Wednesday, March 02, 2011

Taking a page from the hit TV show Iron Chef, 42 chefs from the Carolinas will face off during the ARAMARK Culinary Excellence (ACE) Chef Competition at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

In association with UNCW Campus Dining Services, college chefs, including five UNCW chefs, will compete March 8 and 9 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in UNCW's Madeline Suite. The competition will be followed by an awards ceremony on March 10 from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the UNCW Burney Center. The 5th annual regional event is an iron chef, mystery basket style competition. Chefs will be unaware of the ingredients they will be using to prepare their dishes until the start of the competition.

"We try and choose foods that are local and indigenous to the area that the national chef competition will be held in," stated Matt Rogers, UNCW Campus Dining. "This helps prepare the chefs for the challenge that lies ahead if they advance to the national level."

Chefs will compete at different times throughout the two-day competition. Each chef will have three hours to prepare two dishes featuring the mystery ingredients. The finished products will be judged by a panel of professionals in the food industry. Two judges will focus on skill while in the kitchen, and three judges will focus on taste and presentation.

UNCW's executive chef Eric Huff will return this year for a chance to win the title a second year in a row. Colleges from North and South Carolina that will be represented in the competition include UNC Chapel Hill, Clemson University, Western Carolina University, College of Charleston, East Carolina University, The Citadel and others.

The awards ceremony on March 10 will feature a traditional 17-course meal inspired by French cuisine and Escoffier, "king of the chefs" and creator of the 17-course menu concept. Each course will be prepared with fresh products from local N.C. farmers.

"As far as using local ingredients for the meal, that was the easy part for me," said Huff. "Fresh local food is the star; I just embrace the flavors and let them shine as bright as possible."

The top three chefs will advance to the national chef competition held in conjunction with the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) National Conference. The three chefs will form a team that will compete for the national title in Tampa, Fla. on July 11, 2011.

ARAMARK is a leader in professional services, providing award-winning food services, facilities management, and uniform and career apparel to health care institutions, universities and school districts, stadiums and arenas, and businesses around the world.

Interviews can be arranged with chefs and other participants. Numerous visual opps will be available, particularly during the competition and award ceremony.

Media Contact:
Emily Jones, media relations assistant, 910.962.3171 or jonesel@uncw.edu