COLONIE – The Colonie Senior Services Center and the Beltrone Living Center, in conjunction with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets and Cornell Cooperative Extension will host the fifth annual Chefs in Motion cooking contest on Monday, Sept. 18, to benefit CSSC’s transportation services.
The Transportation Services, according to director Dianne Conroy-LaCivita, provides over 25,000 rides to area seniors each year, allowing them to remain connected to their community.
September marks the end of the growing season for farmers and area businesses who grow their own produce to eat, sell, and use for cooking meals.
Chefs in Motion will highlight what is grown and produced in the community and surrounding areas and will feature items from Lansing’s Farm Market and Greenhouse, Barber’s Farms, Schoharie Valley Farms, Van Wie Farms, R & G Cheesemakers, Stewart’s, Bee And Ewe Farm, Mort’s Maple, Cabot Creamery, and Altamont and Bowman orchards.
The event is sponsored by BBL Construction Services, CDPHP, RF Peck, Northeast Network Solutions, and anonymous donors, and attracts 150 attendees yearly.
This year’s competition will have an expected 10 restaurants taking part, and CSSC is also soliciting other local culinary talents and students from Schenectady County Community College to sign up.
Chefs in Motion will also have chocolate milk tasting from Van Wie Farms,a Seasons Inn Tasting with Chef Paul Strasser, and NYS wine and microbrew tastings. New York ice cream will be served by the Dairy Princess and her court, and there will be raffles, prizes and live music from Don Kelly.
Judging this year’s event is Chef Yono Purnomo, Chef Harold Qualters, Chef Joan Dembinski, Cindy Barber (owner of Barber’s Farms), and Geoff Palmer of NYS Agricultural and Marketing Director of Intergovernmental Affairs who will be filling in for Commissioner Richard Ball.
Participants will be judged in two categories; Judges Choice and People’s Choice. Each one, according to Conroy-LaCavita, will be given five minutes to present their meal to a panel of distinguished judges.
Chefs will be provided a “shopping cart” of locally sourced products and seasonal produce prior to the event and will be asked to create a signature dish, whether it be a salad, soup or an entree whose ingredients must be 75% locally sourced. The judges will use a matrix that will include the categories of creativity, taste, appearance and use of locally sourced ingredients.
Event attendees will then have the opportunity to sample the meals and vote for their personal favorite. The winner of the People’s Choice and Judge’s Choice category will be given $500.
Interested chefs and restaurateurs who want to become a contestant can reach out to Diane Conroy-LaCavita at (518)-459-2857 ext. 305 or through email [email protected].
The Fifth Annual Chefs in Motion event culinary competition will be held Monday, Sept. 18, 5-8 p.m. General admission tickets per person cost $50, $30 for seniors, and $30 for professionals under the age of 35-years-old. To make a reservation, contact Christopher at (518)-459-2857 ext. 339. Tickets can be purchased by calling Madelyn at (518) 459-2857 ext. 340.
This story appeared on page 1 of the September 13, 2023 print edition of the Colonie Spotlight