NEW YORK, New York, May 6, 2011 – Flik Independent School Dining and Spoons Across America® co-hosted its first annual New York City Flik Invitational Cook-Off on Friday, May 6, at The Trinity School, in which culinary teams from The Trinity School, The Dalton School and The Grace Church School, all of Manhattan, competed in an Iron Chef-like competition to raise funds to implement Spoons Across America’s The Dinner Party Project®. Each culinary team consisted of the school’s Flik Independent School Dining Executive Chef plus 11 students who competed in the cook-off and helped with catering the event.
| Michael Lomonaco, executive chef and managing partner of Porter House at Time Warner Center; Julia Jordan, founder and president of Board of Trustees, Spoons Across America; and Ray Mulligan, president of Flik Independent School Dining, with the winning team, The Dalton School. |
Michael Lomonaco, executive chef and managing partner of Porter House at Time Warner Center, author, and television personality, served as the Master of Ceremonies for the competition. At the start of the event, he introduced the three teams and the panel of judges. During the competition, he entertained the crowd by sharing the competition guidelines and details of the dishes as they were being prepared. He closed the competition by announcing the winning team, The Dalton School, and surprising the three teams with an invitation to tour and have lunch at his restaurant.
The event raised $5,200, which will go towards implementing The Dinner Party Project® at a school or community center in New York City. Over the course of eight weeks, students participating in the program will learn the entire process of planning a dinner party for their families.
Check out what each team whipped up for the competition:
The Dalton School meal: Cold Avocado Soup with Roasted Corn and Cilantro; Turkey “Crunch Burger” Sliders, “Hasselback” Potato, Health Slaw, and a Homemade Pickle; Low-fat Banilla Frosty and Strawberry Tiramisu Cone
The Grace Church School meal: Local Spring Asparagus Gazpacho; Local Black Sea Bass with Mediterranean Salsa over Wilted Greens; Orange-scented Zabaglione Custard made with Local Eggs and served with Fresh Berries
The Trinity School meal: Crab and Avocado Salad with Roasted Poblano Peppers, Plantain Chips, Micro Cilantro, and Chipotle Oil; Oven-Roasted Stuffed Chicken Breast with Grilled Vegetables and Goat Cheese, Fresh Herb Polenta Cake, and Roasted Red Pepper Coulis; Strawberry Panna Cotta with Fruit Compote
