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The Original 28 Chef Competitors were pared down to one: Sarah Schafer from Irving Street Kitchen, Portland, OR beat Edward Sura from Perennial Virant, Chicago, IL
Gold River, B.C. (May 4, 2014) —After eight grueling first round competitions pitting 28 chefs followed by two Semi Final battles, the Final competition at the Kentucky Derby in Louisville, KY was won by Chef Sarah Schafer from Irving Street Kitchen in Portland, OR. Chef Sarah beat the Eastern Semi Finalist Chef Edward Sura from Chicago’s Perennial Virant in a closely waged final cook off on April 30, 2014 at Sullivan University in Louisville.
While Chef Edward presented an almost perfect execution of seared Skuna Bay Salmon crusted with smoked and ground Bluegrass Soy mash and home pickled baby corn relish, Chef Sarah’s dish, a 90 minute cured Skuna Bay Salmon with salmon belly potato latkes and Skuna Bay caviar delivered the win to this great western chef.
Disney Signature Chef Andrew Sutton, Anaheim, CA and Tyler Wiard, Culinary Director of Elway’s, Denver, CO
Gold River, B.C. (April 21, 2014) — The Celebrity Chef Judges at this year’s Skuna Bay Kentucky Derby Chef Challenge Final are no strangers to culinary competition. Chef Tyler Wiard, Culinary Director of Elway’s in Colorado was a chef competitor in 2013’s Top Chef Seattle while Chef Andrew Sutton, Disney Signature Chef in Anahaim, CA made it to the inaugural Skuna Bay Kentucky Derby Chef Challenge Final in 2013 before being edged out by winner Carlo Lamagna of Perennial Virant. This year both chefs, leaders in the culinary field, will be on the other side of the table, judging the efforts of the two finalists at this year’s Kentucky Derby: Chefs Sarah Schafer of Irving Street Kitchen in Portland, OR and Edward Sura of Perennial Virant in Chicago, IL. Both Judges will also feature their own Skuna Bay Salmon creations at the Taste of Derby, the Kentucky Derby culinary event on May 1.
Original 28 Chef Competitors pared down to two: Edward Sura from Perennial Virant, Chicago, IL & Sarah Schafer from Irving Street Kitchen, Portland, OR
Gold River, B.C. (April 16, 2014) — The Finalists have been determined. After eight grueling first round competitions pitting 28 chefs followed by two Semi Final battles featuring the remaining eight chefs, the best two chefs emerged and will now travel to the Kentucky Derby in Louisville, KY to battle in the Final on April 30, 2014. Both finalists will also appear on behalf of Skuna Bay at the Taste of Derby, the Kentucky Derby culinary event on May 1st.
Winning the Eastern Semi Final competition on April 14,2014 at Sullivan University in Louisville, KY was Chef Edward Sura from legendary Chicago restaurant Perennial Virant. Chef Edward presented an almost perfect execution of seared Skuna Bay Salmon crusted with smoked and ground Bluegrass soy mash and home pickled baby corn relish. Chef Edward narrowly beat out other competitors Charles Vogt of Mussel Bar and Grill at Revel Hotel in Atlantic City; Alan Peet of Isabela’s on Grandview in Pittsburgh and Alan Dancyger, chef at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in New York City.
Original 28 Chef Competitors Pared Down to 8: Two Kentucky Derby Chef Finalists to be Chosen April 14th in Louisville, April 15th in Los Angeles
Gold River, B.C. (April 10, 2014) — Eight grueling first round competitions pitted 28 chefs head to head in the kitchen, preparing their best Skuna Bay Salmon dish – for a chance to continue along the path to ultimately represent Skuna Bay Salmon at the Taste of Derby, the Kentucky Derby culinary experience in Louisville, KY on May 1, 2014. 8 chefs won to advance to the two semi-finals in Louisville on April 14 and Los Angeles on April 15.
The 8 semi-finalist chefs:
Sarah Schafer, Irving Street Kitchen, Portland, OR: Advanced at Seattle event held at Pike Place Market on April 2, 2014
Lon Symensma, ChoLon Bistro, Denver, CO: Advanced at Denver event held at Metro State University on March 24, 2014
After extensive deliberation, 28 chefs have been selected by the judges to compete in the cooking competition rounds of the Skuna Bay Chef Challenge - a chance to advance in a tournament cook off against each other to ultimately travel to Louisville and this year's Kentucky Derby.
Here are the chefs: In the Southwest region: Brian Howard from David Myer's Comme Ca in Las Vegas, NV; Jason Rivas of Southcoast Winery, Vineyard Rose in Murietta, CA; Oliver Wolf from the Rockwood Grill at JW Marriott in Palm Desert, Ca.
In the Northern California region: Tedd Romero, Alfredo Cortez, Ramiro Torres, Daniel Hamblett of Lucy at Bardessono Hotel, Yountville, CA
In the Pacific NW region: Sarah Schafer from Irving Street Kitchen, Portland, OR; Stephen Paulson, Hook & Plow, Seattle WA; Edmund Yee, P2B Bistro at Renaissance Hotel, Vancouver, B.C. and Varin Keokitvon, Fare Start, Seattle, WA.