Tickets are going fast for a professional chef fish cook-off and tasting event hosted by the Wisconsin and Minnesota Sea Grant programs in Duluth, Minn., at the Depot on Oct. 4, 2013, from 5 to 7:30 p.m.
The Lake Superior Fish Classic is designed as a tribute to the people who manage, harvest, sell, study and prepare Lake Superior fish. The event will feature 10 chefs from Minnesota and Wisconsin cooking two types of fish: cisco (lake herring) and whitefish.
The chefs will compete for $1,000 in prize money in a judged competition and for the public’s taste bud approval with a People’s Choice Award. Competing are Tony Beran with Lake Avenue Restaurant, Duluth, Minn.; Avery Cassar with Sara’s Table Chester Creek Café in Duluth, Minn.; Adam DeSanto with Wolley’s in Bloomington, Minn.; Patrick Gonzales, a student chef from Minneapolis; Scott Graden with New Scenic Café, Duluth, Minn.; Tom Linderholm with the University of Minnesota, Duluth, Minn.; Christopher Mangless, The Traveling Chef and Three Three Five private dining studio, Green Bay, Wis.; Melissa Strahota with Tempest American Fish and Oyster House, Madison, Wis.; Seth VanderLaan with Potawatomi Bingo Casino, Milwaukee; and Robert Wohlfeil with Oceanaire Seafood Room, Minneapolis.
The challenging task of judging falls to Donald Miller, executive chef with the University of Notre Dame; John Occhiato, last year’s winner and executive chef with Cosmos in Minneapolis; and Ryan Schroeder Jr., executive chef and co-owner of Big Tomatoes in Green Bay and Neenah, Wis. Celebrity judges include Jason Davis of “On the Road” fame with KSTP-TV in Minneapolis and Juli Kellner, host of “WDSE Cooks” with WDSE-TV in Duluth.
While savoring the flavors, diners can listen to live music and chat with the chefs and sustainable fisheries experts. At the end of the evening, the winners will be announced and door prizes delivered. Sponsors include the Duluth Seaway Port Authority and Lake Superior Magazine.
Judge for yourself; are Wisconsin or Minnesota chefs better at cooking Lake Superior fish? Tickets ($15) are available online or by calling (218) 726-8106. For more information, visit http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/fisheries/classic.
