Fox Valley Chefs compete for taste of World Food Championship

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Posted Nov 7, 2013

http://beaconnews.suntimes.com/lifestyles/23599045-423/fox-valley-chefs-compete-for-taste-of-world-food-championship.html

If televised food contests have taught the world anything, it is that anyone has the chance to whip together the right flavors infused with a pinch of luck and be declared the winner.

Three Fox Valley-area cooks will compete this weekend among almost 500 competitors from 10 countries in the World Food Championship in Las Vegas. They will vie for the world title as well a slice of a $300,000 prize.

There are seven different competitions with winners advancing to a final round to be named World Food Champion.

Gail Huesmann, 48, of Oswego; Beth Peterson, 46, of Naperville; and Vita Jarrin, 48, of Oswego, will put their cooking talents to the test. Laurie and Mark Rice, of Naperville, will be there judging, too.

The contestants

Huesmann is among a select group of chefs invited to compete as a tastemaker’s choice, meaning she didn’t have to win a preliminary food contest to compete. This is her first culinary competition.

She attended Le Cordon Bleu Culinary College and served as an instructor at the college and at Robert Morris University before settling in as the executive chef of Old Towne Pub in Geneva.

Huesmann will be one of 50 competitors in the sandwich category. She plans to serve blackened bison tenderloin layered with brown sugar bacon, red onion slaw and fresh onion straws topped with a creamed bleu cheese sauce and bleu cheese crumbles all nestled on a French roll.

“Food is a part of everything in life,” she explains. “When people live, we eat. When people die, we eat. When people get married, we eat. We should eat food that makes you feel good, taste good and look good.”

Peterson will compete for the second year in the recipe division. She is an official blogger for the event and co-hosted the Pre-Game POP!, a champagne and popcorn opening day party for the many competitors.

Jarrin is serving as sous chef at the competition for both Huesmann and Peterson. In October, Jarrin appeared on “Chef Wanted with Anne Burrell,” competing for an executive chef position at a Chicago restaurant. Jarrin went two rounds but did not get chosen. However, she is getting ready to take on an executive chef position at a new Hickory Hills restaurant.

The judges

Mark Rice, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, became interested in food contests while running the rib judging for the Exchange Club’s annual RibFest. Laurie Rice helped out by tabulating scores.

As his interest grew, Mark decided to become a certified Kansas City Barbecue Society Judge. He has judged more than 15 competitions in the last three years, including the American Royal in Kansas City. He is halfway to becoming certified as a Master Kansas City Barbecue Society Judge.

Laurie became a certified KCBS judge this year and has judged four events. The couple will be judging the barbecue and chili contests at the World Food Championships.

When they aren’t judging contests, Mark is a senior national sales manager for Clabber Girl, and Laurie is an administrative assistant at Edward Hospital.

Although they are attending the contest together, they won’t be judging together, Mark says.

“We will each be tasting six entries of three meats, which means will be tasting 18 meat samples total for the barbecue competition,” Mark says. “This will be our first chili contest.”

And there are more adventures in store for the couple since they will be judging the national pie championships in Orland, Fla., next April.

This competition will pit seasoned competitors like Porky McBeef and The Cluckers from Kansas against Tammy Brownlow, a housewife from Texas. The competition between the tried-and-true favorites and high-end cuisine is judged by a mix of celebrity and qualified judges who use a scoring method focused on execution, appearance and taste. For results this weekend, visit worldfoodchampionships.com.

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Fox Valley Chefs compete for taste of World Food Championship

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