Chefs show how to whip up a proper crisis food kit
Competition demonstrates how to use pantry staples to cook during disasters
Caramelized Spam isn’t something Harold Wong of Bovine & Barley pub would normmally whip up in the kitchen. But at the fifth annual Preparedness Kit Chef ’s Challenge in Market Square Park on Sunday, Wong got creative, adding in pan-fried ramen noodles, sautéed canned tuna and crushed nuts.
He and three other chefs — Silvia Covarruubias of Edgar’s Hermano, Rafael Gonzalez of Quattro at Four Seasons Hotel and Geoff Hundt of Local Foods — participated in the food competition to create the best dish from nonperishable items typically found in a household pantry. Each chef picked from a list of ingredients that included everything from mustard to corn flakes.
The Chef ’s Challenge is hosted by City of Houston Mayor’s Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security as a fun way to show residents the need to prepare for emergencies before they happen and how they can get creative with meals during a natural disaster.
The dishes were judged by media personalities, along with Christine Ha, winner of “Master Chef” Season 3, and Jeff Lindner of Harris County Flood Control District, who was a regular on-air expert during Hurricane Harvey.
Hundt won the challenge with his concoction of beef jerky, pineapples and ramen noodles in sweet and sour sauce.
“Restaurants get hit pretty hard during hurricanes, like Harvey and Ike,” Hundt said. “We lost 90 percent of our food in our downtown location during Harvey. An event like this reminds us that we all have to be prepared.”
Jackie Miller, community preparedness programs coordinator for the Mayor’s Office, said she hopes more people understand the importance of having food staples at home in case of disaster and that food preparation can be a family project.
“You really can be creative and make it fun. We want people to think, plan and prepare,” she said.