by wadmin | Sep 28, 2023 | People
Three more Indiana chefs received a golden ticket to the World Food Championships recently and will be joining Team Indiana at the November competition in Dallas.
Chefs Brady Foster of Foster’s Café and Catering, Dean Sample of Bonge’s Tavern and Youssef Boudarine of Anthony’s Chophouse and Bluebeard took top honors at The Perfect Bite competition Sept. 24 as part of the Paramount Schools of Excellence TURN Festival. Along with chef Eamonn McParland of Roselily in South Bend, the chefs were the top finishers from among 18 chefs in the “perfect bite” tasting portion of the competition.
Those top chefs then competed to create the best dish from a supplied pantry, with audience members chipping in to purchase premium ingredients for their favorite chefs. In addition to qualifying for the World Food Championships, the winning chefs also received cash prizes.
Also as part of the festival, Paramount middle school students from the school’s Junior Chef Academy program and local high schoolers competed as well. Those winners will be participating in the first World Food Championships junior division.
by wadmin | Sep 21, 2023 | Updates
Here at Culinary Crossroads, we’re big fans of food sports. From burger battles to bake-offs, we love to see what competing chefs can cook up on the spot.
We got a chance to enjoy a competition up close last September, when our partners at Paramount Schools of Excellence launched their inaugural Perfect Bite chef competition as part of the school’s annual TURN Festival.
The festival, to be held this year on Sept. 23, celebrates sustainable living and provides a day of fun and education for students, families and the school’s Brookside campus neighborhood on Indianapolis’ eastside. In past years, the fest included a separate, ticketed chef dinner. But starting last year, the Perfect Bite competition offered a delicious tasting event that featured 20 top chefs vying for the People’s Choice Award for the best bite, which won three chefs a “golden ticket,” qualifying them for the World Food Championships in Dallas in November.
Those winning chefs then engaged in an on-the-spot cooking competition, selecting a protein and basic ingredients from a pantry. But the audience got involved too, cheering on the competitors and purchasing additional ingredients for the chefs. And this year’s competition looks to be even more exciting.
This year there’s also a student category, part of Paramount’s Junior Chef Academy program. Paramount students who have participated in the school’s Junior Chef Academy will compete during this year’s TURN Fest to create their own “perfect bites.” Winning students get their own golden tickets for a new junior division at the World Food Championships.
But there’s a serious purpose behind creating the junior chef program at Paramount, said school CEO Tommy Reddicks.
“The Junior Chef Academy is designed to attack food insecurity at the source, which is training up our students to try to become better prepared to meet the needs of food challenges and also see a new career pathway,” Reddicks told WISH-TV news recently. “And it’s about getting trained up in all these great culinary skills with an opportunity to really produce at a state and world level.”
The TURN Festival and the student competition is Saturday, Sept. 23, with the Perfect Bite chef competition taking place Sunday, Sept. 24. Proceeds from the competition benefit Paramount Schools of Excellence, Victory College Prep and Purdue Extension programming, as well as the participating chefs. Check out Paramount Schools of Excellence for more info on the school, TURN Festival and the Junior Chef Academy.
by wadmin | Sep 12, 2023 | Blog, News
Celebrating all things local with Mel McMahon of Indiana Owned
You might recognize Indiana Owned co-founder Mel McMahon by her voice – she has been an on-air radio personality on Indianapolis stations and is executive producer for WIBC’s annual Salvation Army Radiothon, set this year for Dec. 8-9. But she is also an ardent supporter of local businesses at IndianaOwned.com, which serves as a directory of Indiana-based businesses that have been certified local. Mel also has a podcast called “Local Matters” and owns a retail store on Main Street in Lebanon called Indiana Gifts that only sells products made by Indiana-owned companies.
What was the inspiration for Indiana Owned?
Indiana Owned came about from a very simple question. “Is it local?” In the spring of 2012, my now-husband and I were walking around Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis while deciding on where to go for dinner. After finally settling on a restaurant, I asked: “Is it local?” That simple question became a much bigger conversation.
How do you know if a business is local? What does local really mean, anyway? Why are communities with local businesses more attractive? Where does the money go when you spend a dollar locally? How much money stays in your community when you spend your money at an independent business?
In the search to answer these questions, we discovered more than just the economic impact of spending your money locally. We also found a lot of people just like us – happy to support local businesses but who didn’t always find it easy or convenient. We also discovered a lot of local business owners were proud of their Hoosier roots and wanted people to know they were local. Using our experience in promotions and business development (amongst other talents), we decided to simplify the search for local and launched the first website, IndianaOriginals.com, on May 15, 2014.
What’s the most surprising Indiana Owned or made product or business you’ve come across?
This might not be the most surprising thing, but something I really, really appreciate is the fact that limestone from Indiana is used all over the world. We see it all over Indiana. I grew up in a Bedford stone house in Irvington. My fireplace surround in my home now is Bedford stone. What a lot of people don’t know though, is that Bedford stone is used in court houses and libraries across the country, in the Empire State Building, in the Pentagon, in war memorials in Washington D.C., and so many other places. It’s really something to hang our hat on, and I love driving by the quarry sign declaring Bedford “The Limestone Capital of the World.”
You probably travel around the state a lot; any favorite destinations? Where would you go for a weekend getaway?
One of the things I love about Indiana is how different the landscape is depending on where you are in the state. That’s part of the reason I love visiting our State Parks. Each one gives you a completely different experience and showcases the beauty of our state in different ways. If I go missing though, and your only clue is “Mel wanted to get away,” you will find me at West Baden Resort in southern Indiana.
If you had to choose a favorite iconic Indiana dish, what would it be? Breaded pork tenderloin? Sugar cream pie? Persimmon pudding? Roast beef Manhattan?
Breaded pork tenderloin. Hands down.
Do you like to cook? Any specialties or favorite things you like to make?
I am no expert in the kitchen, but I do enjoy baking and preserving. I love baking all different kinds of cookies, especially around the holidays. My chocolate pie is a regular request. My mother-in-law called to tell me my pickled beets were the best she ever had, even better than her grandmother’s, so I might be onto something there. I receive a lot of requests for my jalapeno pepper jam, too.
What items are always in your fridge?
You will always find veggies from our garden, a wide variety of cheese, meats, spreads–anything that can be put on a charcuterie board, a minimum of four different kinds of pickles, and cold brew.
by wadmin | Sep 12, 2023 | Blog, News
Tucked in among the Orange County hills of Southern Indiana, the beautiful resort community of French Lick/West Baden and neighboring towns of Orleans and Paoli have been welcoming guests on unforgettable Indiana getaways for more than 100 years. The area is home to the French Lick Resort, which is comprised of two historic hotels: the West Baden Spring Hotel, which was built in 1902, and French Lick Spring Hotel, built in 1901.
The resort was recently named “Best Historic Resort” by Historic Hotels of America, and it’s the perfect destination for guests searching for gracious hospitality, ultimate luxury and loads of opportunities for an indulgent vacation experience right here in Indiana.
With school back in session, cooler temperatures on the way and scenic autumn colors ready to pop, fall is a great time to plan a friends’ getaway or romantic escape to French Lick and West Baden in Southern Indiana.
The scenic resort area offers something for everyone from gourmet restaurants and wine tastings to three championship golf courses designed by Donald Ross, Pete Dye and Tom Benedelow. The area also includes a casino and variety of spas, including the Spa at French Lick, which has recently been named one of Conde Nast Traveler’s Top Spas.
Here at Culinary Crossroads, we’re all about fall food fests, and travelers can enjoy a bounty of delicious food and art events and festivals in this scenic area. From bourbon tastings and fall foliage wine cruises to pumpkin festivals and art shows, there are events to enjoy all season long.
We try to include as many events as possible in our Culinary Calendar, but we couldn’t resist including a few more taking place in the French Lick and West Baden area. For a complete listing of events, visit www.VisitFrenchLickWestBaden.com.
Bourbon And Bites
Sept. 15
West Baden Springs Hotel Atrium – Gather your favorite bourbon-loving pals for an evening sampling premium bourbons perfectly paired with a five-course tasting menu. Hosted at the elegant West Baden Springs Hotel, the ambiance offers a cozy backdrop for a romantic night out for couples, too. $95 per person. Reservations required.
Fall Foliage Wine Cruise
Saturdays through Oct. 21
Patoka Lake Marina – Take in the beauty of the fall foliage season with a tour boat cruise on beautiful Patoka Lake and sample wines paired with hors d’oeuvres and desserts. Tours depart from Patoka Lake Marina located inside Patoka Lake State Park (state park gate fee applies). Ticket price includes five to seven tastings of wine, appetizers, dessert and two glasses of your wine of choice. Reservations required.
55th Annual Orange County Pumpkin Festival
Sept. 27-Oct. 1
French Lick – This traditional home-town festival features, crafts, food, music, amusement rides and even a Great Pumpkin parade.
Art On the Green
Oct. 13-15
French Lick Town Green – Grab your gal pals and head to the Town Green in beautiful French Lick for a day of shopping. Find amazing hand-made items like pottery, fiber arts, jewelry, lapidary, painting, photography, textiles, wood and more.
Orleans Fall Fun Fest
Oct. 14
Orleans Town Square – Enjoy a day taking in the beautiful fall colors in historic Congress Square. The Fall Fun Fest includes plenty of food vendors, a 5K run/walk, harvest fair, car show, children’s activities, live entertainment and more.
by wadmin | Aug 30, 2023 | Blog, News
As the school years gets going, Culinary Crossroads is happy to announce that the first two Chef Greg Hardesty Scholarships have been awarded to students in Ivy Tech Community College’s culinary program.
Working with the Hardesty family and Ivy Tech, Culinary Crossroads established an advisory committee to review applications, interview finalists and choose two applicants to receive a full-year scholarship.
The Hardesty scholarship committee awarded the fund’s first round of scholarships to culinary students Katherine Aliff and Ethan Wise. Honoring the legacy of late Chef Greg Hardesty, the scholarship will be awarded annually to Ivy Tech culinary students who demonstrate talent, leadership and dedication to the craft of cooking. Chef Hardesty, who passed away in the spring of 2021, left an indelible legacy through the training and mentoring of many of Indy’s premier chefs.
“Chef Greg Hardesty was a mentor in the Indianapolis culinary community, and we are proud to celebrate the legacy he created and to announce the first two recipients of this scholarship,” said Larry Dickerson, founder of Culinary Crossroads.
Baking has always been a part of New Ross, Ind., resident Katherine Aliff’s life and she has known she wanted to pursue a career in culinary arts since sixth grade. Aliff says her goals in the culinary and baking pastry industry are to work as a pastry chef in a restaurant or hotel and gain experience to eventually own her own bakery or cafe.
Ethan Wise of Covington, Ind., credits his mom with starting him on his culinary journey. From helping at home with dinner to making dinner and eventually starting his own baked goods business, Ethan developed a passion for the culinary field and has a goal of owning his own business.
The Hardesty scholarship is open to students enrolled at the Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis campus with plans to open applications to students at Ivy Tech’s five additional culinary school campuses as the scholarship grows.
“We are proud to honor Chef Greg Hardesty with this scholarship and strengthen Ivy Tech’s commitment to the culinary arts,” said Sue Ellspermann, president of Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana. “As an academic institution, Ivy Tech is breaking down barriers to education and creating opportunities for students. This scholarship is an incredible way to honor Chef Hardesty’s legacy.”
