CSCA's Tony Messina wins S.Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef New England Regional Competition
[February 4, 2011] Anthony (Tony) Messina, representing The Cambridge School of Culinary Arts, prepared his signature dish during a fast-paced, high-pressure cooking competition to win the title of New England Regional S.Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef. Tony won the competition, which was held on February 3 at Bunker Hill Community College, by showcasing his culinary expertise before assembled celebrity chef judges Chef Chris Coombs of dbar, Chef Alan Archer of Nestlé Professional, Chef Mary Dumont of Harvest, Chef Chris Douglass of Ashmont Grill, and Chef Benjamin Knack of The Lanam Club.
Anthony impressed the panel of judges with his creative signature dish recipe: Squab Breast with Parsnip Apple Puree, Smoked Chard, Foie Gras Emulsion, Ras El Hanout, Pistachios and Aril. In addition to the celebrity chef judges, the judges panel included media representatives Nick Altschuller of The Improper Bostonian, Louisa Kasdon of LouisaKasdon.com, and Michael Prerau of TheFoodMonkey.com.
“I am elated to have competed against fellow culinary students who have raised the bar in this competition,” said Tony. “I believe in my vision and my abilities and was excited to see the judge’s response to my dish. I took their comments to heart and will apply their advice in Napa.”
During the intense competition, Tony performed with confidence while competing against 7 fellow culinary students including Michael Pavloski, also representing The CSCA, Patty Walen and Lizzy Agneta from Bunker Hill Community College, John O'Connell and Joshua Ogrodowski from Johnson & Wales University, and Joe Garrity and Adam Monette from the New England Culinary Institute.
Tony will be one of ten regional winners to be flown to the finals event March 11-14, at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, in Napa Valley, California. At the finals, Tony will prepare his winning signature dish, compete in a mystery basket cook-off, and vie for the people's choice vote. The overall winner will take the title of Almost Famous Chef, up to $20,000 in prizes, and a paid apprenticeship from one of the participating chef judges.
The finals competition will be streamed live via the Almost Famous Chef website and Facebook page. Fans can interact with the participating chefs and media, as well as each other, to receive all the updates and insider information during the competition.
In support of its passion of gastronomy and its commitment to the culinary arts, S. Pellegrino established The Almost Famous Chef Competition in 2002 as a mentoring program that connects top culinary students with seasoned chefs and influential media. Through the Almost Famous Chef Competition, student chefs are given the opportunity to gain unmatched experience, while cooking in some of the most prestigious kitchens in the world.
To follow Tony's performance live during the S.Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef finals, visit www.almostfamouschef.com.
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