Saturday May 31st - Chef Competition

The annual All Lamb Cook-Off among "up and coming" Bay Area chefs will take place on Saturday, May 31st at the 3rd Annual Carneros Heritage Fest at The Donum Estate.  The competition, sponsored by the American Lamb Board, will challenge an invited group of chefs to create a lamb dish reflecting the flavor and spirit of Carneros. (“Los Carneros” means “The Ram” in Spanish.) 

The winner will receive an all-expense paid trip, including air fare and accommodations to the 2009 Taste of Vail Lamb Cook-Off in Vail, Colorado, courtesy of the American Lamb Board.

Last year’s winner, Preston Dishman, Executive Chef of The General’s Daughter, will return this year to defend his title.  The competition will be limited to 12 chefs, with three “bystander” chefs should any of the top 12 be unable to attend on the day of the event. 

The Cook-Off will be hosted by television personality Laura McIntosh, of the acclaimed travel and cooking program, Bringing it Home with Laura McIntosh, which airs on San Francisco’s KTVU and Sacramento’s KCRA and other stations. It will be filmed by the Bringing It Home's production company.

Chefs in the competition must be sponsored by their employers or supervisors, with the application signed by both chefs.  All entries must be received by May 20.  The Top 12 chefs will be announced on Friday, May 23.  All lamb will be provided by Niman Ranch and delivered a minimum of three days prior to the competition on May 31st.

Chefs

Dominic Orsini, Chef, Bar Vino/Brannan's, Calistoga, CA	Matt Mermod, Chef/Owner, Bleaux Magnolia, Napa, CA	Summer Sebastiani, Chef, All Seasons Bistro, Calistoga, CA
Wayne Pratt, Chef, Station House Cafe, Point Reyes Station, CA	Preston Dishman, Executive Chef The General’s Daughter, Sonoma, CA	Graham Jones, Chef, Regusci Winery, Napa, CA
Janine Falvo, Chef de Cuisine, Bistro Carneros, The Lodge at Sonoma Sonoma, CA		Bryan Jones, Chef, The Fig Café Glen Ellen, CA

Judges

Gillian Ballance, Sommelier and Wine Director, PlumpJack Group.

Pierce Carson, Wine/Food Writer, The Napa Register.

Chef Jeff Jake, The Carneros Inn.

Anne Moller-Racke, President, The Donum Estate.

Steve Sando, Founder/Owner, Rancho Gordo Heritage Beans.

Rules

1. All entries must consist of the leg of lamb donated by the American Lamb Board.  Other cuts cannot be used in the entry.  Any use of other cuts will result in disqualification. 
2. Each Chef participating in the Taste of Carneros will receive approximately 25 pounds of butterflied leg of lamb. 
3. One (1) presentation plate and six (6) tasting portions must be presented to judges at official judging time, determined by draw prior to competition.
4. You are free to use your own presentation plate.  The presentation plate should be prepared as if it were being served as an entrée in your restaurant or food establishment. 
5. It is not necessary to provide side dishes with the presentation plate. Any supplies used in the preparation of your dish will be reimbursed up to $25.00.  Please submit any receipts to the Chair of the Carneros Heritage Fest on the day of the competition. 
6. Please provide a name for your dish with the presentation platter. 
7. The presentation plate will not be cut and served.  Judging will be based on both the presentation and the tasting portions. 
8. Your dish should be prepped in your own kitchen and finished at the site of the Carneros Heritage Fest, 24520 Ramal Road, Sonoma, CA 95476. Professional single burner propane stove tops will be supplied to you at the event.
9. Cambros will be provided to keep the dish warm if required. 
10. Tasting portions of your dish should be cut into 1-2 ounce portions and available for sampling by the public attending the Carneros Heritage Fest following the presentation of your dish to the judges.
11. Judging begins at 1:00 p.m. and concludes no later than 3:00 p.m.  Entries will be presented in ten (10) minute increments.  The Taste of Carneros is part of the 3rd Annual Carneros Heritage Fest & Lamb BBQ.  The team preparing the Lamb BBQ is ineligible to participate in The Taste of Carneros competition.
12. You will be assigned a professional food runner who will take your presentation to the judging tent.  Chefs or any other representatives of the restaurant or winery for whom the invited chef works are NOT allowed to take plates back to the judges.
13. Official times are recorded and coincide with the restaurant’s draw time in order to identify each entry.  Competing chefs are given a grace period of 5 minutes after their drawn time to present their presentation plate and tasting portions to their food runner or risk being disqualified.
14. Judges should have no contact or influence prior to the judging with chefs, competitors or associates or the general public.  Any coercion will result in disqualification.  Entries will be judged blind, identified only by the name of the dish.
15. Results will be tallied by competition officials, not judges.
16. Results will be announced following the Judging. 
17. Entries are judged on Taste (15 points), Originality (10 points) and Presentation (5 points).

In case of a TIE, there will be a blind ballot vote.

Click here for press release and signup form