In a culinary showdown similar to those featured on television shows such as Top Chef and Chopped, three seasoned chefs will match sharp knives and quick wits for the benefit of Founders Hall on Sunday, June 4, from 4 – 7 pm.
Chefs Mike Anastacio, Paul Desiano, and Germano Minin will compete to create an entree from a basket of surprise ingredients, in just sixty minutes, in front of a live audience. A panel of food experts, including Ridgefielder Brendan Walsh (Dean of Culinary Arts, the Culinary Institute of America) will judge the chefs on their creativity, craftsmanship and culinary results as the crowd cheers the chefs on.
How are the chefs preparing? What is their "recipe for success"? Find out right here on HamletHub as we showcase each chef!
Chef Germano Minin
Meet Chef Germano Minin. No stranger to being in the culinary hot seat, Minin is a former contender on the Food Network's "Chopped". He is also co-owner of The Village Tavern in Ridgefield and will soon open a second restaurant in Ridgefield with his Village Tavern partners called Romolo Gastro Pizza.
How are you preparing for this much anticipated culinary showdown?
Meditation, Thai-chi, massages...and I tell myself that the battle is in 6 months time! LOL
I'm not nervous, but in the same token I'm up against a basket of "unknown" ingredients, 2 great chefs, judges that will decide your ability to cook in 1 dish, I'm cooking in a "foreign kitchen" in a parking lot and I have to make it happen in 60 minutes...I think I need a drink already!
Do you know your fellow Chefs?
Not really and I don't have any intention to know them until the battle is over. Psychological war has started and the battle is on. I'm sure we'll have dinner together after I take the title home, and I'll pick up the tab as a consolation price for my fellow chefs
My fantastic wife Bronwyn is my princess and I cook for her anything she pleases, but we rather spend the time I'm off with my son Giovanni, building Lego sets and bird houses, playing soccer and bake cakes from store bought boxes. Food at home is not that important because family is our number one priority.
By the way, my wife loves risotto with porcini mushrooms and truffle...and my son fried calamari.
Fan of the TV shows Top Chef or Chopped?
Absolutely! Been there, done that. Now it's all about "Battle of the Chefs".
You have 60 minutes to win over the judges by your culinary creativity, craftsmanship and results. Enough time?
There is never enough time when you're cooking; chefs re-think their dishes multiple times before they make their final decision, but there is enough time to see what you learned over the years and how you handle pressure in the kitchen.
What do you hope is in your basket of surprises? Anything you don’t want?
Would like rumps, artichokes, game, fresh seafood.
No crocodile please!
What’s your recipe for success?
1 cup of respect
1 cup of integrity
1 cup of honesty
3 cup of believing
Love what you do and do it with love. There isn't enough time to waste, if you want to achieve your dreams.
Tickets and more information on Battle of the Chefs are available at www.founders-hall.org or by calling Founders Hall at 203-431-7000. Event sponsors: Fairfield County Bank and The Chefs’ Warehouse.
Purchase tickets to Battle of the Chefs here.