Homegrown ingredients pivotal to Lincoln cooking competition

As Dessa Champoux dalloped creamy mascarpone on her lavender-scented raspberry crisp, she smiled.

"It's all-over goodness," she said of her desserts in the white ramekins, freshly removed from the oven.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln team, composed of senior art major Champoux, graduate culinology student Shane Zimmerman and senior culinology major Bryant Fredrick, said they were "really happy" with their rustic, down-home dishes.

But despite their efforts, the Metro Community College team's cuisine reigned supreme at the first culinary battle royale, dubbed the "Nebraska Local Foods Chef Challenge."

Their apple onion tart appetizer and rosemary fingerling potatoes paired with their stuffed chicken took first place.

But not by much – only one point separated first from second, and another point second from third.

"I'm a little disappointed," said Zimmerman, whose UNL team placed third. "But despite the outcome, I still had a great time."

Three member teams from UNL, MCC in Omaha and Southeast Community College had one hour to prepare a meal from a basket of local food ingredients.

Kerry Williams, an MCC culinary arts major, said her team worked well together, and everything went very smoothly.

"It's pretty flattering to win this," Williams said. "Overall, everyone did a really good job, so the competition was very top notch."

The event was sponsored by the Nebraska Local Foods Network – a group promoting the local growing and buying of food – and was held to encourage cooking with homegrown goods.

"We wanted to showcase what I like to call ‘fresh, clean food'," said Judy Gilliard, emcee of the event and host of the "Judy A La Carte Show" on KFOR Radio. "It also gives these young chefs a chance to be competitive in their field."

The secret ingredients used were: locally raised and grown chicken, zucchini, squash, shallots, roma tomatoes, mushrooms, raspberries, plums, apples and herbs.

Teams had one hour to create a main dish, a side and a dessert to be presented to the panel of expert judges from local eateries.

Local chefs and restaurateurs from Skeeter Barnes, HiMark Banquets, Bread and Cup, and Lazlo's Brewery and Grill judged the entrees based on presentation, flavor, use of time, creativity and description of the menu.

"I was impressed to see all the different techniques," said Jesse Anderson, head chef at Lazlo's. "I was especially happy with the use of Empyrean beer in UNL's chicken dish."

The contest, held at Schaefer's TV & Appliance Center at 4700 R St., drew an estimated 75 people.

Gilliard said she was pleased with the turnout and thinks this will become an annual event.

A fourth team of students from all three schools prepared sample food for the hungry crowd.

"We wanted to show these folks how much better tasting this Nebraska-grown food is," Gilliard said.

She encouraged people to try out the various farmers markets around town. A supporter of local food, Gilliard said she loves looking farmers in the eye and knowing they grew it themselves and not from a commercial farm.

Farmer Bill Hawkins, who grew the mushrooms for the event, said Lincoln needs more events like this culinary competition.

"With all these shows on Food Network, it's become a really big niche market," Hawkins said. "This is a good way to let people know about these amazing young chefs and the local cuisine."