Last evening the AIWF made their big announcement for the year, the entries for this years 20th Annual Caesar Salad Competition. On a typical year if a chef had won the competition, they would not be eligible to win again, but this being the big 2-0 year the rules have changed. For the 2011 competition, the competitors have not been hand picked as in previous years, instead past winning chefs are making a return visit to ferrest out the Master Caesar.
Those unfamiliar with AIWF (American Institute of Wine and Food), their mission is to enhance quality of life through education in what we eat and drink. The local chapter of AIWF takes this mission to heart by supporting programs such as Days of Taste, a national AIWF initiative to educate elementary school children about the origins of their food, taking them from farm to table and introducing concepts of healthy eating.
You may recall craveDFW shouting out about the Days of Taste earlier in the year where we participated in working with local school children at the Dallas Farmers Market, creating some cool dishes with local chefs at the helm each day. For many of the children this was their first foray at the market and they each took essential life skills home with them.
Other programs the organization supports is the AIWF/Chef Sevy (Jim Severson of Sevy’s Grill) Endowment Fund, and other scholarship programs.
You can show your support by attending the Caesar Salad Competition Sunday October 30 at the Westin Galleria from 1 to 5PM (you won’t miss the Cowboys in action).
The best part of the Caesar event is not just the amazing spread of salads and wine, but the little extra the chefs provide in way of enticing voters. Ask some of the past winners such as Janice Provost (Parigi) who supplied lobster bisque as her lagniappe. Many of the past winners offer their winning salad on their own restaurant’s menu.
Here is the line-up for this year‘s XX heated competition:
1994 Kent Rathbun Abacus, Jasper’s, Rathbun’s Blue Plate Kitchen 1996 George Brown George Catering 1997 Jim Severson Sevy’s Grill 1998 James Neel Tramontana 2000 Samir Dhurandhar Nick & Sam’s, Nick & Sam’s Grill, Coal Vines 2001 Gilbert Garza Suze 2002 Doug Brown, Dish 2003 Brian Luscher The Grape 2004 David Holben Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse 2007 Janice Provost Parigi Restaurant 2008 John Tesar The Commissary 2010 David C. Smith Westin Galleria Dallas.