Top chef battle to feed the hungry
October 24, 2012By Liz Biro
Who knew that those old “Iron Chef” shows Food Network used to broadcast so long ago -- and in Japanese rather than English -- would make such a mark on the Cape Fear region’s dining scene.
Whether for charity, fun or profit, food competitions are feeding Cape Fear area diners a steady diet of events.
Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina hosts The Iron Skillet Chef Cook-Off 5:30 p.m. Oct. 30 at the University of North Carolina Wilmington’s Warwick Center.
Participating top Wilmington toques include James Beard Award nominee Keith Rhodes of Catch and Phun restaurants and Cameo 19 Hundred’s Kirsten Mitchell, winner of local cooking awards and recently recognized among the Southeast top new chefs by Food & Wine magazine.
Also participating are Rx Restaurant and Bar’s James Doss, who worked at award-winning Husk restaurant in Charleston, S.C.; Steve Harrington of Deluxe; and Ryan Andress and John-Mike Rehm of UNCW kitchens.
Rhodes, Mitchell and Doss recently competed at School of Fire, a cooking competition at downtown’s Manna restaurant that raised nearly $1,500 for Cape Fear Community College’s culinary arts program. Rhodes and Mitchell were part of the uptown chefs team that took home the People’s Choice award. Doss was on the downtown chefs' team, which won the competition.
Doss and Mitchell also competed, and Rhodes judged this spring’s for-profit Fire on the Dock chef competition at Shell Island Resort.
Iron Skillet attendees get to watch chefs prepare healthy meals using only select ingredients. Guests will sample the fare as each chef battles for diners’ votes. Those votes will be in the form of a donation to the Food Bank. A $1 donation equals one vote.
All proceeds generated from Iron Skillet will support the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina at Wilmington. For each dollar donated, the Food Bank reported that it can provide five meals to those in need.
Music will be provided by Chris Bellamy. The evening’s emcee will be Tom Mills of Little Pond Catering.
No tickets are required to attend the event. Call 251-1465.
