Food Bloggers Challenge: Meet the Judge and Chef Patrice Olivon

You’ve voted on the dish and the challenge has begun. We are now editing and after the show airs, you will have a chance to tell us your vote on the Challenge winner. Food Bloggers Challenge: Comfort Food.

Join Lauren and four other food bloggers as they compete in making the best Chicken Potpie. A panel of judges will determine the winner along with votes from readers and viewers.

You’ve met the Challengers
1. Lauren DeSantis: Host and Producer of Capital Cooking
2. April Fulton: Food Scribe
3. Stefanie Gans: Endless Simmer
4. Alison McConnell: Humble Gourmand
5. Johnna Rowe: Johnna Knows Good Food

Now meet the Judges:
1. Chef Vincent Horville: The Metropolitan Club
2. Patrice Olivon: L'Academie de Cuisine
3. Lorena Sander: DC Gastronome

You've met Chef Vincent... and now check out Chef Patrice.

Patrice Olivon is part of a new wave of chefs taking cooking to exciting and dramatic new levels. Born in Casablanca and raised in Provence, Chef Patrice’s culinary style is inspired by the cuisine of Southern France, emphasizing fresh, local ingredients.

Chef Patrice shines when he explains his craft to others – his charisma and culinary expertise draw in culinary students and audiences across the country. Currently the Program Director of Culinary Arts at L'Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg, Maryland, Chef Patrice obtained his culinary degree from Ecole Hôtelière de Marseille, and then cooked at the renowned Negresco Hotel with Michelin two-star Chef Jacques Maximin. Relocating to Washington, DC in 1979, Chef Patrice first worked at Le Palais des Friandises and then was the sous chef at La Maison Blanche for twelve years. Chef Patrice achieved the position of Executive Chef of the Embassy of France and excelled there for twelve years. At the Embassy, he drew upon his French and Moroccan roots, serving cuisine with a sensual, ethnic flair.

Chef Patrice regularly cooks at the White House for formal affairs, private parties, and daily meals. In 1993, First Lady Hillary Clintoncalled upon Chef Patrice, along with the country’s most talented chefs, to “Americanize” White House cuisine. Chef Patrice helped revolutionize State Dinners and private functions - elegant, plated courses showcasing regional American ingredients replaced staid menus and buffets.

Chef Patrice uses humor, antidotes, and charm to not only captivate students, but also television viewers and live audiences. Recently, Chef Patrice released Table for 8, an instructional DVD which allows students of all skill levels to “learn what the professional chefs know.” He demonstrates how to create the perfect dinner with ease and gives tips from start to finish such as choosing delectable ingredients, selecting wine, and properly setting the table.

On Food Network’s competition series Food Fight, Chef Patrice and his French team won by a landslide. His team not only won the show’s grand prize, but Chef Patrice won viewers’ and television executives’ attention. Following Food Fight’s success, Chef Patrice appeared on The Next Food Network Star where participants compete nationwide to become the next culinary television sensation. Out of 10,000 rivals, he rose to become a semifinalist, cementing him as one of the most talented and entertaining food personalities in the United States. In 2006, Chef Patrice competed on Food Network’s Iron Chef America with the former Executive Chef of the White House, Walter Scheib. Alton Brown nicknamed Chef Patrice the “Patrice-O-Matic” for his speed and culinary prowess - skills that helped the team win the battle against Iron Chef Cat Cora. Chef Patrice also appears in a National Geographic documentary featuring a Russian state dinner at the White House.

Chef Patrice’s live cooking demonstrations are in high demand. He has appeared in two Smithsonian Folklife Festivals on the National Mall. In the Food Culture USA 2005 event, he, along with notable chefs Michel Richard, Patrick O’Connell, and Walter Scheib celebrated America’s recent food revolution. In 2007, Chef Patrice demonstrated his passion for his adopted homeland, Virginia, with two cooking demonstrations in the Roots of Virginia Culture.

Chef Patrice regularly entertains live audiences in the Washington, D.C. area whether during his on-stage cooking demonstrations at the Washington, D.C. International Wine and Food Festival or instructing his students at L’Academie de Cuisine. He readily shares his passion for the culinary arts and his innovative ideas about what it takes to truly cook like a professional chef…and he's showing no signs of slowing down. (Bio written by Fresh TV, LLC)

The judges gave helpful comments and critique...you'll have to see for yourself. Keep reading the blog to find the airing dates.