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Delicious Wins at NCRLA Chef Showdown 2024
The North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association (NCRLA) hosted its eighth annual Chef Showdown on August 26, 2024. Presented by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, this annual competition promotes and spotlights the talent of chefs, pastry chefs, mixologists, and the local products available across the state of North Carolina. In addition to the ingredients showcased in each contestant’s entry, North Carolina wines were paired with each entry and attendees had the chance to win North Carolina cast iron products, putting local industries on display during the evening competition.
The 2024 preliminary rounds of culinary competition featured 84 talented North Carolina chefs and pastry chefs. Following the preliminary and semi-final rounds, 20 of these chefs – 15 savory chefs and five pastry chefs – became finalists alongside 6 teams of mixologists and distilleries from an original 20. From these finalists were named the 2024 NCRLA Chef of the Year and NCRLA Pastry Chef of the Year, NCRLA Mixologist & Distillery of the Year, and the NCRLA Mocktail of the Year.
We recently highlighted the four Undeniably Dairy winners that best used local dairy products in their dishes. Here are the four winners of the overall competition.
NCRLA Mocktail of the Year
Miguel Angel Latorre, Jr. of Revival 1869 in Clayton, NC
Miguel created the winning Ode to (Miguel's Mom) Jessica mocktail. The drink is prepared with homemade sofrito sauce, muddled Tidewater Carolina Gold Rice and Beans, coconut water, pineapple juice, lime juice, simple syrup, and Crude Bitters Cucumber Shrub. It is garnished with chicken, steak, and fresh cilantro.
NCRLA Distillery of the Year
Distiller Jeremy Norris of Broadslab Distillery in Benson, NC
Jeremy partnered with Miguel Angel Latorre, Jr for the Just Down The Road cocktail. This drink is made with Aunt Ruby’s Peanuts infused with Broadbranch's Flu-Cured rye whiskey, blackberry-infused Campari, peach-infused Carpano Antica sweet vermouth, a Pepsi Wild Cherry syrup reduction, and Mindset Bitters. The finished cocktail is garnished with a dried peach chip and a flower.
NCRLA Pastry Chef of the Year
Chef Savanna Brodar of Country Club of North Carolina in Pinehurst, NC
Chef Savanna created a light cheesecake full of flavor. Her One in a ‘Melon’ is a cantaloupe fromage cheesecake consisting of compressed cantaloupe, basil olive oil cake, and a vanilla crumble with dried chanterelle mushroom powder, lemon caviar, candied basil, lemon verbena honey sauce, and edible flowers.
2024 NCRLA Chef of the Year
Chef Matthew Deering of Dot Dot Dot in Charlotte, NC
Chef Matthew’s winning recipe was a polenta dumpling served with a juicy confit pork belly, charred Bok Choy, chestnut mushroom, sweet corn espuma, tamari, and sorghum jus.
Attendees of the Chef Showdown voted for their favorite items from each category (mocktail, cocktail, savory, and sweet), with winners deemed the People’s Choice. Here are those four winners.
People’s Choice Award for Best Mocktail
Mixologist Conley Marie of The Willard in Raleigh, NC
Conley also won the Undeniably Dairy award for her mocktail, Creature Comforts. Creature Comforts is key lime pie in a glass, with a not-too-sweet, not-too-sour flavor. Her mocktail includes whole milk-soaked graham crackers, lime juice, lime zest, orange zest water, whole milk vanilla yogurt, simple syrup, sweetened condensed milk, and evaporated milk. Enjoy it as an afternoon sip on the porch or serve it as a refreshing dessert suitable for the entire family.
People’s Choice Award for Best Cocktail
Mixologist Gus Bellavida and Distiller Beth Faulkner of End of Days Distillery in Wilmington, NC
The cocktail, Country Wonka, consists of EOD's Port of Entry Rum, a sweet corn chicha infused with apples, thyme, star anise, and cloves, a purple sweet potato, and cinnamon cordial blended together and all topped with a blueberry and pecan foam.
People’s Choice Award for Best Dessert
Chef Jill Heaton of Ivory Road in Arden, NC
The people’s favorite dessert is the Silver Queen Sweet Corn Creme Brûlée on Graham Cake served with a saffron milk crumb and basil compressed peach.
People’s Choice Award for Best Savory Dish
Chef Mauricio Huarcaya of Gustu Peruano in Wilmington, NC
Chef Mauricio’s crowd-pleasing dish is a French fingerling causa topped with black sea bass ceviche, chicharron, leche de tigre, toasted cancha, and aji verde sauce.
Additionally, runner-ups were announced for the categories of Pastry Chef of the Year and Chef of the Year.
NCRLA Pastry Chef of the Year Runner-Up
Chef Gerald Hawkins of Country Club of Landfall in Wilmington, NC, and of The Beach Shop Grill in Topsail Beach, NC
Chef Gerald served a cantaloupe buttermilk spice cake with caramelized honey, Valrhona Dulcey blond chocolate, country ham, Makrut lime leaf oil, and micro-basil. The cake is a complex blend of flavors in one bite.
2024 NCRLA Chef of the Year First Runner Up
Chef Olajuwon Mason of Aramark Collegiate Hospitality, Viking Dining in Elizabeth City, NC
Chef Olajuwon served Cheerwine-braised pork cheeks with a sweet corn emulsion, collard green chow chow, and hot water cornbread for a meal that gladly proclaims it is for those born and raised in North Carolina.
Congratulations to the winners and all contestants in the 2024 NCRLA Chef Showdown!
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