The Art of the Plate: CIC Hosts SCHA Cooking Well Invitational

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

CIC Hosts SCHA Cooking Well Invitational

CIC hosted the South Carolina Hospital Association's Cooking Well Competition for the second year. On Thursday night,the Iron Chef Showdown was held on our Palmer campus. It featured celebrity Chef Marvin Woods as Emcee and two teams: Chef Graham Dailey of Peninsula Grill with Culinary Institute of Charleston Chef Instructor Kevin Mitchell and and Chef John Ondo (a CIC grad) of Lana Restaurant & Bar with Chef Miles Huff. Each team had to whip up dishes using three secret ingredients – snapper, tuna and butter beans.Team Ondo/Huff won over the judges and was proclaimed the winner of the 2014 Iron Chef Showdown. To view more photos from the Iron Chef Showdown: https://www.flickr.com/photos/schospitals/sets/72157649233176541/

The main event, The Cooking Well Invitational, took place on Friday. Culinary teams from nine hospitals across the state had 90 minutes to create three-course meals that satisfied not only the judges’ taste buds but also specific nutrition guidelines. Spectators were able to watch chefs as they mixed, chopped, sautéed and perfected their dishes and some even got a taste. After time was up, the dishes were presented to the judges – Chef Donald Barickman, Chef Randy Williams and Chef Ward Morgan of the Culinary Institute of Charleston. While teams were busy cooking away in their kitchens, Chef Marvin Woods and Chef Kevin Mitchell of the Culinary Institute performed cooking demonstrations for the crowd, and Chef Woods talked about how he got his start in the business and his take on healthy cooking. After several grueling hours of taste testing, the judges made a difficult but necessary decision. They crowned Greenville Health System-Oconee Memorial Hospital as the winners with their Greek yogurt drop biscuit appetizer; artichoke, quail egg and Serrano ham entrée; autumn fruit dessert flatbread pizza; all washed down with a peach spritzer. Georgetown Hospital System came in second place, followed by Beaufort Memorial Hospital in third. To view more photos from the culinary competition: https://www.flickr.com/photos/schospitals/sets/72157648826907037/

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