| Home | About | Archives | RSS Feed |
Local Chef In Supermarket Chef Showdown 2012
 |
Unfortunately, his Veggie Enchilada Casserole lost to an Italian Pie whipped up by Amber Pruett of Publix Super Markets Inc. Pruett will go on to compete against the winners of the Ethnic, Indulgent and Health Alternatives cagetories on Thursday.
Roach, of North Adams, was selected with four other chefs from hundreds who submitted recipes.
He introduced his enchilada dinner to the three judges by describing it as "a pudgy white guys version of Mexican when he's cooking in Dallas."
"The classic clean out the pantry dish" was presented as a hearty and wholesome offering with cilantro coleslaw on the side. He was the last of the five finalists to present his dish.
All the competitors received a gold medal for being finalists. Here's the feed recorded live from Ustream. ( It was having audio difficulties.)
| Video streaming by Ustream |
Wild Oats Chef Finalist In Food Institute Competition
 |
Roach was named as one of five finalists in the Family Meals Category for his winning Veggie Enchilada Casserole, designed as a healthy and delicious meal that's easy to prepare. The competition takes place at the institute's 2012 convention in Dallas from April 30 to May 3. The convention brings together some 25,000 industry professionals from 90 countries.
If he wins, Roach will compete for the title of "Grand Chef" in the Championship Challenge held on the last day of the convention. He represents Wild Oats Market against well-known national and regional supermarket chains like Publix, Roche Bros., Safeway and Wegmans. More than 350 recipes were submitted for the competition from 50 retail and wholesale companies across the country.
A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, from which he received the Roth Outstanding Student Performance Award and the President's Scholarship, Roach's career has included stints in the kitchens of Wolfgang Puck, Jimmy Schmidt and Charlie Trotter. He was chef at Helen's Place for four years before joining Wild Oats in 2007. Since then, he has introduced hot-foods and salad bars, expanded its "grab n' go deli" and bakery operation, and introduced catering services.
Wild Oats Market is a member-owned, cooperative-based whole foods market specializing in local and organic products. The co-op is located at 320 Main St.
Git Along Little Guru
On March 31, IS 183 will host their annual fundraising blow-out.
This year's extravaganza will be called Buckaroo Bollywood. Should you decide to go, you'll be served extravagant dishes of barbecue and Indian delicacies under colorful tents and later, after you've stuffed yourself on every possible delicacy eight local chefs can dream up, you'll boogie down Bollywood style under colorful chiffon tents, peacock lanterns, floating mirrors and cowgirl murals.
If you're thirsty, there will be a blue elephant dispensing beer through its trunk. Don't feel like dancing? Well, you can take a spin on an adult-sized hobby horse and maybe rope a filly or two.
iBerkshires visited the site while the decorations were still going up. Here are a few photos, the whole thing already looks like a rootin' tootin' good time! Dinner tickets are nearly sold out but dance tickets are available for $50 each with the proceeds going to IS 183's public school programs. So if you want to get your guru-groove on, get your chaps over to this fundraiser. How often are you going to get the chance to get a beer from a blue elephant - for real?
Decorator Joe Wheaton, ropes Seth (an IS 183 Board Member) while Caitlin looks on.
At your service. (And you don't have to be tipsy to see it.)
Great Barrington Chef Cooks on 'Today Show'
GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Adam Zieminski of CafeAdam served up a spring recipe on NBC's "Today Show" on Tuesday morning.The Berkshire native and graduate of Johnson & Wales University was tapped to appear on the program's "What's on the Menu?" segment thanks to one of his favorite customers, "Today's" weatherman Al Roker.
In the video, Zieminski shows how to prepare seared scallops with parsnip puree and wilted vegetables and talks about how he uses fresh Berkshires produce whenever possible.
Find the recipe here; the clip runs after a commercial.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Outstanding in the Field Planning Berkshires Dinner
 |
Executive Chef Brian Alberg and his crew from The Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge will be manning the field kitchen and presenting a five-course meal to 130 to 150 guests at the nation's first community-supported agriculture farm.
The dining experience on wheels has traveled around the nation for more than a decade promoting local food and agriculture, reconnecting diners to the land and the origins of their food and honoring local farmers and food artisans. The organization donates to a number of farm- and food-related groups whose missions align with those of OITF.
"We are so fortunate to live in an area where our community is connected to the land, and our chefs are interested in supporting local farmers and food producers," said Alberg, who is well known for his efforts in promoting and showcasing locally grown produce and is president of Berkshire Grown. "This dinner is a perfect forum to showcase our efforts and we are psyched to see the bus stop here on Sept. 15."
Farmers Elizabeth Keen and Al Thorp have been growing Certified Naturally Grown produce on the 17-acre Indian Line Farm since 1997 primarily for the CSA but they also sell to the Great Barrington Farmers Market, restaurants and some local stores.
OITF organizes as many as 90 events a year and traveled to Europe last year. Ingredients for each OITF meal are almost all local and generally prepared by a celebrated chef of the region.
Tickets to the four-course, family style dinner on Saturday, Sept. 15, are $220 per person and includes hors d'oeuvres, farm tour and dessert. They go on sale on March 20; more information can be found here.
Beginning at noon Sept. 15, a team from The Red Lion Inn and Berkshire Farm & Table will be streaming live behind-the-scenes coverage, offering a backstage pass to this celebrated event. Media coverage will include blog posts, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter updates.
Stephanie Farrington of