September Event: Barracks Row Fall Festival with Military Chef Cook-off

Me Judging 555 Cochon earlier this year.  Photo by Emily Clack

Join me on Saturday, September 25, 2010, at the Barracks Row Fall Festival on Capitol Hill from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.  

MHA and Barracks Row are proud to sponsor the Military Culinary Competition held in conjunction with the fabulous and fun Fall Festival from 7:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m..  The Cook-Off will feature a mystery box contest where military chefs (including White House, Secretary of Defense, Secretary of the Air Force chefs) open their boxes of ingredients and create a culinary masterpiece in tents complete with state-of-the-art ovens, right in front of your eyes on the midway. The winning team will take home the Military Top Chef Award, and $1,000 presented at 4:45 pm by the Commandant of the Marine Corps, General James Conway.

I'll be one of the judges for the competition along with Adam Shapiro, Managing Partner, Capital Grille DC, Exec Chef Jason Miller from the Wall Street Capital Grille, Exec Chef Teddy Folkman from Granville Moore’s, Chef John DeShetler from the Culinary Institute of America.

Joining General Conway to make the awards presentations will be the fabulous Redskins Cheerleaders, the Redskinettes and Miss DC. See www.barracksrow.org  for schedules of cheerleaders, skydivers, and bands.

This urban street fair is held annually on Washington, DC’s oldest commercial corridor, 8^th Street, SE, known as Barracks Row, between E Street, SE, and I Street, SE, one block from the Eastern Market Metro Plaza.  Right away you will be reminded of classic hometown American street fairs. There will be a midway with cotton candy; a petting zoo with llamas, lambs and rabbits; games for kids and a magic show; as well as antique cars and artists’ booths. Fair-goers can also grab a table at one of Barrack’s Row’s 30+ restaurants and watch this unique fair unfold!

A stage will be set up at the corner of 8^th and G Streets, SE.  Bands will play fair music all day long and dancing is encouraged at the intersection. You will see Chesty XIII, the official mascot of the United States Marine Corps.  An English bulldog, Chesty will be there to pose for photos, and meet skydivers who will drop in about 5pm.

Paul Prudhomme, the Ragin’ Cajun Chef, will also be signing cookbooks only from 9 to 11 am at the Military Chef’s Cook-Off held during the fair.