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St. John Medical Center Top Chef
John Calvey, Jack Ahern, Regan Reik and Danielle Silvay
(Top Chef)
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Cliff Coker and Steven Standley (Top Chef)
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Jonathan Bennett and Al “Bubba” Baker
(Top Chef)
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Patrick Garmone and Kathleen Bacha
(Top Chef)
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St. John Medical Center
“Top Chef”
St. John Medical Center’s top class “Top Chef” event brought in more than $200,000 for SJMC’s community outreach and Wellness Ministry programs. It raised the bar for quality cuisine, innovative ideas and fundraising success. Bravo to Event Chairs Patrick Garmone and Kathleen Bacha, who improved upon last year’s party with a bigger space, and to the four participating chefs and restaurants.
In each corner of the huge tent, the competitors fixed an appetizer and entrée sample for the more than 1,200 guests; everyone then voted for the “People’s Choice” award, won by Jonathan Bennett of Moxie. At the end of the evening, a panel of three judges awarded the title of “Top Chef” and a $2,500 prize to Regan Reik of Pier W for his Copper River salmon with pancetta wrap, and, in a case of “food meets science,” sorrel ice cream dots flash-frozen in liquid nitrogen as an accent to a mushroom terrine appetizer. Taste: unusual. Creativity: out of this world! As winner, Reik will serve as a judge in 2011’s “Top Chef.”
Other competitors included Jonathon Sawyer of The Greenhouse Tavern and Ellis Cooley of AMP 150, who wowed guests with their own creations. Signature cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a dessert buffet rounded out the offerings.
Celebrity judges included Al “Bubba” Baker and TV’s Ted Allen. But the most enthusiastic was last year’s winner, Brandt Evans of Blue Canyon, revving up the crowd and heartily praising the restaurant scene in Cleveland. STORY BY LINDA McMULLEN/ PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOHN BASHIAN
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