by TM Petaccia

NCRLA 2022 Chef of the Year Oscar Johnson of Jimmy Pearls with chef/business partner Daryl Cooper. Photo courtesy

Competitors for the seventh annual NCRLA Chef Showdown competition were unveiled this morning. Conducted by North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association, the Chef Showdown is a series of private preliminary and regional competitions, culminating at a public Grand Finale, August 14 in Raleigh.

“Chef Showdown has become the place to showcase the incredible talent of the North Carolina hospitality industry,” says Lynn Minges, President & CEO of NCRLA.

Chef Competition

The preliminary rounds will begin May 8 in Wilkesboro, followed by Asheville, Morehead City, Raleigh, and Charlotte. Unlike TV competitions, chefs are not given a secret ingredient or otherwise restricted to a set menu, however, they must use produce, proteins, artisanal foods (e.g, cheeses) grown and curated in North Carolina.

Of the 66 savory chefs competing, thirteen are from Charlotte restaurants:

Jamie Barnes, What The Fries
Luis Chavarria, Angeline’s
Chris Davis, Red Salt / Port City by David Burke
Trevor Edey, Embassy Suites by Hilton
Charles Gardiner, Napa on Providence
Cory Haigler, Marriott International
Marketa Lucas, Exotic Taste Catering LLC
Olajuwon Mason, Fine & Fettle Restaurant/Canopy by Hilton Charlotte SouthPark
Maribel Mendoza, Cazabe Grille Catering & Personal Chef Services
Tyler Phillips, Chef Tyler
Reyaña Radcliff, Your Braisen Chef LLC
Matthew Shepard, McNinch House Restaurant
Brandon Staton, Leah & Louise

Keynen Cousin, Mouthfull Food Truck and Todd Villani, Terre a Terre, both in Concord plus
Michael Beers, River Run Country Club in Davidson are also competing in the savory category.

Five of fourteen statewide pastry chefs are from Charlotte restaurants:

Luke Adams, Fine and Fettle
Savanna Brodar, The Ballantyne Hotel
Suzette Ramsey, PARA
Ann Marie Stefaney, Your Farms Your Table
Catie Van Slyke, Kimpton Tryon Park Hotel

Twenty winners from the preliminary rounds will move on to compete in the regional competition, July 17 in Charlotte at CPCC for Western NC savory and pastry chefs; and July 24 at Wake Tech in Raleigh for the Eastern NC regional winners. These same 20 finalists will compete at the Grande Finale – a public people’s choice competition at the Angus Barn in Raleigh. Tickets are expected to go on sale for this event in July.

New this year are “Undeniably Dairy Awards” which will be given to the chef, pastry chef, and bartender who showcased the best use of NC dairy products in their dishes and cocktails.

Mixologist Competition

Eighteen bartenders have teamed with a North Carolina distillery. Each will need to create two cocktails using the partner’s spirit, plus one no-alcohol mocktail. The mixology regionals will be held in Winston-Salem’s The Ginger Fox, home to 2022 NCRLA Bartender of the Year, David Bowen.

Of the 18 competitors, three are from Charlotte restaurants/bars. Sekani Akunyun, Lavender & Libations Experience – representing Seven Jars Winery and Distillery; Eli Privette, The Crunkleton – representing Southern Distilling Company; and David Schmidt, Canopy Cocktails – representing The Hackney Distillery.

Six of the 18 will compete at the finale in Raleigh.

The 2023 NCRLA Chef Showdown is sponsored by the NC Department of Agriculture’s GoToBeNC initiative with the Grand Finale sponsored by the NC Sweetpotato Commission.

“Our seventh annual event will feature more North Carolina chefs, bartenders, and distilleries than any year prior. These innovative chefs will all work with local NC products; as will the incredibly creative bartenders who will craft cocktails and mocktails as they represent distilleries from across the state,” Minges says.