Local Chefs and Mixologists Compete for a Cause

As Wilmington’s food scene continues to provide exciting experiences for foodies, the Northside Food Co-op is taking things to a new level with “Chopped By the Coast.”

The fundraiser, which will benefit the community-owned cooperative grocery store planned for Wilmington’s Northside, includes both a culinary and mixology competition. Coordinators have taken inspiration from the Boston-based “Chopped for Charity” event run by Opentable.org and the long-running Food Network series, “Chopped” to create a one-of-a-kind event taking place on Oct. 13 at the Harrelson Center.

“The concept for this event originated from a desire to create a space where people could engage with Wilmington’s vibrant food culture through an interactive platform, all while supporting a meaningful cause,” said Northside Food Co-op Project Manager Cierra Washington. “Although numerous nonprofits in the area are hosting impressive fundraisers, we aimed to find a unique way to stand out. What better way to achieve this than by organizing a fun competition?”

The culinary portion of the competition will feature chefs Sam Cahoon of Savorez, Gerald Hawkins Jr. of Beach Shop & Grill and Country Club at Landfall, Kory Sanderlin of Smash N’Dash and Christie Walker of The Basics competing head-to-head using a mystery basket of ingredients.

Chef contestants will prepare an appetizer and an entrée to be judged by a panel of chefs, including Ryan Andress of UNCW Dining, Dean Neff of Seabird, Lora Plauche of Salt and Charm, Keith Rhodes of Catch and Matt Ray of Matt Ray Photography.

Guests can mingle and watch the chefs as they compete while enjoying bites provided by True Blue Butcher and Table. VIP ticket holders will have the opportunity to taste and vote for their favorite cocktail as part of the mixology competition.

Washington and her team enlisted the help of Paul Campbell, owner of Mr. Bartender, for the mixology portion of the event. Campbell’s company specializes in curating mobile mixology experiences for a wide range of events.

Campbell is a past participant of the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association Chef Showdown mixology competition. This helped him create a framework for the event, which will feature mixologists Jeremy Malanka, Kayla Munn and Josh Owens.

As the competition’s spirits sponsor, Momentum Distillery will supply an array of spirits for the competitors to choose from. Mixology contestants will be given a mystery ingredient they must incorporate into their cocktail, and they can bring one secret ingredient to incorporate if they wish. A variety of mixers, flavorings and garnishes will be provided.

“We have many talented mixologists in town who creatively blend chemistry and flavor profiles to provide our community with a delicious experience,” Washington said. “While our chefs often receive the spotlight, we wanted to showcase bartenders as well and introduce new faces into the mix.”

Malanka is not new to mixology competitions but said it’s been a while since he participated in one. He’s been working on ideas for his secret ingredient and hoping his final selection will pair well with the mystery ingredient the contestants are given.

For Owens, who currently bartends at The Bend, this will be his first shot at this type of competition. He has spent the past couple of years perfecting a syrup that takes a couple of days to make, which he hopes to feature in his cocktail.

“In the end, it all depends on the mystery ingredient,” Owens said.

Washington said she’s grateful to the planning committee, sponsors, chefs and mixologists who have helped bring the event to life.

“So many individuals have generously shared their time and talent to ensure that our guests have a wonderful experience,” Washington said. “I am excited for everyone to enjoy it.”

For more information and tickets to the event, click here.