Eager to dispel what it called a “misperception” about the soy protein, tofu maker House Foods and the Gohan Society (an organization that promotes Japan's culinary heritage) held a cooking competition at Astor Center yesterday afternoon. Open to the public and attended by members of the media, the two-hour event involved a contest between four chefs—Wylie Dufresne of WD-50, Erik Battes of Perry Street, Edward Higgins of Insieme, and Akinobu Suzuki of Sakagura—hosted by Mike Colameco of WOR radio’s Food Talk.
Gathered in the upstairs gallery space of the wine store and education center, attendees watched while each chef created two dishes—a sweet dish and a savory plate—using the brand’s soft and firm tofu products and presented them to the judges for tasting. (The chefs later offered smaller versions of these items to guests.)On the judging panel was Michael Romano, chef and co owner of Union Square Café, Peter Berley, health food chef and author, and Andrea Strong of the food blog and newsletter the Strong Buzz. (Strong has also written for BizBash.) They named chef Dufresne as the winner and presented him with a $5,000 check from House Foods.
Although the event didn't involve the oddball antics of a typical Japanese game show, the contest did provide some insight into the various applications of tofu, from Dufresne's inventive soup and pudding to Higgins's Italian treatment (a panini-like serving and a soy panna cotta) to Suzuki's more traditional fare. And the dishes themselves seemed to have been tasty enough, as attendees swarmed the tasting tables, grabbing several samples at a time.
Gathered in the upstairs gallery space of the wine store and education center, attendees watched while each chef created two dishes—a sweet dish and a savory plate—using the brand’s soft and firm tofu products and presented them to the judges for tasting. (The chefs later offered smaller versions of these items to guests.)On the judging panel was Michael Romano, chef and co owner of Union Square Café, Peter Berley, health food chef and author, and Andrea Strong of the food blog and newsletter the Strong Buzz. (Strong has also written for BizBash.) They named chef Dufresne as the winner and presented him with a $5,000 check from House Foods.
Although the event didn't involve the oddball antics of a typical Japanese game show, the contest did provide some insight into the various applications of tofu, from Dufresne's inventive soup and pudding to Higgins's Italian treatment (a panini-like serving and a soy panna cotta) to Suzuki's more traditional fare. And the dishes themselves seemed to have been tasty enough, as attendees swarmed the tasting tables, grabbing several samples at a time.
House Foods's tofu cook-off
Photo: Alison Whittington for BizBash
Hosted by radio personality Mike Colameco, the competition pitted chefs Erik Battes, Wylie Dufresne, Edward Higgins, and Akinoba Suzuki against each other.
Photo: Alison Whittington for BizBash
The judges, including Andrea Strong (pictured), rated each dish based on presentation, aroma, texture, flavor, and creativity.
Photo: Alison Whittington for BizBash
Video footage of the cooking in the kitchen was projected onto a screen in the space where attendees gathered.
Photo: Alison Whittington for BizBash
Wylie Dufresne's savory dish was his take on miso soup, which included a dropper filled with tofu paste.
Photo: Alison Whittington for BizBash
The sweet dish from Erik Battes was a basil-tofu ice cream accompanied by strawberries and a black sesame puree.
Photo: Alison Whittington for BizBash
The winner of the competition, Wylie Dufresne, was presented with a check.
Photo: Alison Whittington for BizBash
