Chefs’ skills tested in competition

THE 2011 Gippsland Signature Dish Competition is now open with more than $3000 in prizes up for grabs for the most inspired Gippsland chefs and cooks.
Now in its sixth year, the Gippsland Signature Dish Competition has become one of the most coveted awards for Gippsland chefs and cooks, not just for the incredible prizes on offer, but for the prestige of being crowned champion of the event.
Chef Lewis Prince from Neilson’s Restaurant in Traralgon won the competition for the second time last year with his remarkable dish of ‘Sticky Gypsy Pork Belly served with Warragul apples cooked three ways, sous vide pork loin, Lakes Entrance scallops, snowy river Samphire and fresh smoke’ matched to Narkkoojee’s 2006 Athelstan Merlot.
The challenge is now out to all Gippsland chefs and cooks to see whether they can steal the crown from Prince in the 2011 Gippsland Signature Dish Competition.
To enter, chefs and cooks just need to submit a recipe of their signature dish, which should showcase as much Gippsland produce as possible and be matched to a Gippsland wine or beer. Written entries close on Tuesday 1 February 2011 and should also include a photograph of the dish and a list of all ingredients, in particular details of any local produce used.
From the written entries a judging panel of food and wine specialists will select three finalists to participate in the Gippsland Signature Dish grand final cook off at the Jindi Cheese Harvest of Gippsland Food and Wine Festival at Lardner Park on Sunday 6 March 2011.
The winner will take home more than $2000 of prizes including a KitchenAid KSM150 Stand Mixer (valued $799), $1000 cash and $1000 of advertising with either Southern Cross Ten or Star FM Radio. Runners up in the grand final cook off will receive a KitchenAid Artisan Blender (valued $325) and, for the first time, in 2011 a Judges’ Encouragement Award of $500 will also be presented to a chef who may not have made the grand final, but whose efforts should be encouraged.
Entry to the 2011 Gippsland Signature Dish Competition is free and open to all chefs and cooks working in a Gippsland hospitality business. There is no limit to the number of entries a business can submit, so restaurants and cafes are encouraged to get their head chefs, sous chefs and apprentices all to enter.
The Gippsland Signature Dish Competition is proudly supported by Destination Gippsland, Lardner Park Events, Tourism Victoria, Southern Cross Television, Star FM and KitchenAid.