Ultimate Chef New Jersey
Chef Central will be hosting the all new Ultimate Chef New Jersey Competition — formerly Ultimate Chef Bergen County — on four Saturdays in January 2016. The event advisory committee will be reviewing submissions and interviewing applicants during the month of November to chose the competing chefs – it is sponsored by Whole Foods Market.
All events start at 11:00 am and admission is free to the public with limited seating. Chefs will be given a mystery ingredient that must be a major part of the courses they submit for judging. Audience members will have trhe opportunity to taste two of the chef’s dishes. Judges will score each dish on taste, presentation, cooking skills, innovation and degree of difficulty. The chef who has a winning score on a majority of scorecards will win.
Round 1 – Saturday, January 9, 2016 – Chef Don Macmath of Twin Brooks Country Club in Watchung vs Chef Todd Villani of Terre a Terre – WINNER: Chef Don Macmath
Round 2 – Saturday, January 16, 2016 – Chef Josh Bernstein of Spuntino’s Wine Bar and Italian Tapas in Clifton vs Chef Justin Manzi of The Pig and Prince Restaurant and Gastrolounge in Montclair – WINNER: Chef Josh Bernstein
RESCHEDULED: Round 3 (Semi-Finals) – Saturday, January 30, 2016 – Winner of Round 1 (Chef Macmath) vs Winner of Round 2 (Chef Josh Bernstein)
RESCHEDULED: Finals – Saturday, February 27, 2016 – Semi-Finals winner vs reigning Ultimate Chef Bergen County Champion Chef Carlos Valdez of The Oceanaire Seafood Room in Hackensack