South Charleston to enjoy the flavor of Cast Iron Cook Off

  • 2016-02-03
Later this week, residents of South Charleston will get a taste of New Appalachian cuisine, when the 11th annual Cast Iron Cook Off gets underway.

Taking place at the Marriott Town Center in nearby Charleston, the event will showcase the talents of several rising star chefs, all of whom are professionals in the culinary field who have fewer than three years of experience as a restaurant owner or executive chef.

The focus of the annual cooking competition is on preserving the culinary heritage of Appalachia, including the use of traditional cooking techniques. An ever-evolving event, the program has grown and changed considerably since the first Cook Off more than a decade ago.

Allen Arnold, who founded the Collaborative for 21st Century Appalachia, the host of the event, noted that the focus on emerging chefs is relatively new, and that many of the more experienced chefs who have participated in previous years have been appointed as judges.

Participating chefs were first nominated for the contest, and then had to fill out an application and participate in a test modeled on the show ‘Chopped’ on the Food Network. Five chefs are participating in the contest this year.

The Collaborative can use poster printing to direct guests to the right places on the day of the contest. The competition itself will take place on Saturday, February 6, from 8:00 am until 2:30 pm. This Friday, February 5, there will be a Taste from the Mountains Dine-Around starting at 7:30 pm and a junior contest at 1:00 pm.