Left: Chef Anthony Miller with his first place-winning saltfish dish. Right: Colin Hylton is off to Norway with his winning entry that featured pasta and codfish combined. He tied for first place with Anthony Miller and will receive a medal, trophy, all-expenses-paid trip to Norway and US$1000. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer
Chef Colin Hylton of Guilt Trip and Chef Anthony Miller of Couples Swept Away resort shared first place honours at the inaugural 'Culinary Challenge 2009', held on Tuesday at Alhambra Inn in St Andrew. Svein Wara, marketing manager of the Norwegian Seafood Export Council (NSEC), presented both chefs with prize trips to Norway.
The Culinary Challenge, held by the Norwegian seafood industry, saw 11 of the island's leading chefs presenting innovative gourmet saltfish recipes.
High-standard dishes
Wara said that the standard of dishes presented by each participant was extremely high. "Judges Stephanie Scott, Barbara Ellington, and Dr Heather Little-White and I had a difficult time selecting the ultimate winners," said Wara. "After serious consideration of the creativity/originality, taste/flavour and presentation of each dish, chefs Colin Hylton and Anthony Miller were awarded joint first place, with a close third place going to Debe Ann Chen."
The joint first-place winners also received a medal and a trophy and will take up their grand prize of an all-expense paid trip to Norway in April this year, plus a cash prize of US$1,000 each. Chen received the bronze medal and a cash prize of US$250. All 11 participants received Wisynco gift baskets and certificates of participation.
Colin Hylton's winning recipe was run down codfish pasta. His yearning for smells, bold colours, unusual textures and exotic flavours to rule his world led him from the sedentary life of accounting. His desire to create unique dining experiences for both locals and tourists gave birth to the Guilt Trip restaurant and patisserie.
Anthony Miller's top recipe was sugar cane skewered saltfish with sweet potato escoveitch and wilted spinach. He has been executive chef at Couples Swept Away Negril since November 2008.
Finalists
The other excellent finalists from various top hotels, restaurants and catering services were:
José Riquelme, Sunset Resorts; Mark DeKrines,Courtleigh Hotel; Christopher Channer, Courtleigh Hotel; Richard Pinnock, Jamaica Pegasus; Damian Coburn, Sandals Montego Bay; Virginia Burke, Walkerswood; Oji Jaja, Jaja's Culinary Service and Sue-Ann Montague, Shasuz Catering.
The participants and their recipes will all be featured in a booklet planned for release by NSEC later this year.
Chef Debe-Ann Chen, third place winner, with her saltfish entry that featured oriental influences. She received cash as well as a bronze medal, certificate of participation and a basket of goodies from Wisynco.