2015 CT Chefs Challenge Competitors and Judges Announced

We already told you to save the date, so it’s about that time to get your tickets for the 2015 CT Chefs Challenge! The competition goes down on Friday, September 18, starting at 7 pm at the Lincoln Culinary Institute in Shelton. This year you have two options for tix, too: GA for $50 which includes free beer/wine, apps, food buffet, coffee, and dessert or the Tasting Ticket for $100 which also includes a reserved seat at a shared table, and a tasting dish from the chefs for the table to share. Also included is the cocktail hour where you’ll have the chance to drink, try some apps, meet some new friends, and learn about The Optimus Foundation who are the benefactors of this incredible event.

Now, here are some of the great things to look forward to:

Chef Plum during one of his legendary Dinner Undergrounds. In the middle pictures you can see Chef Kern (grey hat) who is one of the competitors this year.

1) Chef Plum, owner of Plum Luv Foods, winner of Guys Grocery Games, and contestant on The Taste and Cutthroat Kitchen, will be your host for the night. When we say that Plum is one of the best guys around, we’re not exaggerating. Plus, he’s hella funny, so we can’t wait to see him harass the chef contestants, the judges, and maybe you if you’re lucky.

2) Speaking of chefs, look at this amazing list of people who will be competing to win the Best in Show title.

• Mark Vecchitto – Seehund German Pub: 2014 Winner 
• Adam Bedini – StrEATery
• Dan Monroe – The Pantry 
• Justin Kern – Meeting House Pub
• 

  Chef Carlos Baez is the man behind The Spread in SoNo. We think he has what it takes to take home Best in Show, how about you?

  Carlos Baez – The Spread

• Joshua Morosi – A Chef’s Choice 
• Jason Maur – MaurPowerFoodie and Masterchef Season 3
• Carol Koty – The Waterview and Lockwood Lodge and World Food championship competitor

3) In terms of judges we have:

• Chef Derrick Prince of Stanton Social (owned by Chris Santos) who made it as a finalist on Masterchef is Born to Braise Hell! He’s also no stranger to the judges chair, having helped decide winners at the recent Bacon and Beer Classic, NY Best Wings Festival, and the NYC Hot Sauce Expo.
• Judy and Joy will be there and we’re so excited. They’ve been so kind to us over the past few years and we love their style and what they do. The Wonder Twins have been all over TV, have their own cookbook, their own column, and even their own radio show.
• Finally, there’s Ken Tuccio of Welcome to Connecticut Podcast. He’s interviewed countless people in the food field (including us of course), so it’s time for him to share some of that food knowledge that he’s absorbed and built up. No doubt he’ll have an opinion on something and will let you know . . . that’s just the way it works. ;)

Keep checking back because we’ll have some features with the chefs involved and maybe a surprise or two along the way.