A chef from Baraboo took top honors during the 2016 Taste of Elegance competition in Wisconsin Dells. The annual event, hosted by the Wisconsin Pork Association, brought eight chefs from across the state together, competing head-to-head using pork in their tasty treats.
Chef Michael Althen from Elite Catering Baraboo was named Chef Par Excellence – taking home $750 in prize money and a trip to the Culinary Institute of America in Greystone, CA! Chef Althen’s winning entrée, titled “Babe” at First Light, was an elegant sampling of start to the morning faire. It included stuffed roasted center cut pork loin, slow roasted smoky side pork, a soy biscuit with soy sausage gravy, and an apple and bourbon glazed bacon corn fritter.
Nestor Sanchez, chef at the Milwaukee Athletic Club, was Superior Chef with a $500 prize, he prepared a pesto tofu pork tenderloin roulade. Rodrigo Juarez, chef at the Kahlahari Resort in WI Dells took home the Premium Chef award of $250, plus the Best of Soy award – an additional $250 prize. Chef Rodrigo’s entrée featured pork ossobuco and smoked pork belly complimented with soy-infused mashed potato.
The audience favorite was created and served by Chef Ace Champion from DePere. Champion’s entry, creole pan-seared pork tenderloin, was named the People’s Choice award – garnishing the most votes from the sampling audience and $250.
There was also a lot of crowd support for the annual WPA Live Pie Auction and the supporting silent auction – all to benefit WI Pork Association scholarship activities. The live pie auction raised, $9,925 and the silent auction items brought in an additional $1,388.