Cast Iron Cook-Off is Sunday at Market
Nashville-based “good food guru” Dyan Damron returns to emcee this cook-off. She will give Sunday’s audience the playby-play on what the chefs are preparing.
All you foodies who eat up TV cooking shows such as “Chopped” or “Food Network Star” won’t want to miss Sunday’s Chattanooga Market.
Four well-known local chefs will go head-to-head in the annual Cast Iron Cook-Off, putting their technique and creativity on the line. The audience can watch their process from start to finish as they create culinary delights for the panel of judges.
Chef Rebecca Barron from St. John’s Restaurant is the only returning competitor from the 2016 match. Competing with her will be Chef Nathan Flynt, 2 Sons Kitchen; Chef Eric Fulkerson, Bald Headed Bistro; and Chef Andrew Platt, Ceniza/Embargo 62.
Chefs will arrive Sunday morning with nothing but their cast-iron cookware and serving dishes. The market staff provides each chef with a pantry of basic items (salt, sugar, vinegar, etc.), tells them the mystery ingredient around which they’ll create their dishes, then hands them some cash to shop the market’s vendors for needed ingredients.
Chefs will begin shopping at 11:45 a.m., for a halfhour. Market patrons can watch and pick up some tips to use at home as the chefs shop. At 12:15 p.m., the four chefs will gather in front of the audience for a show-and-tell of what they’ve bought.
Starting at 12:30 p.m., they have one hour to cook before judging begins. The winner will be announced at 3 p.m.
Nashville-based “good food guru” Dyan Damron returns to emcee this cookoff. She will give Sunday’s audience the play-by-play on what each chef is preparing and provide personal interviews with each.
Judges will score dishes on appearance, taste, creativity and overall impression. The Cast Iron Chef winner not only has bragging rights for a year, but receives a golden ticket into the 2017 World Food Championships in Orange Beach, Ala., which will be held in November.