Six Local Chefs to Compete in “Chopped-style” Cooking Contest to Benefit West Side Community Services
Participants will use common food pantry items to craft dishes for local celebrity judges & guests
West Side Community Services will host “West Side Chops,” a competition inspired by Food Network’s “Chopped,” featuring local chefs and judges on Wednesday, April 29 at 5:30 p.m. at Forbes Theater (500 Pearl St.)
The much-anticipated annual fundraiser, presented by Rich Products and the Rich Family Foundation, will feature six local chefs who will prepare dishes using ingredients commonly found at West Side Com munity Services’ food pantry, Provisions 139.
“We’re thrilled to once again present West Side Chops, a fun and delicious event that celebrates our vibrant community,” said Crystal Selk, executive director, West Side Community Services. “Proceeds will benefit the range of recreation, education and prevention programming, and food assistance West Side Community Ser vices provides over 5,000 youth and adults each year.”
A panel of three well known judges will crown a Judge’s Choice Chef. Guests at the event will also be invited to try samples and vote on who takes home the title of People’s Choice Chef.
Participating chefs include:
Stephanie Balk, Chef de Cuisine, Cornelia at the Buffalo AKG
Stephen Forman, Owner/Chef, Thyme-N Honey
Beverley Garraway, Executive Chef, The Buffalo Catering Co.
Gerardo Guzman, Chef/Owner, La Cocina de TiTí
Michael Rizzo, Own er/Manager, Sports City Pizza Pub
Ambika Swami, Own er & Head Chef, Buffalo’s Vada-Pav & Bites
Judges include:
Darian Bryan, Found er/Owner, Chef Darian Bryan
Jack & Levi Zhang, Social media sensations and cookbook authors known for “Cooking for Levi”
Daniela Kayser, Own er, daniela.
The event will be emceed by:
Patrick Gallo, actor/ writer/director known for his work in films and TV, including Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman.
Chefs will prepare their dishes off site, and finish their plating and presentation at the event, to accommodate the volume of small plates required.
Guests can also purchase raffle tickets or participate in the silent auction for opportunities to win an autographed Josh Allen jersey, an original Peter Fowler painting, an Ellicottville overnight package, plus culinary prizes like gift certificates to local restaurants, specialty kitch enware/bakeware and more.
Standard tickets and VIP tickets are available online. A standard ticket includes a sample from each chef, additional nibbles, one vote for the People’s Choice Award, and one drink ticket. A VIP ticket includes a sample from each chef, additional nibbles, one vote for the People’s Choice Award, two drink tickets, printed home recipes from the compet ing chefs, and some spe cial culinary gifts from local farms.