Monday, October 24, 2011

Food Day at UAF proves tasty event

Carol Lewis displays the reindeer loin she cooked upstairs in the Wood Center kitchen. The meat, high in protein and low in fat, is raised at the Fairbanks Experiment Farm.

All smiles after winning the Iron Chef cookoff, Dean Michael Castellini, at right, accepts the award from KUAC's Jerry Evans. In the center is NANA Chef Dave Sikorski.

Judging is a hard job but someone has to do it! From left, Sarah McConnell, Shelley McCool and Tyler Skrivanek taste test the shrimp and reindeer dishes prepared during the Iron Chef cookoff.

Oct. 24 attracted a huge crowd to the UAF Wood Center for a taste of Food Day.

"It's all about healthy eating and supporting local, sustainable agriculture," said Nancy Tarnai of the event planning team. "We couldn't be more pleased with the interest and excitement."

The morning kicked off with the "Iron Chef" Surf vs. Turf Cookoff Challenge, highlighting the culinary talents of Carol Lewis, dean of the School of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences, and Michael Castellini, dean of the School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. Lewis was assisted by professional chef, Michael Roddey of the Community and Technical College culinary school, and Castellini by professional chef, Dave Sikorski of NANA Management Services.

Judges Shelley McCool, Sarah McConnell and Tyler Skrivanek had the tough job of deciding which chef would get to take home the Iron Chef birch spatula. Based on appearance, taste, presentation, timeliness and nutritional quality, the judges chose Castellini and his shrimp dish by a very narrow margin. It was a close call between the shrimp and Lewis's reindeer. Judges' comments included: "Yum. This reindeer is tender and tasty," (McConnell); "It's all fantastic," (McCool); "It's all delicious," (Skrivanek).

"It's a kaleidoscope of tastes," McConnell summed up.

Emcee Jerry Evans of KUAC did a great job hosting the cookoff. Special thanks to the farmers who donated food for the event, including the scrumptions microgreens brought in that morning by Bill Johnson of Johnson Family Farms.

Associate Professor Bret Luick, Food Jeopardy game champion, received a basket of produce from Chena Fresh.

Jeopardy contestants from left Bret Luick, Mike Emers, Jeff Johnson and Andrea Bersamin showed their knowledge of Alaska agriculture, food and nutrition.

The Food Jeopardy game was a heated competition between academics Andrea Bersamin and Bret Luick and farmers Mike Emers and Jeff Johnson. The competitors answered questions about food, nutrition and Alaska agriculture, with post-doctoral fellow Thomas Grant playing the role of game show host. In the end Luick took home a gorgeous basket of produce from ChenaFresh.

Exhibits such as this one from Chena Fresh filled the Wood Center with information and fun!

Over 20 exhibitors, from the Alaska Community Agriculture Association to Homegrown Market to UAF Cooperative Extension Service, displayed information and talked to attendees. The Anthropology Society hosted lectures and films.

Perhaps the most popular segment was the Taste of Alaska, a feast of Alaska Grown food donated by farmers and prepared by UAF Dining Services/NANA Management Services. Taking grass-fed beef from the Matanuska Experiment Farm, cold-smoked salmon from Alex Oliveira in Kodiak, honey from Charlie Knight, lettuce and tomatoes from Chena Fresh, apples and potatoes from the Fairbanks Experiment Farm, rutabagas from Grey Owl Garden, beets, cabbage, carrots, Napa cabbage from Spinach Creek Farm and cabbage, carrots, onions and beets from Wild Rose Farm, the chefs prepared appetizers, soups, stews, roasted vegetables and vegetable medleys.

Cold-smoked salmon from Alex Oliveira of Kodiak was a big hit.

There was much buzz about the food and great interest in the fact that it was all grown in Alaska.

As Food Day will be celebrated on Oct. 24 from now on, please mark your calendars for future years now!

Around the nation, Food Day reported a massive celebration in Times Square, a conference on food deserts in San Francisco, the serving of healthy breakfasts in Omaha, a food-safety wheel in Chicago, the building of raised bed gardens in Little Rock and much more.



SNRAS Administrative Assistant and Food Day team member Martha Westphal got into the spirit of Food Day with her carving knife.


Further reading:
Real Food Challenge blog highlights campus events around the country, including UAF!

Dean Michael Castellini's take on Food Day and the Iron Chef cookoff.

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