Columbia, Mo.,—Chef Chris Tierney, with Broadway Brewery in Columbia, took top honors at the eighth annual Mid-Missouri Taste of Elegance culinary competition held January 5 at the Holiday Inn Executive Center. His entrée, Iron Seared Pork Tenderloin with Fresh Blueberry Gastrique, House Smoked Bacon-Caprino Romano Risotto and Lemon-Garlic Roasted Broccolini, received the $1,000 top award and the opportunity to attend the National Pork Summit to be held March 27-30 in St. Helena, California.
The Mid-Missouri Taste of Elegance was hosted by the Missouri Pork Association and the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri. All pork products for the evening were sponsored by Smithfield DURoC Pork. The Holiday Inn Executive Center and Missouri Wine and Grape Board provided additional support. Thanks to the St. James Winery, Les Bourgeois Winery and Augusta/Montelle Wineries for providing wine samples during the banquet.
Over 150 people sampled the dishes during a reception to honor Food Bank donors. Guests voted Chef Patrick Miller with Sweet Chipotle Catering in Jefferson City the People’s Choice winner for his entrée, Whiskey Chipotle Grilled Baby Back Ribs, Truffle Mac and Cheese, Brussels Sprouts with Pork Belly and Apples.
The second place award and $500 went to Chef Jesse Souder with the Holiday Inn Executive Center in Columbia for his Pork Osso Bucco with Wild Mushroom Risotto and Braised Swiss Chard. Third place and $250 went to Chef Adam Wells-Morgan from The Club at Old Hawthorne in Columbia for his entrée titled Three Little Pigs – Confit of Pork Shoulder, Sous Vide Laurel Infused Pork Belly, Smoked Pork Tenderloin; Sweet Corn Pudding, Romanesco Cauliflower, Hibiscus and “Root Beer” Leaf, Sweet Sumac and Pickled Mustard Seed Vinaigrette.
Eleven chefs prepared dishes for judging on originality, taste and presentation. This year’s judges included: Chef Matt Chatfield, executive chef at William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri, and winner of the 2010 Kansas City Taste of Elegance; Scott Rowson, Show Me Eats blogger and food columnist from Columbia; and Suzanne Ryan, coordinator of specialty hog programs for Smithfield-Farmland in Kansas City.
Additional chefs competing included Chef Bryan Maness, Ozark Mountain Biscuit Company, Columbia; Chef Mark Sulltrop, 44 Stone Public House, Columbia; Chef Blaire Devine, Les Bourgeois Bistro, Rocheport; Chef Jeffrey Thomason, Capitol Plaza Hotel, Jefferson City; Chef Michael Keene, Columbia Area Career Center, Columbia; Chef Trey Quinlan, Trey Bistro, Columbia; and Chef Jonathan Bryan, Grand Cru, Columbia.
“We are proud to sponsor the Taste of Elegance events,” said Don Nikodim, executive vice president of the Missouri Pork Association. “Working with chefs to create new menu items, then promoting those items, helps build demand for pork, while introducing consumers to the product’s great taste.”
The Missouri Pork Association represents the state’s pork producers in areas of promotion, research, education and legislation. For more information about this or any other programs of the Missouri Pork Association, go to www.mopork.com, or call the Missouri Pork Association Office at (573)445-8375.