Top chefs competing at Missouri Pork Association event in Springfield on Monday
Ozarks Food Harvest is event partner for fifth consecutive year
WHO: Six Springfield and Branson chefs — including Chef Peter Tinson of Aviary Café and Creperie, Chef Branden Bentley of Aviary Café and Patisserie, Chef Scott Horned of Cox Health, Chef Jason Pooker of Fire and Ice, Chef Chris Freeman of The Keeter Center at College of the Ozarks, and Chef Kyle Houston of Twin Oaks Country Club — are competing in the Missouri Pork Association’s Taste of Elegance event. Farmland Foods donated the pork for the competition, while Missouri Wines and the Oasis Convention Center are also sponsors.
WHAT: This event benefits the regional food bank, Ozarks Food Harvest, by allowing the function to serve as The Food Bank’s annual donor appreciation event. This is the fifth year OFH has invited food and fund donors, volunteers and advocates to attend the private event at no cost.
WHEN: Monday, March 17 — Formal judging begins at 3:20 p.m., with last plate due at 5:30 p.m. Media is invited to this judging, which occurs before the event doors open to private guests from 6:30–8:30 p.m. This private event is closed to the public, but open for media.
WHERE: Oasis Convention Center, 2546 N. Glenstone Ave., Springfield, Mo.
WHY: Sponsored by the National Pork Board, Taste of Elegance is a major culinary competition designed to inspire innovative and exciting ways to menu pork. Since 1987, Taste of Elegance has evolved into more than 20 regional competitions annually. There are four events in Missouri — in St. Louis, Columbia, Kansas City and Springfield. Winning chefs are then invited to participate in the National Pork Summit, bringing together talented, winning chefs from across the country. The program provides an exciting competition in the chef community while also serving as a learning exchange for the chefs. At every competition, prizes are awarded for outstanding pork dishes based on a variety of factors, including taste, originality and presentation. Judges for the events have included master chefs, food editors and past Taste of Elegance winners.
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About Ozarks Food Harvest The Food Bank
Ozarks Food Harvest is the Feeding America food bank for southwest Missouri, serving 200 organizations across 28 Ozarks counties. The Food Bank distributes 10 million meals annually to 170,000 unduplicated individuals. OFH celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2013 and received its second consecutive Four-Star Charity Navigator rating the same year. Learn more at ozarksfoodharvest.org, facebook.com/ozarksfoodharvest or twitter.com/ozksfoodharvest.
About Missouri Pork Association
The Missouri Pork Association represents the state’s pork producers in the areas of promotion, research, education and legislation. For more information about this or any other programs of the Missouri Pork Association, go to mopork.com, or call (573) 445-8375.