Top culinary students prepare to compete for the chance to win $10,000 and
the career opportunity of a lifetime
GREENWICH, Conn., Dec. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- The search for the next big
culinary star is under way, with more than 60 culinary students sharpening
their knives in hopes of making it to the finals competition in Napa
Valley. The 2008 S.Pellegrino(TM) Almost Famous Chef(SM) Competition kicks
off its 6th year by partnering with more than 30 of the top culinary
schools in the United States and Canada, giving participating students the
rare opportunity to compete against one another in 10 regional competitions
and the chance to prepare their respective winning signature dishes for an
esteemed panel of chef and media judges.
Winners from the regional competitions will be flown to the finals
event at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in Napa Valley,
Calif., taking place March 7-10, 2008, where they will compete in three
categories: the Harvest Mystery Basket, Signature Dish and People's Choice
Tasting Gala. Individual winners from each competition will receive a cash
prize and the opportunity to apprentice at a world-renowned restaurant. The
overall winner will receive a $10,000 cash prize as well as a year-long job
opportunity to work with a nationally recognized chef.
To continue the passion and excitement of the Almost Famous Chef
Competition, S.Pellegrino will team up with Bravo(R) Top Chef winner Harold
Dieterle, chef/owner of Perilla restaurant in New York, along with
award-winning actress, famous for her role on The Sopranos on HBO(R),
Lorraine Bracco, president of Bracco Wines. Dieterle, who will serve as the
master of ceremonies and celebrity chef at the finals competition in Napa
Valley, will also host the Northeast regional event being held at the
Institute of Culinary Education in February. Bracco will co-host the
People's Choice Tasting Gala along with Dieterle to announce the 2008
S.Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef winner.
"The restaurant industry has all the qualities of a real-life
competition," says Harold Dieterle. "Almost Famous sets up these young
chefs to feel comfortable and thrive in these high-pressure situations,
which is why so many of the students leave the competition and go on to
work for some of the best restaurants in the country."
Ranbir Batra, winner of the 2006 Almost Famous Chef Competition,
credits the competition with the jump-start of his career. "The Almost
Famous Chef Competition provided me with an experience that I will never
forget. Working alongside chefs like Sara Moulton and Victor Scargle was an
experience that none of us would have received in class," he says. "The
career opportunities that were presented to me after winning would have
taken me years to get on my own, and I am very grateful to S.Pellegrino for
the opportunity."
About S.Pellegrino
The #1 sparkling mineral water brand in fine dining restaurants,
S.Pellegrino(R) Sparkling Natural Mineral Water has been appreciated as the
perfect meal accompaniment since its discovery in the 13th century. High in
the mountains north of Milan, the waters rise from an underground aquifer,
where 14 distinct minerals in the limestone and volcanic rock impart a
unique flavor. Lightly carbonated, S.Pellegrino is the ideal complement to
every dining experience. For more information on S.Pellegrino, visit
http://www.sanpellegrino.com or http://www.nestle-watersna.com.
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