Fourth Annual Long Branch Chef Challenge Spotlights Local Culinary, Design Expertise

The Fourth Annual Long Branch Chef Challenge, an event that features tastings of signature dishes prepared by noted area chefs, will be held November 3 at the Ocean Place Resort & Spa.
Presented by The Greater Long Branch Chamber of Commerce, the 2014 Chef Challenge will spotlight culinary experts from local restaurants including Carpaccio, Ocean Place Resort & Spa, Avenue, Sirena Ristorante, Tuzzio’s Italian Cuisine, Rooney’s Oceanfront Restaurant, Mar Belo, Tre Amici Modern Italian Restaurant, DIVE, Copper Canyon and Branches Catering. Guests will be able to sample each of the chef’s entries and participate in a “people’s choice” contest.

During the competition, other restaurants and food purveyors — including MIX Lounge and 2nd Flr Restaurant and the Windmill — will be demonstrating and offering samples. Additionally, R & R Marketing, Court Liquors and Shore Point Distributors who will be providing wine and various libations samplings to go along with the food.

Judging will be done by a four-member panel of industry specialists and awards will be presented that evening in both professional and people’s choice categories. Additionally, the Chamber will showcase local interior designers, decorators and florists who will be creating the table designs.  Beth Insabella Walsh of INSABELLADESIGN, an award-winning interior design firm based in Little Silver, will judge the entries and, as with the Chef Challenge, there will also be a people’s choice award.

The Kay Guadagno Memorial Fund at Monmouth Medical Center is the major beneficiary of the Chef Challenge, which in addition to the Greater Long Branch Chamber of Commerce is sponsored by Monmouth Medical Center, Investors Bank, the City of Long Branch Office of Economic Development,  Long Branch Urban Enterprise Zone and the law firm Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith and Davis. In her more than 35-year tenure with Monmouth, Kay clearly was a guiding force in strengthening the medical center’s ties within the immediate and surrounding community. Her ties to the Greater Long Branch Chamber were especially tight, and the Chef’s Challenge was a much-loved event for her.

Tickets are $75 and seating is limited to the first 300 available by calling the Chamber at 732-222-0400 or emailing info@longbranchchamber.org.   Cash, checks and credit cards (Visa, Mastercard and American Express) are accepted.