Food

Celebrity Chefs Compete Tonight and Needy Get the Prize

Chef Katsuji Tanabe of MexiKosher is one of the judges of the Chop Hunger competition. Image by Facebook

By Liza Schoenfein September 21, 2016

Image by Courtesy of Masbia Soup Kitchen Network

Tonight I’ll be a member of a live audience watching one of my favorite cooking competitions in the world — not “Chopped” on the Food Network (though I love that one to), but Chop Hunger, a “Chopped-style” competition that will raise money for Masbia Soup Kitchen Network.

Chef Katsuji Tanabe of MexiKosher is one of the judges of the Chop Hunger competition. Image by Facebook

The event includes a tapas dinner, with wine, “made up of foods that tell the story of the struggles that the Masbia chef deals with on a daily basis,” according to Masbia. “Every item on the menu will reflect the culinary decisions that go into feeding hundreds of people a night with an ad hoc, and often scarce, set of ingredients.”

I was a judge at last year’s competition, and wrote about my experience here.

This year’s judges are chef Katsuji Tanabe of MexiKosher, Mike Gershkovich from Mike’s Bistro and Jordana Hirschel from The Blue Ladle. Three celebrity Kosher chefs will be competing: Bryan Gryka of Milt’s in Chicago, Asaf Hadad of Fuego in Miami and Mendel Segal of BBQ Rabbi in Kansas City. The competition will again be MC’d by Avi Levy of Avi’s Kosher Kitchen.

The event takes place at the Lincoln Square Synagogue Wednesday, September 21, at 7 p.m. Tickets are still available. It would be great to see you tonight. If you’re there, please say hello.

Liza Schoenfein is food editor at the Forward. Contact her at schoenfein@forward.com or on Twitter, @LifeDeathDinner

Liza Schoenfein is a former food editor of the Forward and author of the blog Life, Death & Dinner. Follow her on Instagram @LifeDeathDinner.

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