Best beef recipes on table

Chefs compete for prizes in Prime Beef Cook-off

Saturday, September 8, 2007

BY STEPHEN GEINOSKY

GateHouse News Service

MONMOUTH - For two hours today, three chefs in two different categories will attempt to grill up their best versions of prime beef for the Prime Beef Festival's fourth annual Prime Beef Cook-off.

Two returning champions, father and son duo Butch and Josh Pinney, will go head to head for the first time at a PBF cook-off from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. today in Monmouth Park.

For Butch, grand champion of the very first cook-off, this will be his first PBF cook-off since his championship.

"I haven't done it in quite a while, and when Paul asked me I told him I would do it," said Butch. "I like the competitiveness."

Josh, who is considering going to culinary school, won last year's "quick and easy" category.

"That'll be a fun smackdown, father versus son," said Paul Schuytema, PBF beef cook-off coordinator.

The chefs will be grilling in either the "one dish" or the "grilled entree" category. The grilled entree category will feature recipes such as a blue cheese encrusted filet or a simple steak. The one dish category will feature more elaborate recipes like a chili or a "mexi-cali pizza."

To be selected for the cook-off chefs first must submit a recipe to a committee, which selects the finalists.

The dishes will be judged on three categories: taste, originality and the dish's appearance, which includes how the food itself looks and how it is plated.

There will also be an audience trophy. Twenty-five audience members will be selected to taste the dishes and vote for their favorites.

The five judges include Fritz Ewalt, last year's grand champion; Maureen Storm from Cloud 9; Kim Fornero, food director at Monmouth College; Scott Apodaca, owner of McGillacuddy's; and Jayne Lovdahl, this year's PBF princess.

"I'm looking forward to tasting everything," said Storm. "I love to eat and try new things, and they all sound pretty good to me."

"They wanted a celebrity judge," joked Apodaca. "I don't know how much of a celebrity I am, but I'll come judge it."