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I always wanted to date a ChefBy Madelyn Miller, the TravelLadyWhen I was a little girl, I wanted to be a princess. I guess that meant you had to marry a Prince. Since Charles is now taken (again) I guess I am too late. Then I thought it would be nice to marry a pilot, so I could fly everywhere with him. More recently I wished for a relationship with a High Tech Geek so I would have someone in my life who could always fix my computer. (that one ended recently for me). But I know I would love to date a chef. Someone who would bake delightful dishes just for me. (of course we would spend our weekends at Weight Watchers or working out) So when I heard about the Date Chef contest, I was really interested. I like chefs. I like dates. Unfortunately, the chefs were not the prize. When I read a little further, I understood that the chefs were the ones cooking the dates (not women, the fruit) and preparing them in exotic ways. Now I just want to be a judge at the Date Chef contest. But you may be interested in the winners.
Both Best of Show and People's Choice awards were captured by Leanne Kamekona, executive chef at the La Quinta Resort & Club for her entrée, "Yucatan Rack of Lamb with Roasted Corn & Date Tamale". The plate consisted of rare lamb chops with a roasted corn and date tamale garnished with broccolini, grilled purple raddicio leaves, fresh mint chutney, and corn shoots with an Ancho reduction. The award-winning dessert was "Date Tasting" by Carolina Sanchez, pastry chef at Azur by Le Bernardin at the La Quinta Resort & Club. Her quarto of tastes included Deglet date pudding with toffee sauce, a Khadrawy date parfait, pureed date phyllo with hazelnuts, and a mini root beer float with date ice cream. Winner in the appetizer category was Dean Frangopoulos, executive chef at Random House, New York, for his "Pepper Crusted Beef Carpaccio with Date Vinaigrette and Frisee". The beef was seared with black and pink pepper corns.
The 2005 Date Chef Competition drew top chefs from Hawaii, New York, Wyoming, and California, including eight from the Coachella Valley. Winners were judged in a blind tasting by a panel of food writers and chefs including Elaine Khosrova, senior editor for Santé magazine, a national publication for restaurant professionals and media sponsor of this year's event; Pastry Chef Lloyd Soleta, an American Culinary Federation certified culinary competition judge; Henry Fenwick, food columnist for The Desert Sun; Donna Curran, editor-at-large for Palm Springs Life Desert Guide; and Jackie Olden, chef, cook book author, and radio and television hostess. Following the professional judging, the competition was open to the public for a Gala Champagne Awards Reception in the hotel's Salon de Flores where more than 300 guests tasted the finalists' entries and vote for People's Choice. A Market Place featuring Oasis Date Gardens, California Farms, Kitchen Kitchen, and the La Quinta Resort & Club retail was open to the public all afternoon in the foyer of the Salon. The annual Date Chef Competition is presented by the California Date Administrative Committee (CDAC). For more information, visit the CDAC Web site at <http://cl.exct.net/?ffcd16-fe6215777261057d7316-fdff15717465027b72167476> www.DatesAreGreat.com. If You Would Like Another Kind of DateThe Everything Dating Book 2002 Ways to find, attract and keep a Date Date Out of Your League...for men only Online Dating For Dummies A Commonsense Guide To Successful Internet Dating |
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Four top chefs came away winners on Sunday, April 10 at the
2005 Date Chef Competition, held at the historic La Quinta Resort & Club in La
Quinta, California.
The First Place Entrée award was given to Wendi Schwartz,
chef/owner of Café on Pine in Pinedale, Wyoming, for her "Duck on a Date"
featuring duck legs topped with a date and hazelnut stuffing, garnished with
raspberries puree and balsamic vinaigrette.