Local chefs and bartenders do battle this week
Celebrity chefs arrive from New York, and Edmond launches a national book tour
News in the 405 diningscape this week revolves around the Oklahoma Restaurant Association’s annual expo and convention. While the public goes about its business this week, the Oklahoma City Convention Center will be buzzing with activity that includes the annual Cocktail Shakedown and Culinary Cookoff.
That’s among the subjects we discussed on the latest edition of “The Food Dood & Friends” in partnership with KOSU. Co-host Julie Porter Scott and I talked ORA expo, but we also welcomed chef Chaya Pennington to the show. Chaya talked to us about school returning and what it means for her culinary program at Metro Tech. If you’re interested in professional food-service training or have a student interested in it, don’t miss this episode brought to you by Visit OKC.
As for the ORA expo and convention, it is home to a couple of annual competitions. I’ve acquired the roster of competitors for the ORA Culinary Cookoff. The nine vying for the cash prize include:
Quentin Hairston of the Ambassador Hotel
Mychal Spriggs of PartyServe
Ian Wagner of Sysco
Tyler Whitson of Rustic Kings Catering
Chris Bullis from the Tulsa Drillers
Joel Bein of The Meat & Cheese Show
Baylor Walker of The Springs at The Artesian
Nyla Hicks of the Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club
Patrick Yamaguchi of Culprits.
That event begins at 9 a.m. with the winner crowned between 4 and 5 p.m. The Cocktail Shakedown starts at 11 a.m. I’ll post the competitors when they are made available.
This year, the Expo is bringing to town chef Dale Talde, who will conduct a seminar for ORA members with local chef Kevin Lee. Talde has appeared on Bravo’s “Top Chef,” “Guy’s Grocery Games,” and “Tournament of Champions.” While the general public won’t be able to attend that event, Talde and Lee will host a dinner at Birdie’s by Chef Kevin Lee on Saturday.
The night before, chef Jeff Chanchaleune of Ma Der Lao Kitchen will co-host a dinner at Birdie’s with a different former “Top Chef” contestant. Chef Nini Nguyen. Tickets to the multi-course dinner are available here.
Nguyen, a New Orleans native, made her bones at Coquette then moved to New York to work at Eleven Madison Park. The move helped her gain a spot on season 16 of “Top Chef: then “Top Chef: All-Stars.” In 2020 she opened Cook Space in Brooklyn, New York. Her “Cooking with Nini” virtual classes are perpetually sold out.
Nguyen is also the author of a new cookbook called “Đăc Biet: An Extra Special Vietnamese Cookbook.” After she partners with Chanchaleune on Friday night, Nguyen will be at Bluebird Books in Edmond on Saturday morning for a book-signing.
Oklahoma City will be the launch site of Nguyen’s book-signing campaign and she will sign copies of “Đăc Biet” from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Those who attend Friday’s dinner at Birdie’s will get a copy of the book with their ticket. Pre-orders are also available.
Chef showing his stripes
We start the week with a really cook culinary collaboration at the Shoppes at Northpark. Chef Caleb Stangroom, former executive chef for The Bradford House, brings his Japanese-influenced pop-up to Tiny Bubbles Wine Bar to serve a five-course dinner with wine and cocktail pairings. Tickets are $85 with boozy beverage pairings for $40 and unleaded offerings for $20.
This week is also the first full week of service at Two Doors Down in Casady Square. The new spot from Empire Hospitality has a distinctive New York theme that includes a Central Perk tableau, subway sensibilities and pizza at the center of the offerings. It’s a great place for a snack and a glass of wine and promises to be a canny compliment to upscale Symmetry, which also belongs to co-owners Jason Pool and Dave Osborn.