Culinary Clips TV

Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 02/9/07

BY BOB CONSIDINE
GANNETT NEW JERSEY

Post Comment The recipe for the 2007 Jersey Shore Best of the Best Chefs Cook-off in Toms River calls for the following:

Dice the competition. Add a dash of drama. Just don’t mince words when you mix it up. Then beat the clock.

That will be the formula for the four finalists of the second annual cooking contest, which will be held at the Toms River High School South cafetorium from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday.

In addition to raising funds for the Ocean County Vocational Technical Schools programs, it also pits the top chefs in New Jersey against each other much in the way of the popular “Iron Chef” show on the Food Network.

“Chefs, in general, have giant egos and they all think they’re the best at what they do,” said Mike Jurusz, executive chef of the Atlantic Bar and Grill in Seaside Park and co-founder of the event. “That goes from the chefs to the best restaurants to the guy who’s flipping burgers. What we do with this competition is take all that energy and ego and use it as positive energy to raise money for the schools and the kids.”

This year’s final four includes reigning champion Kenny Stelmack, executive chef at the Bridgewater Manor, who earned a first-round bye from the qualifying round last month by virtue of holding the prestigious Culinary Cup.

“It’s kind of like the Stanley Cup,” Stelmack said. “You get to keep it for a year. But if I lose, I’ve got to give up my cup — and I don’t want to do that.”

His competition includes executive chefs Peter Fischback of Cask 591 restaurant in Long Branch, Michael Giletto of Cherry Valley Country Club in Skillman and Michael O’Meara of Sweet Vidalia restaurant in Beach Haven.

In the qualifying round, held at the Brick campus of the OCVTS, each chef was assisted by a culinary arts student. They had one hour to prepare four portions of one dish, which included a mystery ingredient.

“The competition helps the students in the culinary classes see first-hand what it takes to compete and work with top area chefs,” said Murray Dychtwald, a culinary consultant and co-organizer of the event.

But on Sunday, it gets more challenging. This time, with the assistant of their choice, they’ll have to create four portions of two dishes — a main course and a salad or appetizer — utilizing another mystery ingredient. Once again, the time limit is an hour.

In last year’s “Best of the Best” contest, for example, the mystery ingredient was wild boar.

“I try to pick something that no one is using,” Jurusz added. “I also try to bring in something whole that they have to de-bone, something they have to break down. If you don’t know what to do with that stuff, you’re in trouble from the beginning.”

Before a panel of judges, the chefs will be scored on taste, presentation, use of the mystery ingredient and overall food complementation.

The winning chef will take home $1,000, a gold medal and the Culinary Cup. The runner-up earns $300 and $200 goes to the third-place chef.

“For chefs, it’s a chance to show your creative side,” Stelmack added. “You know, you go to work everyday and you’re glad to be there, but a lot of times you’re doing the same thing.”

“It’s like a sport,” Jurusz added. “It’s the thrill of competition. Every chef wants to win and do well for the restaurant they represent and for themselves. It’s at an arena where people are watching you and they give the crowd a good show. It’s a good family time.”