If you know me and my husband, then you know that we are self-confessed foodies. Besides, cooking and eating out at our favorite places, watching cooking competitions on TV is something we love as a couple. So when I was invited to cover Chef Battle Kansas City, I knew this would be the perfect family outing for us, before the bad weather moved in. Yes, we are headed for another snowstorm, when the snow from the previous storm has not even melted.
Kansas City Restaurant Week is on, but what turned on the heat on a cold Thursday evening, was a culinary competition in town. Some of the best Chefs of Kansas City battled it out, in the inaugural edition of Chef Battle Kansas City, presented by
Social Power Hour.
The winner would proceed to the Regional Championships to be held in Chicago in April. Social Power Hour started in 2012 with the goal to provide unique experiences. Founder Matt Hensler of
Social Power Hour has been working in restaurants since he was 14. Chef Battle began to see how creative chefs could be and allow the local community to watch and talk to chefs since they are normally stuck in kitchens. Now Chef Battle is on tour to find the best chefs in the country and will be in at least 50 cities in 2019.
You could not miss the enthusiasm and high spirits at the
Martin Event Space, as the chefs went head to head creating their signature entree in an hour. The crowd cheered on, as the salt, fat, and acid took center stage with heat.
Martin City Brewing Company were the official beverage sponsors, who kept the beer flowing and kept the spirits high, as the competition ticked on to the final minutes.
Renewal by Anderson was the official sponsor for the evening. We all need that natural light, especially in the kitchen for those food photos. I wish I knew of them before I started my kitchen reno.
Guests had an opportunity to vote for their favorite bite, in a ballot, once they had tasted all the food. There were two rounds of winners- Popular Choice and Judge's Choice. Speaking of judges, there was fellow blogger Sarah Ruhlman of Sarah Scoop who was judging the event along with Chef Eric Harland and Adam Schaumburg, Community Director of Yelp KC.
Samantha Thomas, the host of Small Talk with Samantha, was the host for the evening. Speaking of blogger friends, it was so wonderful catching up with Lori Barnes, of Macros and Manolos. So proud of the beautiful creative community of Kansas City. Once the Chef's had presented their culinary creations to the judges, it was time for the guests to sample their fare and vote for their favorites.
My favorite for the evening and the winner of the Public Choice Award of Chef Battle Kansas City was
Chef Wesley Browning of Beauty of the Bistro. I always say, the simplest of food, is the most difficult o execute. And if it is a Burger, then the stakes are even higher. Chef Browning created a Wagyu Beef Burger, with beef sourced from KC Cattle company, with sheep's milk cheese from Green Dirt Farm(my favorite), rolls sponsored by Farm to Market, with mayo made from scratch and onion. One of the best burgers I have had, and trust me, burgers are something I eat a lot. I could literally devote an entire article as to how good that burger was. Cooked medium rare, succulent, flavorful and uber juicy. I said, Hallelujah at every bite. Chef Browning was also the 3rd place winner of the Judge's Choice.
The second place of the Judge's choice awards went to
Chef Jeremy Nettles of Joy N Us Catering. And his wife was his sous chef! How romantic is that! In my books, a couple who cook together, stay together. It's so similar to me and my husband, as we love cooking together. He created a Salmon BLT, with cajun spiced salmon with baby spinach salsa and sherry vinaigrette. It was an interesting play of textures and flavors.
Let me talk about the other noteworthy culinary creations of the evening before we announce the final winner.
Chef Niko Tsamolias, Executive Chef of Pete's Steakhouse added a Middle Eastern flair with his offering. Kubadi Kebab with a saffron-infused smashed potato, succotash, and pork belly was an explosion of flavors. Kebabs are a big favorite of mine, as I love making them myself. It is very easy to overcook a Kebab if you are not careful, rendering them dry. Chef Niko's Kebab's very the stuff of Kebab dreams, which had me dreaming of tandoori nights.
From Kebabs to Surf and Turf, presented by
Chef Jeffrey Thomas of Sullivan's Steak House. Lobster and tenderloin served with a tomato reduction, charred corn, and micro green salad.
Chef Brandon Bross of Lake Quivira Country Club created seared country pork rib marinated in allspice, with pineapple salsa, carrot puree, and corn salad. Loved the cooling effect of the carrot puree, with the heat of the pineapple salsa, paired with the rib.
I could not taste the creation from
Chef Daniel Nutty, of Lidia's Kansas City, but it looked great, both from the prep table and in its final presentation. They had run out of samples when I finally reached their table.
Last but not least, the Judge's Choice Winner of Chef Battle Kansas City, who walked away with a 10,000 dollar prize was
Chef Chris Jones of Pearl Tavern. Meatballs which were steamed and then pan seared, to not only lock in the moisture but also add that caramelization and crunch, served with pineapple glaze. I have never seen meatballs being steamed in bamboo baskets which are used for steaming dumplings, but I can tell you that they tasted amazing.
It was a great evening, to say the least. A wonderful time with the whole family and some of the coolest Chefs in town. What was most interesting was the sheer display of culinary styles and the variety of culinary influences of the chefs! Proud of all the Chefs for doing our city proud at such well-known cooking competitions.
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