By Abby Cambiano

Northeast News

May 19, 2017

KANSAS CITY, Missouri – Local chefs are gearing up for a food-filled summer, as they will be competing in a cultural cuisine chef cook-off hosted by the Northeast Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and the University of Missouri Extension.

The first demonstration, happening on May 20, will be a chef from Anthony’s Restaurant (701 Grand Blvd.) serving Italian cuisine. Anthony’s has been serving “award-winning, traditional Italian-American dishes” since 1978, according to the restaurant’s website.

Four restaurants will compete throughout the summer to take one of the two spots at the Chef Cook-Off at the International Marketplace Taste & Tour on September 9. While this is the first year for the cook-off, the International Marketplace Taste & Tour is on its sixth year.

“It’s really a cool process of being able to experience local restaurants and sharing their fabulous foods, and talking about their culture through those foods,” said Bobbie Baker-Hughes, president and CEO of the NEKC Chamber of Commerce.

The other restaurants participating are the Blue Nile Café, serving Ethiopian food on June 17, iPho Tower, serving Vietnamese food on July 15, and El Paso Del Norte, serving Mexican food on August 19. All of the demonstrations will take place at MU Extension River Market, located at 105 E. 5th Street, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

“MU Extension has a learning and teaching kitchen in it, and I think it’s going to be more restaurant-style,” Baker said. She added that she hopes people attend more than one event in order to judge the chefs. The competitors will show off culinary skill and cultural cuisine from around the world, with participants and judges voting on style and presentation.

Baker said in addition to good food, the event teaches participants how to save money while still making quality meals through a “financial, worldly, tasty adventure.”

“It’s also teaching culture and talking about healthy foods, as well as cost-effectiveness when cooking,” Baker said.

Tickets are $10 each per demonstration, and are available through Eventbrite or the Northeast KC Chamber of Commerce at (816)231-3312. Tickets to any chef demonstration earn a $5 rebate to the final Taste & Tour Chef Cook Off event.