FIVE TOP CALLIFORNIA CHEFS WIN TOP AWARDS AT 2009

DATE CHEF COMPETITION

Ninth Annual Events Attracted Hundreds of Food Fans

INDIO, CA. – (APRIL 19, 2009) Today five local chefs came away with top trophies and prize money at the 9th annual Date Chef Competition held in the Special Events Center at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.

            Pastry Chef Yasmin Martin of The Vintage Club, Indian Wells, won Best of Show for her intricately crafted Halawi Date Mousse and Fromage Blanc Cheesecake.  Martin was a previous desert category winner in 2004.

            First Place Appetizers went to Herve Glin, executive chef at The Cork Tree Restaurant, Palm Desert, with a Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Smoked Sea Salt and Dates, he named Dates Trio "California Style."

            First Place Entree trophy was earned by Oliver Wolf, executive chef at Desert Springs JW Marriott Resort and Spa, Palm Desert for his delicately sliced Pork Tenderloin over Boniato Date Mashed Potato with Vincotto Jus, a light brown sauce.

            Rancho Las Palmas Resort and Spa, Rancho Mirage came up with two winners: First Place Desserts went to Tiburcio Neri, senior pastry chef, and People's Choice went to Executive Chef Leanne Kamekona.  Chef Neri's Simple Elegant Date Cake was ironically titled as it was elegantly decorated with chocolate and sugar palm trees.  Chef Kamekona's Date Brined Pork Loin was served with Yellow Date Crusted Roasted Beets and Cayenne Date Smoked Bacon. Both chefs have been previous winners of the competition; Kamekona has won People's Choice all three times she has completed - 2004, 2008 and this year.

            More than 350 guests attended and tasted the 14 finalists to vote for People's Choice, while first place and best of show awards were decided in a blind tasting with three judges in each panel.

            Judges were Donna Skidmore, director of consumer services, Dole Food Company; Byron Vaughan, associate publisher of Santé Magazine; Chef Heath Stone, chef instructor at Johnson & Wales University culinary arts in Denver, Colo.; Bruce Jacobs, executive chef of Bristol Farms; Henry Fenwick, food columnist with The Desert Sun; Donna Curran, food editor for Palm Springs Life Magazine; Jackie Olden, KNWZ radio talk show host; Brooke Beare, news anchor with KPSP Local Channel 2; and Lila Fulton, co-owner of Jensen's Finest Foods, Palm Springs.

            The event is presented by the California Date Administrative Committee with premium sponsor Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.    

            For further information, call the CDAC office at (760) 347-4510 or toll free 800-223-8748 or visit online at www.DatesAreGreat.com 

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