David Vlach, sous chef at Heidi’s Minneapolis,
received first place, chef par excellence, at the
2010 Minnesota Pork Board’s Taste of Elegance
competition. Judges awarded Vlach first place for his recipe, Spiced
Slow-Cooked Pork Shank with Gremolata and Black Beluga
Lentil Tomato Stew.
The 22nd annual Minnesota Taste of Elegance competition
took place Jan. 19 at the Minneapolis Hilton. The
pork competition is hosted by the Minnesota Pork Board
and the Pork Checkoff on behalf of Minnesota’s
pork producers. The event showcases the versatility
of pork, the creativity of chefs and promotes the
inclusion of pork on restaurant menus.
Vlach’s pork entrée highlighted slowly
braised pork shank seasoned with gingerroot, lemon
zest, cinnamon, cumin, cayenne and fennel seed. Vlach
plated the pork shank with complimentary-seasoned
black beluga lentils, which are small beans that resembles
beluga caviar after cooking, and a showy original
gremolata recipe flavored with chopped raisins, capers,
shallots, parsley and mint.
Vlach received $1,500 in prize money and will represent
the Minnesota Pork Board at the National Taste of
Elegance this spring in Baltimore, Md.
Tom Kavanaugh, co-owner and chef of Kavanaugh’s
Sylvan Lake Resort, East Gull Lake, earned second
place, superior chef, and $1,000 in prize money, for
his original pork recipe, Uova Con Pancetta E Salsiccia
Di Fegato Di Maiale (Bacon and Eggs with Pork Liver).
This entrée utilized pork belly, pork shoulder
and pork liver.
Serge Devesa, executive chef for Hotel Sofitel, Bloomington, placed third, premium chef, to earn $750 in prize
money. Devesa prepared Duo of Maple-Glazed Pork Belly
and Sweetbread Roulade Calvados Reduction and Crackling.
The plated dish showcased pan-seared pork belly cut
into squares and roulade prepared with pork loin and
prosciutto.
The People’s Choice Award went to Derek Black, an executive chef for Sodexo at the St. Paul-based
company Ecolab. After sampling all the pork entrées,
the 500 guests at the evening award’s program
selected Black’s deliciously fun recipe, Carnitas
with Cones and Lemongrass-Scented Rice and Kimchee,
for the People’s Choice Award. Black received
$750 for his recipe featuring15 seasonings and pulled
pork prepared from pork butt.
Tim Cockram, executive chef and director of food and
beverage operations at the Owatonna Country Club in
Owatonna received the $250 best table display award.
This year’s judges were Dr. Brian Bergquist,
a professor in the hotel, restaurant and tourism management
program at the University of Wisconsin-Stout; Stephan
Hesse, last year’s Minnesota and National Taste
of Elegance winner and executive chef at Kona Grill,
Eden Prairie, and Charlie Torgerson, a National Pork
Board Celebrated Chef, restaurant consultant and restaurant
owner. The judges based their decisions on taste,
appearance and originality of the pork dish.
