If you are really into the Bravo Network’s Top Chef, or a history buff when it comes to American Presidents, you may have been a little star struck last Wednesday at the Gettysburg College Campus. The Pennsylvania Preferred program, which sponsored all of the Gettysburg Festival’s culinary events, brought in chef/restaurateur Richard Blais to sit on a discussion panel at the Country Culinary Fair which focused on the growing interest in eating locally. Blais gained notoriety when he placed 2nd in season 4 of Top Chef. Other panelists included Walter Scheib: former Executive White House Chef, Andrew Little: local chef from Sheppard Mansion Farms in Hanover, PA, JoAnna Gresham: Director of the PA Preferred Program, and Kathy Glahn: local farmer/famrers’ market organizer who pulled the Country Culinary Fair together.
The panel discussion topics ranged from unique foods like asparagus ice cream to the basic concepts of supply and demand economics. Chef Walter Scheib summed up the discussion: “About 30 years ago chefs around the United States rediscovered a concept that had fallen out of favor and that concept was that great food and great dining wasn’t about complicated culinary techniques but great food and great flavors were about ripe, seasonal, local and delicious product”
For interesting interviews with the chefs check out my podcast: http://adams.extension.psu.edu/Podcasts/FreshfromtheFarm/FreshFarms.xml
For recipes from Walter Scheib visit: http://www.theamericanchef.com/index.asp
Fresh inspirations from Andrew Little: http://www.chefandrewlittle.blogspot.com/
good job!
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