9th Annual Elm City Iron Chef Competition at Omni New Haven

Gateway Community College 

to Host 9th Iron Chef “Elm City” Competition 

at Omni New Haven Hotel 

May 1st 2016

Save the date and get your tickets NOW to the "Elm City" Iron Chef competition!

That's right!

The Elm City Iron Chef returns, hosted by Gateway Community College (GCC) on May 1st at The Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale, 155 Temple Street, New Haven.

The event begins at 11:45 a.m.

This year, they have a smokin' hot theme ==>> Hot in the Kitchen: CT Firefighter Chefs!

Heck, yes!

Elm City Iron Chef Competing Chefs this year will be:

• Chef Danny Brelsford (Consiglio’s Restaurant, Bridgeport Fire Dept), 
• Chef Whitney King (Personal Chef, Norwalk Fire Dept), 
• Chef Christopher Moore (The Big Green Pizza Truck, Danbury Fire Dept), and 
• Chef Billy DiLegge (Pasta Cosi, New Haven Fire Dept).  

Your Elm City Iron Chef Hosts:

• Emcee: Jocelyn Maminta, WTNH-TV’s Emmy Award-nominated medical reporter, will emcee. Maminta is an Emmy Award nominated News 8 Medical reporter, and has anchored and reported for televisions stations in North Carolina, Milwaukee, Texas and at News 8 in Connecticut. A political science graduate of the University of Missouri in Columbia, Jocelyn works tirelessly for many nonprofits across Connecticut. She has been honored countless times for her efforts.

• Sideline Reporter: Todd Lyon will be the “kitchen commentator,” reporting on the chefs’ progress throughout the competition. Lyon has covered the New Haven restaurant scene for 20-plus years, writing for the New Haven Register, Connecticut Magazine and the New Haven Advocate. She currently pens the monthly “Players” column for New Haven Living magazine, and is co-owner of Fashionista Vintage & Variety, a clothing store for eccentrics.

This is going to be interesting!!!

Celebrity Elm City Iron Chef Judges include:  

• Layla Schlack, Senior Editor of Fine Cooking, a national food magazine where she produces and edits feature stories, as well as the Repertoire, Try This, Go Shopping, and On Location departments; 
• Priscilla Martel, food writer, former restaurateur and author of two best-selling culinary textbooks: On Cooking and On Baking; 
• Todd Ruiz, executive chef from the Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale, last year’s Iron Chef winner.

The Elm City Iron Chef Secret Ingredient:

What will the secret ingredient be this year??? 

Stephen Fries, GCC Hospitality Management Program Coordinator, host of New Haven's Culinary Walking Tours, and regular New Haven Food Columnist and Contributor says, “Join us on May 1st for a fun and food-packed afternoon to find out. Let the competition begin!”

The Elm City Iron Chef Reception

The reception includes tastings from the competing restaurants and samples by the “secret ingredient” sponsor.

Guests will enjoy samples from Gelato Giulana, Deep River Snacks, Willoughby’s Coffee, Kennedy’s Kettle Popped Corn, Holly’s Oatmeal , Sabra Hummus  Katalina’s Bakery, Guilford Spice & Tea Exchange, Tony’s Square Doughnuts, Four Flowers Bakery, Calabro Cheese, Chabaso Bakery, and, SuperSeedz.

In addition, there will be raffle for a chance to taste the competing chef’s dishes using this years’  ”secret ingredient” as well as a silent auction.

The event’s format is based on the Food Network’s “Iron Chef” program and features culinary experts as judges. Stephen Fries, the event producer and a GCC professor and Coordinator of Hospitality Management Programs and food columnist for the New Haven Register said, “the competition promises to be exciting from start to finish – showcasing four acclaimed firefighter chefs, Maminta as host, a panel of esteemed judges and a “kitchen stadium” at the Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale, where the audience will be able to walk around and be in the middle of the action. GCC hospitality and culinary students will be on hand assisting the chefs.”

The chefs are provided with a list of five possible “secret” ingredients a week before the event. At the competition, the “secret” ingredient is unveiled and the chefs are required to create an appetizer, entree and dessert using the ingredient – all in one hour.

Past year’s secret ingredients were locally made favorites including Calabro Cheese, Lyman Orchards apples, Willoughby’s coffee, Hooker Beer, Deep River Snacks, Holly’s Oatmeal, Kennedy’s Kettle Popped Corn, and Super Seedz.

Elm City Iron Chef Competition

Omni Hotel at Yale
155 Temple Street
New Haven, CT

May 1st 2016 at 11:45am
Purchase at: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/9th-annual-iron-chef-elm-city-2016-

Proceeds benefit scholarships for GCC’s hospitality management and culinary arts students and programs.

Tickets are $45.
There are limited $65 tickets (preferred viewing) and can be purchased by going to www.stephenfries.com and click on Iron Chef or Gateway Community College Foundation.

OR

Click HERE to purchase tickets

Parking will be validated for the Temple Street garage.

For questions, please call 203-777-8550 or 203-415-3519.

Here's a look back at last year's competition

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About Gateway Community College

Gateway Community College is one of the state’s fastest growing community colleges and the 10th largest institution of higher education in Connecticut. GCC offers more than 100 associate degree and certificate programs and serves more than 11,000 credit and non-credit students each year. GCC serves students in 24 towns and cities in the greater New Haven area, including: Ansonia, Bethany, Branford, Bridgeport, Cheshire, Clinton, Derby, East Haven, Guilford, Hamden, Madison, Meriden, Middletown, Milford, New Haven, North Branford, North Haven, Orange, Seymour, Shelton, Stratford, Wallingford, West Haven and Woodbridge. For more information, visit www.GatewayCT.edu.