2011 CALIFORNIA REGIONAL EVENT

On August 26, 2011 at The Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – San Diego our five California semifinalists competed for a chance to have their recipe move to the final stage of the 2nd Annual Foster Farms Fresh Chicken Cooking Contest. Only two of the five recipes would be selected as regional winners and move forward to compete at the final event.

The five semifinalists and their recipes were:

Jamie Brown-Miller of Napa
Olive and Lemon Poached Tuscan Chicken on Grilled Pitas with Spinach Spread
Roxanne Chan of Albany
Asian Braised Chicken Thighs with Soybean Salad
Jennifer Daskevich of Los Angeles
Chicken and Quinoa with Figs, Spinach and Mint
Jackie Dodd of Glendale
Pulled Chicken Sliders with Hoisin BBQ Sauce & Pickled Slaw
Pascal Vignau of Encinitas
Pretzel Chicken Tenders with Green Tomato Sauce

During this Regional Competition, judges Elaine Johnson, editor Sunset Magazine, Christine Ross, editor San Diego Union-Tribune, Sam Zien, host of Just Cook This and Cathy Thomas, contributor and former food editor, Orange County Register, selected Jennifer Daskevich’s Chicken and Quinoa with Figs, Spinach and Mint recipe and Roxanne Chan’s Asian Braised Chicken Thighs with Soybean Salad recipe as their top picks based on their recipes’ use of fresh, local ingredients, including Foster Farms locally-grown chicken. Judges made decisions based on taste, use of fresh, local ingredients, appearance/appeal, simplicity/ease of making and originality. Guests in attendance selected contestant Jennifer Daskevich’s recipe for the “People’s’ Choice Award”.

The two regional winners each received $1,000 and a trip to California’s Napa Valley to compete in the final event for a chance to win $10,000 and a one-year supply of Foster Farms fresh chicken!