And the secret ingredient is: a policeman?
In a battle of chefs held at the Atria Senior Living Center at Delmar Place, Bethlehem Detective Jerry Young lost to the Atria of Delmar’s Head Chef Gerard Margiotta.
Just like a real episode of “Chopped” competitors had 45 minutes, a limited kitchen supply, and some surprise ingredients to prepare a meal for four judges.
Competitors had but one cooking appliance: a grill to share. The ingredients and judges were held secret from the competitors until the start of the competition.
The secret ingredients were pork tenderloin, red and green peppers, zucchini and potatoes. Both chefs had professional restaurant experience and seemed ready for the task at-hand.
“You can tell that they’re experts in the kitchen,” said Atria Resident and competition judge June Sano.
County Executive Dan McCoy, Bethlehem Police Chief Lou Corsi, and retired Colonie Police Chief Steve Heider also served as judges for the competition held Thursday of last week, July 23.
Acting as Ted Allen for the chopped throw-down was Executive Director Berry Straub: there to narrate each slice and dice for the residents in attendance.
Both Young and Margiotta chose a traditional grilling method for their pork tenderloins and vegetables, but it Margiotta’s Asian barbecue sauce that eventually won out to Young’s teriyaki-pineapple sauce and carefully-carved vegetable flowers.
The two received what totaled to be equal ratings on taste, presentation and creativity. At one moment it seemed that the competition would remain a stalemate, but since organizers of the competition had different first place and runner-up, a winner had to be chosen.
A final tie-breaker overall satisfaction score was conducted. Though it was a close call yet again, Chef Margiotta eventually won by a nose, taking home the trophy, a Visa gift card and the glory.
His savory Worcestershire sauce-, soy sauce-, and garlic powder-infused barbecue sauce was “a little too spicy” for judge/resident June Sano, but all of the judges agreed that his pork was cooked perfectly.
Detective Young, however, took his loss in stride, even given small versions of what remained of his dish to the Atria residents in attendance.
Magiotta said that he was happy to have the win, but thought the competition should have remained a tie. Detective Young, said the chef “deserved to win.” Margiotta is ready to defend his title, should the chance come up.
Both say they had a lot of fun living out this Food Network fantasy.
Young’s peers at the Bethlehem Police Department chose him as the best chef among them because they knew of his history cooking at a restaurant in Hoosick Falls prior to joining the police department. On his wife’s own admission Young “does all of the cooking at home.”
Margiotta’s past chef experiences include owning, alongside his family, his own Italian restaurant in New York City for a number of years prior to beginning work at The Atria two years ago.
Residents were happy to see their happy-go-lucky chef, who is known as much for his enthusiasm as he is for his loud voice, win the competition. One resident in attendance even wondered if he might go on to compete in more cook-offs now that he’s had a taste of victory at this one.
Directors at The Atria said that they now plan to hold the event every year and hope to partner with the Bethlehem Fire Department next year. They said this competition is similar to others held at the over 170 Atrias across the country, but each has its own twist and its own theme.
Overall, the cooking competition was a lesson in fast, nutritious, creative cooking and friendly competition that residents and Atria staff were happy to learn.
