Chefs Show Their Stuff at FMI Connect

Twenty-four finalists chosen from 130 submissions from 30 food retailers nationwide took center stage at FMI Connect during the live Supermarket Chef Showdown competition. Delicious aromas wafted through the air of the exhibit hall as finalists competed in side dishes and mini meals, healthy meals, ethnic meals, family meals and desserts categories, cooking each meal in 20 minutes or less using ingredients commonly found in supermarkets.

Products like crackers and cans of tuna were visible on the chefs’ cooking stations and blenders whirred and pots steamed as the finalists competed for such prizes as trips to San Francisco and a Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans. The judges walked among the stations, watching the chefs do their thing and judging them based on criteria such as consumer appeal, presentation and creativity.

Judges for the competition included Janet McCracken, Test Kitchen Director for Everyday with Rachael Ray, Harry Balzer, Vice President and Chief Industry Analyst for The NPD Group, Jennifer Bucko Lamplough, Chef and Instructor at the Robert Morris University Institute of Culinary Arts, and Harold Plein, Chef and Culinary Researcher and Developer for Cantu Designs.

Andrew Klintigh of Hy-Vee, who took the top prize in the ethnic meals category for his Moroccan style chickpea and kale stew, said the retailer’s corporate office encouraged him and his fellow chefs, nine of whom competed across the other categories, to get involved in the competition.

Rachael Perron of Kowalski’s was named the grand champion of the competition and took home the top prize for the healthy meals category with her Greek grain salad with dilled feta dressing. Other winners included Erin Horton of Orchard Fresh, who took the top prize in side dishes and mini meals for Mediterranean chicken meatballs, Keoni Chang of Foodland Supermarkets, who took the top prize in family meals for his Korean style Hillshire Farm dogs with kimchee slaw and Alexia garlic sweet potato fries, and Michael Brady of FRESH by Brookshires Grocery, who took home the top prize in desserts for banana beignets.

Supermarket Guru Phil Lempert served as master of ceremony for the competition, and said the event was started as a way to help form a community among supermarket chefs.