’ll need to create their dishes.
In support of the Tennessee Aquarium’s Serve & Protect event, this cook-off helps educate the public about the benefits of cooking with sustainable seafood, says market spokeswoman Melissa Siragusa in a news release. Each chef will receive a sustainable seafood to be used as the main portion of the dish.
The chefs have one hour to cook starting at 12:30 p.m., during which time guest emcee Dyan Damron will give the audience playby-play descriptions of the action.
The event is fun for marketgoers to watch as well as educational since spectators pick up some prep and cooking tips from the pros before they leave.
Chefs will begin presenting their dishes to judges at 1:35 p.m. Judges will score them on appearance, taste, creativity and overall impression. The winner will be announced at 3 p.m.
Because this cook-off is an official qualifying event for the World Food Championships, the winner will receive bragging rights as well as a “golden ticket” into the 2016 World Food Championships in Orange Beach, Ala., this November.