Belgium wins Embassy Chef 2010

Cultural Tourism DC and the Embassy of Sweden presented the Embassy Chef Challenge 2010 at the beautiful House of Sweden sitting in an ideal location on the water in Georgetown. This experience brought me back to the International Food Festival at Duke Law where the students go the opportunity to show off their cooking skills and feature dishes from their home countries. The Embassy Chef Challenge was a huge success!
Over 400 guests sampled dishes of competing chefs including Chef Aysha Murad, Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain presenting chickpea kababs served with bread.Chef Viktor Merényi, Embassy of the Republic of Hungary (Winner of the March 7 Safeway Challenge) presenting smoked catfish, served with chicken-celery salad, mesclun lettuces, cauliflower foam, and beet-root "caviar"
Chef Ana Maria Mas, Embassy of the Republic of Panama, presenting jumbo shrimp and avacado salad over vol-au-vents. (One of my favorites!)

Chef Francis Otoo, Embassy of Ghana, presenting shrimp kose.
Chef Jan Van Haute, Embassy of Belgium presenting Walk Through Belgian Cuisine, featuring pork, brussel sprouts, mustard, Belgian endive, and Leffe brown beer.

Chef Einat Admony, Embassy of Israel (People's Choice Winner), Chef Jae-ok Chang, Embassy of the Republic of Korea, Chef Chetnath Bhandari, Embassy of Nepal, and Chef Sunil Kiriwane, Embassy of the State of Qatar. His Excellency Vladimir Petrovic, from the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia also participated in the culinary showcase.
Celebrity judges including Alchemy Catering and Top Chef finalist Carla Hall, Chef Michel Richard of Citronelle and Central and Washington Post food editor Joe Yonan, Chef Martin Johansson of the Embassy of Sweden selected Hungary’s Chef Jan Van Haute as the Embassy Chef Challenge Winner based on the total points from both competitions; popular vote went to Israel’s Chef Einat Admony.
The Embassy Chef Challenge also offered a sneak peek of Cultural Tourism DC's Passport DC 2010. Congratulations to all of the chefs. You are all winners!!

12 CHEFS HEAT UP THE KITCHEN FOR CULTURAL TOURISM DC’S EMBASSY CHEF CHALLENGE

Cultural Tourism DC’s second annual Embassy Chef Challenge features 12 outstanding chefs from Ghana and Israel to Belgium and Panama, all competing on Thursday, March 18 (6:30 – 10 pm) at the breathtaking House of Sweden (2900 K Street, NW) for the evening’s awards. Ambassador of Sweden Jonas Hafström and his wife, Eva, join Cultural Tourism DC in welcoming guests to the nonprofit organization’s benefit, which includes a silent auction and entertainment.

Leading up to the main event is Challenge Sweden, presented by Safeway, on Sunday, March 7, when six embassy chefs will cook head-to-head, Top Chef-style. The cook-off takes place in the kitchens of Occasions Caterers in Northeast Washington. Chefs from Belgium, Ghana, Hungary, Korea, Panama, and Qatar each receive salmon and a basket of surprise ingredients, drawn from Swedish cuisine. They have two hours to prepare a main course. The judging panel, which includes Martin Johansson, Embassy of Sweden chef, will reserve the name of the winner for the night of the Embassy Chef Challenge.

On March 18, all 12 chefs, including two ambassadors, prepare hors d’oeuvre for Embassy Chef Challenge guests and the judging panel, including Joe Yonan, The Washington Post food and travel editor; Michel Richard of Citronelle; Nora Pouillon of Restaurant Nora; and Chef Carla Hall of Alchemy Caterers and a Top Chef finalist. Event patrons vote for the People’s Choice Award, while the judges nominate their favorite.

Finally, chefs competing in both Challenge Sweden and the Embassy Chef Challenge are eligible to win the evening’s grand prize, Embassy Chef 2010.

“The Embassy Chef Challenge is on the cutting edge of the cuisine experience from around the world, and Washington, DC is the epicenter,” said Susan Clampitt, Embassy Chef Challenge benefit co-chair. “What better way to sample an international experience than by partaking of food offerings from every continent – right here in our nation's capital.”

The Embassy Chef Challenge provides a sneak preview – an “appetizer” – for Cultural Tourism DC’s Passport DC 2010, a celebration of international culture held in May (www.PassportDC.org).

Proceeds from the Embassy Chef Challenge, which is presented in collaboration with the Embassy of Sweden, benefit Cultural Tourism DC. Tickets are available for purchase online at www.CulturalTourismDC.org and by phone at 202-661-7581.

Challenge Sweden presented by Cultural Tourism DC and Safeway

This past Sunday, March 7th, I attended the Embassy Chef Challenge at Occasions Caterers at 5458 Third Street, NE, in Washington, DC. I witnessed seven competing chefs:

Chef Jan Van Haute

Embassy of Belgium

Chef Viktor Merényi

Embassy of the Republic of Hungary

Chef Chang Jae-ok

Embassy of the Republic of Korea

Chef Nazha Kasraoui

Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco

Chef Francis Otoo

Embassy of Ghana

Chef Ana Victoria Mas

Embassy of the Republic of Panama

Chef Sunil Kiriwane

Embassy of the State of Qatar

Challenge Sweden presented by Safeway was the first part of Cultural Tourism DC’s Embassy Chef Challenge, and it was a head-to-head cooking competition (Top Chef style). Participating embassy chefs prepared a main course dish using salmon and other ingredients provided that day by Safeway. In honor of the hosting country, Sweden, these ingredients were drawn from Swedish cuisine and selected by Chef Martin Johansson. While participation in Challenge Sweden is optional, to win the Embassy Chef Challenge Award, chefs must participate in both competitions.

JUDGING: Judges will award scores based on 20 points:

• Flavor and taste
• Use of ingredients
• Visual appeal
• Creativity
• How chefs work in the kitchen

The scores from Challenge Sweden will be combined with the scores from the second part of the competition…

Learn more about each competitor throughout the time leading up to the final challenge on March 18, 2010 by reading the Capital Cooking Show Blog.