Washington Post: Chefs from Hungary, Bahamas, Norway get top prizes at Embassy Chef Challenge
Author: Maggie Fazeli Fard
The Embassy of Hungary’s head chef, Viktor Merenyi, won the grand prize at this year’s Embassy Chef Challenge after wowing judges with a traditional slow-cooked beef dish Thursday night.
The judges, who included the Post’s Tim Carman, former Top Chef competitor Carla Hall, and last year’s challenge winner, Chef Lars Beese of the Danish Embassy, said Merenyi “dazzled” them with his presentation.
“He showed creativity, showed artistry, and did some pretty good cooking.”
Winning the People’s Choice prize was Chef Devin E. Johnson of the Bahamas, who made a seafood duo featuring conch and lobster with mango.
Competitors posed together following Thursday’s Embassy Chef Challenge. (Maggie Fazeli Fard - The Washington Post)
The Royal Norwegian Embassy’s chef, Sondre Bruvik Ellingstad, also received a nod from the judges, winning a prize for the first part of the two-part challenge, which was held two weeks ago.
Part one was a private quick-fire competition in which chefs had two hours to make a meal out of secret, Danish ingredients — a nod to last year’s winner.
The Embassy Chefs Challenge, now in it’s fourth year, drew nearly 600 guests. Proceeds from the event benefit Cultural Tourism D.C.
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