On Monday night, food-and-drink professionals from across North Carolina gathered in Durham for the Chef Showdown event, hosted by the N.C. Restaurant & Lodging Association. After 11 preliminary rounds and a pool of 83 entries, the finalists in three categories offered samples to win one of the top awards.
Four Wilmington competitors were among them: mixologist Gus Bellavida from End of Days Distillery in Wilmington, pastry chef Gerald Hawkins Jr. of Beach Shop & Grill in Topsail Beach and The Country Club of Landfall, chef Mauricio Huarcaya of Gusto Peruano in Wilmington, and chef Nick Chavez of Dough House Pizza Co. (who also happens to be in a Chopped episode that premieres Aug. 27 on the Food Network).
More:Wilmington chef to appear on the Food Network’s ‘Chopped’
Who were the local winners?
People’s Choice Best Cocktail: Bellavida made a cocktail and mocktail for the Chef Showdown. But it was his purple cocktail that won the popular vote. The Country Wonka cocktail uses EOD’s Port of Entry Rum and a sweet corn chicha infused with apples, herbs and purple sweet potato. Bellavida said his secret weapon was a blueberry and pecan foam that he piped onto the drinks.
People’s Choice Best Savory Dish: Huarcaya combined Peruvian technique with local ingredients for his dish, that was also a popular favorite. It was a corvina ceviche with a chicharron, a fingerling potato causa and salsa verde.
First Runner Up Pastry Chef: Hawkins made a cantaloupe cream with buttermilk spice cake that was layered with a caramelized honey and fruit and topped with lime leaf oil and micro basil. Hawkins also took home this first runner up honor in 2022.
About the event
The Chef Showdown took place at the American Tobacco Campus in Durham. All of the competitors were encouraged to use seasonal produce and products from North Carolina businesses. Chef Keith Rhodes and Angela Rhodes of Catch restaurant in Wilmington were among the judges.
Most of the samples were also paired with wines, ciders and beers made in the state. Other top awards went to Matthew Deering of Dot Dot Dot in Charlotte who was named Chef of the Year and Savanna Brodar of the Country Club of North Carolina in Pinehurst who was Pastry Chef of the Year. Miguel Angle Latorre Jr. of Revival 1869 in Clayton was Mixologist of the year, and he was paired with Broadslab Distillery in Benson.
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Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at the StarNews. You can reach her at aballard@gannett.com.
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