You have to admit, food writers and critics have pretty
great jobs. Because let’s face it, who wouldn’t love regular invites to special
dinners and wine tastings, and to be wooed by chocolate-flecked strip sirloin
or filet tartar or any other delicious creation that was made to impress? Well,
Asheville holds just the opportunity.
Now in its fourth year, the WNC Chefs Challenge is your
chance to play food critic for a night. The cook-off pits 16 regional chefs
against each other in a series of weekly battles for the title of Best Chef in
WNC. And the best part, diners get to enjoy six courses prepared around a
secret ingredient (three from each chef) and decide who wins. The tasting is
blind and scorecards provide the judging criteria.
This year’s challenge is well underway, with a few surprises
and upsets already narrowing the field. While most contenders are Asheville
chefs, there are a few new challengers from father afield, including Chef
Stuart Jensen of Stuart’s on the Green from Spruce Pine and Chef Michael
Marshall of Harrah’s Cherokee Resort (competing April 9).
Tonight (April 2), Chef Graham Overal at The Blackbird takes
on Chef Chuck Kegg at West Asheville Lounge & Kitchen (WALK). The
challenges are held Tuesdays through May 7 at Chestnut restaurant (48 Biltmore
Ave., Asheville). The quarterfinal round begins April 16, with the finals
taking place during the Asheville Wine & Food Festival, August 22-24, 2013.
Seating is 6-6:30 p.m., and tickets cost $68 (tax and gratuity included). For
tickets and further details, including recaps from previous challenges, call
(828) 575-2667 or visit www.ashevillewineandfood.com.
Proceeds benefit Eliada, a 109-year-old nonprofit agency serving the Western
North Carolina’s children and families.
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