Chef Tiffany Swan of Manzanita at The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe won the Blazing Pans Mountain Chef Cook-Off held during the Autumn Food & Wine Festival held at Northstar from Sept. 7 to 9. The chefs in the competition were tasked to create a two-course meal in under 45 minutes, using a secret ingredient, with Swan winning the competition.
The festival featured for The Grand Tasting & Culinary Competition with the Judges’ Awards and People’s Choice Awards, Blazing Pans Mountain Chef Cook-Off, Charbay Annual Release Party Bartender Competition and the Mountain Kids Cook-Off.
The Grand Tasting & Culinary Competition challenged culinary experts. The pairing of Brewforia Beer Market & Kitchen with DNA Brewing Co. earned the gold category in both the Judges Choice and People’s Choice Award for the Culinary Grand Tasting.
Tahoe City’s The Pioneer Cocktail Club took the top honors in the Bartender Competition.
Youth chefs, ages 8 to 12, from Team Purple Cactus won the Mountain Kids Cook-Off, contributing to the Tahoe-based nonprofit Project MANA.
Grand Tasting & Culinary Competition Judges Awards
Best Pairing of Food & Beverage
Gold | Brewforia Beer Market & Kitchen + DNA Brewing Co. with Asian glazed pork rib with green papaya salad with a Naut Red – Imperial Red Ale.
Silver | Moody’s Bistro, Bar & Beats + Charbay Distillery with Whiskey soaked pork belly with a Charbay Doubled & Twisted Whiskey, Reed’s ginger beer, pomelo sparkling water, lime twist.
Bronze | Petra + Kuentz-Bas with Tuscan-style beans with wild boar sausage, fresh mayocoba beans simmered in a rich rosemary and sage pork broth with vegetables and diced tomato; served over arugula and a medallion of wild boar and cranberry sausage; garnished with fresh herbs and Grana Padana” with 2015 Kuentz-Bas Pinot Noir.
Best Food
Gold | Moody’s Bistro, Bar & Beats with Whiskey-soaked Pork Belly Slider.
Silver | Granlibakken Resort with Seared Scallop Veronique – microgreens, Thompson muscat grapes, swiss country dressing, seared scallop and pancetta.
Bronze | Brewforia Beer Market & Kitchen with Asian-glazed pork rib with green papaya salads.
Best Dessert Pairing
Marich Chocolates + Gnarly Head Whole Roasted California Almonds double dipped in signature fair trade dark chocolate with a hint of chipotle delicato’s, with 2017 Gnarly Head Red Blend.
Best Red Wine
Gold | Keenan Winery, 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon
Silver | Joel Gott, 2015 Pinot Noir
Bronze | Acumen Wine, 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon
Best White Wine
Gold | C.G. Di Arie Vineyard & Winery, 2016 Rose
Silver | Bieler Family Daisy Pinot Grigio, 2017 Pinot Grigio
Bronze | Pride Mountain Vineyards, 2015 Viognier
Best Spirit
Gold | Charbay Distillery, Charbay Doubled & Twisted Whiskey, Reed’s ginger beer, pomelo sparkling water, lime twist
Best Beer | DNA Brewing Co, Naut Red – Imperial Red Ale
Grand Tasting & Culinary Competition
People’s Choice Awards
Best Pairing of Food & Beverage | Brewforia Beer Market & Kitchen + DNA Brewing Co.
Best Food | Granlibakken Tahoe Resort
Best Red Wine | Keenan Winery 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon
Best White Wine | Patz & Hall Winery 2014 Chardonnay
Best Spirit | Charbay Distillery Double & Twisted Whiskey
Best Beer | DNA Brewing Co. Naut Red – Imperial Red Ale
Best Table Presentation | Nick’s Cove & Patz & Hall Winery
