Judging the 2018 Taste of West Virginia

On June 14, I finally got the opportunity to serve as a judge during the 2018 Taste of West Virginia, hosted by the American Red Cross. As a competitive chef I hardly ever get to taste my own food during events, let alone other team’s dishes, so getting to serve as a judge for this amazing event was certainly a treat for me.

Our team of five judges was tasked with tasting dishes from 24 vendors and declaring winners in the following categories: Best Savory Dish, Best Sweet Dish, Best Presentation, Most Original, and Taste of West Virginia.

And the winners were…..

Best Savory Dish: Cody’s

Cody's: Salmon belly poké cannoli with wasabi aioli — Salmon belly poké cannoli with wasabi aioli

Best Sweet Dish: Tutto Gelato Cafe

Tutto Gelato Cafe: Pistachio gelato, Amarena cherries, crushed pistachios and cayenne pepper chocolate sauce — Pistachio gelato, Amarena cherries, crushed pistachios and cayenne pepper chocolate sauce (Photo courtesy of Candace Nelson)

Best Presentation: Table 9

Table 9: Braised pork belly, gochujang glaze and Japanese mayo — Braised pork belly, gochujang glaze and Japanese mayo

Most Original: PeppeBroni’s Pizza

PeppeBroni's Pizza: Pear, red onion and walnut pizza with arugula and honey drizzle — Pear, red onion and walnut pizza with arugula and honey drizzle

Taste of West Virginia: Bourbon Prime

Bourbon Prime: Pork belly, bloody butcher grits, sweet corn succotash and maple glaze — Pork belly, bloody butcher grits, sweet corn succotash and maple glaze

People’s Choice: 1863 Grill

1863 Grill: Cinnamon roll with ice cream — Cinnamon roll with ice cream (photo courtesy of Candace Nelson)

Joining me at the judges table was:

Mike Costello, chef & farmer, Lost Creek Farm, who was featured in May on Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown

Anne Hart, owner & executive chef, Provence Market Cafe

Candace Nelson, food blogger and author of “The West Virginia Pepperoni Roll”

Tim Urbanic, chef & co-founder, Cafe Cimino Country Inn

Brittany Furbee, Tim Urbanic, Candace Nelson, Mike Costello, Anne Hart

As an added bonus I was also able to finally meet Vagabond Chef, Matt Welsch, who is also a member of the fictitious ‘West Virginian Chefs who have won Food Network shows’ club!

Vagabond Chef, Matt Welsch, & Brittany Furbee

Serving as a judge was an amazing experience that has given me a unique perspective that will definitely come in handy the next time I am in a competitive kitchen.

Luckily, I won’t have to wait long before judging again as I recently signed up to serve as a judge during the 6^th annual Best Chef Cook-Off, hosted by the Morgantown History Museum. The event will be held on August 2, 2018, at Lakeview Resort. For tickets or more info call 304-319-1800.

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