A circle of cooks and a taste of comfort!

A circle of cooks and a taste of comfort!

South Florida Chef Smackdown at AARLCC

By Steve Vinik

      BROWARD COUNTY, FL – On the evening of July 18, 2015, the South Florida Chef Smackdown was the delicious finale for the South Florida Book Festival at the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center (AARLCC). Top chefs from the tri-city area were invited to compete in a comfort food cook-off. The chefs competed in four categories of foods: fried chicken, mac & cheese, collard greens, and dessert. As the steel drum played brightly in the background, nearly 300 guests milled around the library lobby, tasting the samples at each chef’s station and enjoying a glass of wine. Towards the end of the evening, votes were cast by members of the “studio audience” and by three expert judges, Bobby Henry, Starex Smith and C. Ron Allen.

Here are the winners:

Judges’ choices:

Fried Chicken—Cordon Bleu

Mac & Cheese—Betty’s Soul Food

Collard Greens—Ivory’s

Dessert—Lykeisha the Baker (cupcakes)

Studio choices (public opinion):

Fried Chicken—Chef Chad

Mac & Cheese—Bare Bones

Collard Greens—Ivory’s

Dessert—Lykeisha the Baker (cheesecake)

The event was a big success and the library customers enjoyed a sociable evening and some tasty sensations for their $10 admission.