2010 FINAL COMPETITION

As part of the first-ever Foster Farms Fresh Chicken Cooking Contest, on September 17, 2010 at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, in California’s Napa Valley, six regional finalists vied for the grand prize of $10,000 and a one-year supply of Foster Farms fresh chicken. The regional finalists, selected from a pool of nearly 2,000 recipes, had each been selected during regional events held in California, Oregon and Washington. In the spirit of the contest’s focus on fresh, local ingredients, each finalist prepared a delicious, original recipe featuring locally-grown Foster Farms fresh chicken.

The six regional finalists and their recipes were:

Marci Adelsman of Kent, Washington
Brown Rice Chicken Salad
Timmy Baker of Eugene, Oregon
Sesame Chicken with Chili Dip
Alexandria Boswell of La Jolla, California
Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Russell Kool of Hillsboro, Oregon
Basil Fontina Fondue Chicken Tenders
Monica King of Vancouver, Washington
Balsamic Mushroom Chicken with Honey Goat Cheese
Rebekkah Leber of Hayward, California
Panko-crusted Lemon Butter Chicken with Israeli Couscous Salad

In a heated cook-off, the six finalists prepared and presented their dishes to an esteemed panel of food media judges including Lena Birnbaum from Bon Appétit, Elaine Johnson from Sunset magazine, Michele Kayal contributor to Associated Press, and Carolyn Jung of Food Gal, a James Beard Award-winning food journalist. In the end though, Alexandria Boswell and her Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts emerged victorious. The judges were impressed with Alexandria’s use of fresh, local ingredients including locally-grown Foster Farms fresh chicken - as well the recipe’s taste, simplicity and presentation.

Experience the energy and excitement of the competition for yourself, check out the slideshow posted below.