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November 4, 2002The ultimate challenge Photo courtesy Black Star Farms Chefs Rich Beichner of Grand Traverse Resort and Spa and Greg Murphy of LaBecasse in Burdickville shake hands during the Chef Challenge held recently at Black Star Farms to benefit Leelanau Horse Rescue, Inc. Eight chefs competed in a preliminary round that put Beichner and Murphy in the lead. The two then had one hour to prepare several dishes on the spot. The results were close, with Beichner taking first place. Trillium’s Rich Beichner takes first place in Iron Chef competition Rich Beichner By Patty LaNoue Stearns Special to the Record-Eagle By nearly every measure, the first-ever Chef Challenge at Black Star Farms recently was a smashing success. The sold-out culinary event, a benefit for Leelanau Horse Rescue Inc., featured a strolling indoor supper of mouthwatering creations by local chefs paired with wines by Leelanau and Old Mission peninsula vintners. It was also a chance to watch a dressage demonstration from the observation room of Black Star’s indoor arena and visit with some of the horses that were seized from the property of William Kasben in Leelanau County. Black Star is housing several of the now-healthy equines. It could have been a scene straight out of Sonoma Valley had it not been for the plunging temperatures. The folks who paid $500 apiece to watch the hour-long Ultimate Chef Competition unfold had the added challenge of trying to stay warm in the heated but icy outdoor tent. But they didn’t mind. There was plenty of wine to go around, the cause was noble and the financial goal was met. Plus, it was a fascinating display of culinary artistry. Black Star’s Chef Challenge was patterned after “Iron Chef,” the Japanese-produced TV Food Network show that pits master chefs in various culinary styles against opponents. Each week, after the surprise ingredient is revealed, the challenger and the Iron Chef face off in a frenetic culinary battle. Finally, a panel of judges samples the edibles and determines the victor. (Iron Chef airs Fridays and Saturdays at 10 p.m., Saturdays at 1 a.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. and 1 a.m.) However, before the ultimate competition began at Black Star, there was a blind tasting of food and wine by another secret panel of judges. I was one of them, along with Sherri DeCamp, co-author of “The Connoisseur Up North”; Ellen Pisor, landscape designer and gourmet cook; and Marylou Coe, a partner of Black Star Farms. Sequestered in the clubby leathery splendor of Black Star’s library, our mission was to judge each appetizer or dessert based on creativity, originality, presentation, taste and the compatibility of the chosen wine. We recorded our opinions by numbering from 1 to 10, the highest mark. We had no idea who prepared any of the eight dishes we sampled until about an hour and a half later, when our judging was over and the votes were tallied. The chef-wine pairings were selected in a random drawing, then they worked together to come up with the best fit. Our votes would determine the chefs for the final match. First up: City Kitchen Chef Nancy Allen’s Asian open-faced dumplings with shrimp, salmon and mushrooms paired with a Gewürztraminer from Charlie Edson at Bel Lago Vineyard. Next: Traveling Chef Nancy Kelly’s marquis de chocolat et cerises, a crunchy, buttery cake surrounded by a thin cherry sauce with a cherry wine from Dan and Lucie Matthies of Chateau Fontaine. No. 3: A huge platter of seven chocolate desserts, from a rich pate to a shell filled with fruit from Phil Murray of Windows paired with Pinot Blanc from Brian Ulrich at Peninsula Cellars. No. 4: 310 Chef Michael Bauer’s pumpkin almond griddle souffle, duck confit, roasted corn salad with champagne-goat cheese sauce and shreds of crisp beets, with Mawby Vineyards’ Talisman Sparkling Wine. No. 5: The Riverside Inn’s Tom Sawyer and Chris Cihak offered scallops on sea horses (see recipe), with an estate Riesling from Adam Sachwell at Shady Lane Cellars. No. 6: Latitude’s sous chef Chris Johnson prepared a crab-stuffed shrimp with a hot-sour Hollandaise and grilled pineapple relish paired with an edelzwicker from Sean O’Keefe at Chateau Grand Traverse. No. 7: From Greg Murphy at LaBecasse, roast duck with red wine sauce and goat cheese terrine with a Pinot Noir from Mark Johnson at Chateau Chantal. No. 8: Trillium Chef Rich Beichner’s roast suckling pig stuffed with chorizo sausage (presented in total) with a semidry Riesling from Lee Lutz of Black Star Farms. None of us was allowed to compare notes or discuss our impressions as we sampled the fare. So we chatted about other foodie things while taking stonefaced bites, trying not to influence each other’s opinions. After the final mouthful, our votes were cast anonymously, and a few minutes later, the Ultimate Challenge contenders were announced: LaBecasse’s Greg Murphy (assisted by a team that included Peachy Rentenbach, his boss) and Trillium’s Rich Beichner. Northwestern Michigan College’s Fred Laughlin and 14 culinary students assisted in this one-hour marathon inside the tent, which was set up with two identical kitchens. Hansen Foods provided the ingredients, including the secret item that had to be used in every dish: salmon. In front of 20 guests and four judges, the cooking crews skinned and sliced and diced and prepped and sometimes preened, but mainly stooped over low tables, turning ordinary ingredients into curlicues and julienne. Wafting from the burners were the aromas of lemongrass mango and seafood-lobster stocks. Stone House Bread owner and former TV news anchor Bob Pisor, replete in a vintage velvet bowtie, provided the color commentary, and NMC’s McLaughlin infused technical explanations. The judges — Black Star’s Don Coe, Graydon DeCamp (Sherri’s other half and co-author), Traverse magazine’s associate editor Cara McDonald and Pisor — watched and eventually feasted on the seven dazzlingly decadent dishes. And yes, foie gras was there, seared and rich and sublime. Sommelier Pram Acharya and wife Suzanne of Charlevoix’s new Esperance wine emporium poured a few nonlocal wines such as a Beaumont des Crayeres rose champagne and a Napa Valley Etude Pinot Noir. After all the points were tallied, Trillium’s Beichner took first place. “By the skin of his teeth,” said Diana Cihak, the event’s organizer, who added up the numbers. “He just barely edged out Greg Murphy in one category: showmanship.” But both teams delivered delectable, memorable morsels of food-as-art. “It was great — I had a blast. If this could be an annual thing, it would be huge,” said Beichner, who added that it was all in fun. “Greg’s a buddy of mine — we golf together at Grand Traverse Resort a couple times a year, so we’re good friends.” His tour de force started with “bacon and eggs” — an eggshell restuffed with bacon, cream, eggs and salmon surrounded by fingerling potatoes, then sweet chili (may ploy)-crusted salmon on a soba noodle cake with mango tea, then a wild mushroom duxelle atop grilled salmon with white truffle oil and pink Hawaiian sea salt, then French green lentils with roasted salmon, foie gras and baby vegetables. Murphy’s team whipped up phyllo-wrapped spinach and salmon pochettes with lemon zest and lemon beurre blanc, poached salmon en coquille with salmon quenelles and mango sauce, and wild mushroom couscous with grilled salmon and truffle sauce. From the sidelines, the one-hour prep and cooking segment seemed long for anyone used to watching television’s zip-zip-zip pace. But in real time, the crew pulled off an amazing display of skills and stamina. It was not until the end that anyone showed any strain during this culinary extravaganza. “This was by far the most complex event I’ve ever pulled together,” said wedding and special events organizer Cihak of Leelanau Weddings. “We wanted it to be seriously fun, but we wanted it to be credible. It was the first time a lot of the chefs had come together,” Cihak said. “It took so many levels — contacting and coordinating the chefs and then the wineries were a whole other level. Then all of the logistics of bringing in the eight restaurants. Then putting together the two kitchens — and the heaters in the tent, the dishes.” Not to mention the politics. “Chefs are artists and they all have a certain way of doing things — they have their comfort zone. Trying to put all the styles together and still make money for the organization was a real challenge,” she added. Then, there was Black Star’s enormous contribution: “They donated the rooms, wine, a whole lot of time,” she said. But it all went off in grand style, and guests left, one by one, with a glow that only a night in the North Country can provide. “What was most incredible was how much fun everyone had with it. They really enjoyed networking with each other — something they never have time to do,” Cihak said. For more information on Leelanau Horse Rescue, call 256-2887.
Fire Scallops on Sea Horses
Glaze: In blender, puree chili sauce, lime juice and salt. Pour over scallops and refrigerate 3-5 hours. Peel and clean shrimp. Make glaze by combining garlic, ginger, soy sauce, pineapple preserves, water, mango nectar and pineapple and simmering for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Slice scallops lengthwise about halfway. Wrap around tiger shrimp and grill about 3 minutes per side. Dip in glaze and place on skewer. Spike skewer into melon for vertical presentation. Set atop grilled orange and lime slices and garnish with your favorite Asian sauce, shaved carrot and purple cabbage. — The Riverside Inn
Suckling Pig Stuffed with Chicken and Pork Chorizo Appetizer
Mix chicken and pork with spices and red wine vinegar; let rest for one hour. Then stuff a suckling pig with mixture and roast for approximately five hours at 350°. Serve chopped suckling pig and chorizo stuffing in homemade corn tortillas and top with traditional accompaniments such as salsa and guacamole. —Executive Chef Richard Beichner, Grand Traverse Resort
Sweet Chile Glazed Salmon
Place cooked noodles in a small loaf pan. Place a second loaf pan over top of noodles to press them. Meanwhile, place salmon filets on a lined cookie sheet. Pour Mae Ploy over salmon filets and roast in a 400° oven for seven minutes. Pour mango juice into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Warm four large soup bowls. Cut four slices of the pressed noodle cake and place one in each bowl. Place salmon on top of noodle cake and pour warn mango juice around, garnish with chile oil and daikon radish. Serves 4. Note: Mae Ploy sweet chili sauce is available in gourmet and ethnic grocery stores.
—Executive Chef Richard Beichner, Grand Traverse Resort
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