Chef’s Contest Set For OC Trade Expo

OCEAN CITY
Delmarva specialties will be the
theme of the Delmarva Chef’s and Cook’s Association (DCCA) competition, which
will be held during the 34th Annual Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant

Association Spring Trade Expo, March 2-3 at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center.

Each year consistently,
the competitors create enormous excitement and interest during their cooking
demonstrations and competition. This year’s competition is being co-sponsored
by the DCCA and Lankford-Sysco. This year the stakes have been raised and local
chefs will test their skills to see who will be the winner of the Delmarva
Chefs & Cooks Association/Lankford-SYSCO Regional Cuisine Competition. 

“We wanted to challenge
the chefs in the immediate area as there is an enormous amount of talent right
here in our backyard,” said Centerplate Executive Chef and organizer Gary
Leach. 

To enter this
competition, one must be from the Delmarva area; east of the Chesapeake Bay
Bridge, south of the C & D Canal and north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge
Tunnel.

Competitors will be
tasked with creating four portions of both an appetizer, which could be salad,
soup or appetizer and an entrée by incorporating the Eastern
Shore delicacies which will be provided; think oysters, rockfish
and crab. All other ingredients must be provided by the competitor and should

be in raw form as they are to be prepared and finished on-site.  Each competitor will have two hours to

complete four portions of each a signature appetizer and entrée utilizing each
of the three regional cuisine proteins provided. At least one of the provided
items must be used in each course. The two-hour session will include 1 ½ hours
of cooking, 15-minute plate up and 15-minute clean up. Judges will be basing
their vote on 60 percent taste, 15 percent creativity, 15 percent presentation
and 10 percent sanitation skills.

The first place winner
will receive $1,000 cash prize and a trophy, second place is $300 and third
place is $200.

The Delmarva Chefs and
Cooks Association is the local chapter of the American Culinary Federation,
boasting the world’s largest membership to date with more than 25,000 members.
This is a non-profit organization, comprised of professional chefs, cooks and
culinary educators from the eastern shore of Delaware,
Maryland and Virginia.

To enter the

competition, contact Leach at [email protected]

or 410-723-8658.

Expo hours are March 2
from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and March 3 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free to

those who have pre-registered. You may pre-register online at www.oceancitytradeexpo.com before

Feb. 15. On-site registration is $10 with proof of being in the trade.

Attendees must be in the
industry and be at least 21 years of age. Babysitting available with advance
reservations.