What an amazing Florida-grapefruit fun-filled evening.

Last night, 70 lucky Toronto locals attended Making the Grade: Rising Chef Citrus Cook-Off, our live-cooking competition that was part of the American Express ® Winterlicious Culinary Events.  Or as Eye Weekly called it, a Winterlicious citrus smackdown!

Okay, even though we organized it, can we say how spectacular it was?  Well, it truly was!  Check it out:



Making the Grade: Rising Chef Citrus Cook-Off Guests


Guests enjoying Fish Tacos with Florida Grapefruit Guacamole


While guests snacked on Executive Chef, Brad Moore’s citrus-samplers and forgot all about the snow falling outside, three Ontario college culinary students from Humber College, Stratford Chefs School and Niagara College Culinary Institute fought against time and each other for the $2,000 prize.  Each worked incredibly hard to present orginal dishes (appetizer, main and dessert) that feature Florida grapefruit to our Toronto food celebrity judging panel: Teo Paul (Chef at Union), Alison Fryer (manager of Toronto's The Cookbook Store) and Jennifer McLagan (food writer and stylist). 



From left to right: Mike Kowbel (Stratford Chef School), Baker Lewis (Niagara College Culinary Insitute), Corinne Babshichin (Humber College)

Corinne Babshichin (Humber College) looks on as our three judges taste her appetizer. Judges from left to right: Alison Fryer, Teo Paul and Jennifer McLagan


After two hours of sweat and surprisingly few tears Baker Lewis from Niagara College Culinary Insitute came out on top.



Baker Lewis (Niagara College Culinary Insitute) receives his winning cheque from FDOC's International Marketing Manager Nancy Brown.


He created a truly original menu:

• Baby Arugula, Roasted Beets, Grapefruit Fillets, shaved Parmesan, Maldon flakes 

The winner also received two Wüsthof knives provided by Wüsthof-Trident of Canada.

The other two competitors, Corinne Babshichin from Humber College and Mike Kowbel from Stratford Chef School, didn’t leave empty handed. They were each awarded a Wüsthof knife as runner-up prize to help them in their future culinary endeavors. Some of their culinary highlights included Corinne's Chocolate tortellini filled with vanilla-mascarpone accompanied by grapefruit salsa with a hint of strawberry and a mini maple-grapefruit martini and Mike's Grapefruit  Brined Venison Loin, Lobster Wrapped in Crepes and Bruleed Grapefruit

To curb jealous feelings from those who couldn’t attend, we felt it only fair to include one of Baker Lewis's culinary delights.  All the student recipes will be uploaded to our recipe section in good time.