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 in the 2018 Battle of the Chefs on Sunday, June 3, from 4 – 7 pm.
Chefs Brian Bender (David's Soundview Catering/formerly The Cutting Board Café, Ridgefield), Zachariah Campion (Bailey's Backyard, Ridgefield), and André Gainer (Luna Rossa, Ridgefield) will open a basket of surprise ingredients in front of an audience of over 200 and, in just 60 short minutes, compete to create the winning entree as judged by a panel of food experts. Renowned judges, audience participation and the chance to provide life-long learning to over 3,600 people will make this a rollicking, mouth-watering, soul-satisfying event.
How are the chefs preparing? What is their "recipe for success"? Find out right here on HamletHub as we showcase each chef!
Chef Brian Bender
How are you preparing for this much anticipated culinary showdown?
I have been working with some recipes and creations with the known appetizer ingredient, ideas, and strategies that will be delicious and work in this unique setting. Other than that, I think it’s just a mental state of reacting to what’s in the basket and making immediate decisions as to how and what to cook. I am also giving a lot of thought as to who my sous chef will be. I have spent a lot of my life working in “Macgyver” conditions, so I think that should give me an advantage. I have also talked to a couple of previous contestants to get some insight for what to expect and any coaching they can offer.
It’s hard to plan what to do when you don’t have the ingredients. I will stick to my passion and basics and I have a few “go to” preparations that are tried and true winners. Fortunately for me, I have spent most of my career in high-pressure time sensitive environments so making on the fly decisions and quick-fire creations are in my wheelhouse.
You have 60 minutes to win over the judges by your culinary creativity, craftsmanship, and results. Enough time?
What do you hope is in your basket of surprises? Anything you don’t want?
The only thing I really prefer not to see is zucchini. I have never been a big fan since I was a little kid and my mom used to put zucchini in salad and say it was cucumber to try to trick me to eat it. I know, weird. I hope there are eggs.
What is your culinary specialty?
Lately, I have been really into bringing and smoking everything from brisket to chickpeas to rock salt, Korean cuisine, and experimenting with all different varieties of grains. I never want to stop learning and adapting to current trends. I would say my specialty is finding the perfect balance between seasoning, cooking, garnishing, and execution of hors-d'oeuvres and other items and how that would translate to whatever setting in which that particular item is being served. How does a certain ingredient or preparation travel? Cook it in my kitchen and pack it in a warmer, or cook it on site? Will this sauce hold up if I reheat it in an hour, or do I have to do it in a minute? How many pounds of scallops do I need for 180 people? What kind of scallops? What size? How long should the jardinière rainbow carrots marinate? One day? Three days? Less than one day?
What’s your recipe for success?
My success has been achieved by learning from my own experiences and wisdom of other chefs who I have been fortunate to learn from, and that recipe is ”depend on no one, prepare for the worst, and trust my palate”.
Purchase tickets to Battle of the Chefs here.