Minneapolis chef places first in Minnesota culinary competition featuring pork
Chef Steve Hesse, executive chef at Oak Grill Restaurant, located at Macy’s, Minneapolis, received first place, Chef Par Excellence, at the 2009 Minnesota Pork Board’s Taste of Elegance competition.
Judges awarded Hesse first place for his recipe, Malaysian Curry Pork Belly and Coquito Panna Cotta. This pork entrée featured brined pork belly served with curry sauce and paired with creamy coconut panna cotta. Hesse received $1,500 in prize money and will represent the Minnesota Pork Board at the National Taste of Elegance this June in Baltimore, Maryland.
Hesse has participated in previous Taste of Elegance competitions, placing second in 2008, and third in 2006 and 2007. He says he utilized judges’ comments from past Taste of Elegance competitions to continually improve upon his pork entrée, eventually achieving top honors.
The 21st annual Minnesota Taste of Elegance competition took place Jan. 20 at the Minneapolis Hilton. The pork competition is hosted by the Minnesota Pork Board on behalf of Minnesota’s 4,700 pork producing families. The event showcases the versatility of pork, the creativity of chefs and promotes the inclusion of pork on restaurant menus.
Consumers can order a free booklet featuring the 15 competing chefs’ Taste of Elegance pork recipes by e-mailing their name and address to mnpork@mnpork.com.
Chef Ron Bohnert, executive chef at StoneRidge Golf Club, Stillwater, earned second place, Superior Chef, and $1,000 in prize money, for his original pork recipe, Spanish Braised Boneless Pork Rib and Smoked Pork Shank Taquito. This entrée utilized pork shoulder and pork shank.
Chef Steve Trojahn, corporate executive chef for Graves 601 Hotel and Cosmos Restaurant, Minneapolis, placed third, Premium Chef, to earn $750 in prize money. Trojahn prepared Braised Pork Belly. Trojahn also earned recognition for best evening table display.
The People Choice Award went to Chef Bryan Schouten, executive chef at Brackett’s Crossing Country Club, Lakeville. After sampling the pork entrées, the 550 guests at the evening award’s program selected Schouten’s recipe, Rum Marinated Pork with Fig Demi Caribbean Chopped Pork and Chipotle Potato Corn Cake, for the People’s Choice Award. Schouten received $750 for his recipe featuring rack of pork loin and pork butt.
This year’s judges were Dr. Brian Bergquist, a professor in the Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management Program at the University of Wisconsin-Stout; Chef Tony Beran, last year’s Minnesota Taste of Elegance winner and a chef at the Minneapolis restaurants, Dakota Jazz Club and The Strip Club; and Chef Charlie Torgerson, a National Pork Board Celebrated Chef, restaurant consultant and restaurant owner. The judges base their decisions on taste, appearance and originality of the pork dish.
Additional participating chefs were:
Chef Tony Callies, Town Talk Diner, Minneapolis;
Chef Peter Christenson, Woolley’s Restaurant, Embassy Suites, Airport, Bloomington;
Chef Tim Cockram, Owatonna Country Club, Owatonna;
Chef Jeremy James DeBruzzi, North Oaks Golf Club, North Oaks;
Chef Omar Feyen, Omar’s Kitchen, Kasson;
Chef Giovanni Mancini, Lonesome Pine, Deerwood;
Chef Benjamin McCallum, Three Sons Signature Cuisine, Minneapolis;
Chef Rafael Perez, Northfield Golf Club, Northfield;
Chef Michael Schueller, Northland Country Club, Duluth;
Chef Jason Walter, Machine Shed Restaurant, Lake Elmo;
Johnston named 2009 Minnesota Pork Industry Ambassador
Stevens County Pork Ambassador Justin Johnston will serve as the 2009 Minnesota Pork Industry Ambassador. A three-judge panel selected Johnston from a field of 14 county pork ambassadors during competition held in conjunction with Minnesota Pork Congress last week in Minneapolis.
The Minnesota Pork Board’s ambassador program, which is funded through the Pork Checkoff, strives to create a learning environment for young leaders in the pork industry. Ambassador program participants are provided opportunities to increase their knowledge of the swine industry and to learn more about issues that affect agriculture and livestock production.
Johnston attends the University of Minnesota where he is majoring in animal science. He is the son of Lee and Judy Johnston of Morris.
Johnston will receive a $1,500 scholarship from the Minnesota Pork Board. Throughout the year, he will represent Minnesota’s 4,700 pork producing families at various pork-related functions across the state. These include consumer and producer educational events and promotional activities that encourage pork consumption and public understanding of swine production. Johnston is active in FFA and 4-H. Johnston also receives an additional $250 for his winning essay on how and why livestock producers can build positive neighborhood relationships.
The first runner-up was Nancy Faber, who represented the Martin County Pork Producers Association. Faber attends Winona State University. As first runner-up, she will receive a $750 scholarship. Her parents are David and Dana Faber of Sherburn. The pork ambassador candidates also selected Faber as recipient of congeniality honors.
Second runner-up was Steele County Pork Producers’ ambassador. Jason Keck. Keck is a crop and soil science major at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. His parents are Brian and Jodi Keck of Owatonna. Keck will receive a $500 scholarship.
Others who took part in the two-day competition were:
Blue Earth County Pork Ambassadors Laura FitzSimmons, daughter of Paul and Gina FitzSimmons of Good Thunder, and Thomas Sanders, son of Dave and Maria Sanders of Amboy;
East Central Pork Producers Association Ambassador Jennifer Anderson, daughter of Paul and Christine Anderson of Stanchfield;
Faribault County Pork Ambassador Tom Eilertson, son of John and Nancy Eilertson of Kiester;
Fillmore County Pork Ambassador Lakyn Lind, daughter of Doug and Becky Lind of Rushford;
LeSueur County Pork Ambassador Amber Besch, daughter of Jennifer Besch-Tollerud and Richard Tollerud of Montgomery;
Martin County Pork Ambassador Jordan Meyer, daughter of Steve and Lori Meyer of Welcome;
Nicollet County Pork Ambassador Gina Meyer, daughter of Perry and LouAnn Meyer of New Ulm;
Olmsted County Pork Ambassadors, Danielle Storm, daughter of Jake and LuAnn Storm of Dover, and Jason Welter, son of Randy and Myrna Welter of Stewartville;
Renville County Pork Ambassador Dani Serbus, daughter of Vic and Connie Serbus of Franklin.
The Minnesota Pork Board’s ambassador program, which is funded through the Pork Checkoff, strives to develop young leaders in the pork industry. Ambassador program participants are provided opportunities to increase their industry knowledge and learn more about issues that affect swine production. Additionally, this program helps develop a support system for participants’ future involvement as Minnesota pork industry leaders. For more information on the pork ambassador program, contact the Minnesota Pork Board office at 1-800-537-7675.
