Embassy Chef Challenge
Join Cultural Tourism DC for the 4th Annual Embassy Chef Challenge: DC’s premier international culinary competition
Thursday, March 8
7:30 – 10 pm, VIP Reception 6:30 pm
Co-hosted by Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20004
Sponsorship Opportunities Now Available
Individual Tickets: $250 available online
VIP tickets are available for Friends of Cultural Tourism DC at the $250 level and Embassy Chef Challenge sponsors at the $5,000 level and above.
The Embassy Chef Challenge, held each spring, spotlights Washington DC’s international community in one unforgettable evening – satisfying far more than appetites. The Embassy Chef Challenge is Cultural Tourism DC’s annual fundraising benefit, featuring an international tastings, awards, entertainment, and a world-class silent auction.
See the video of the 2011 Embassy Chef Challenge
Video by Chris Cymbalak
| 2012 chefs: | Chef Devin E. Johnson, Embassy of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas |
| Chef Sen Sun, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China | |
| Chef Malkhaz Maisashvili, Embassy of Georgia | |
| Chef Viktor Merényi, Embassy of Hungary | |
| Chef Djamel Amroune, Embassy of the Republic of Iraq | |
| Chef Sherene N. James, Embassy of Jamaica | |
| Chef Shogo Shimodaira, Embassy of Japan | |
| Chef Yerlan Abdrakhmanov, Embassy of Kazakhstan | |
| Chef Young A. Byeon Lee, Embassy of the Republic of Korea | |
| Chef Nazha Kasraoui, Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco | |
| Chef Sondre Bruvik Ellingstad, Royal Norwegian Embassy | |
| Chef Channa Perera, Embassy of Sri Lanka | |
| Chef Vincent Muia, Embassy of Switzerland |
| 2012 judges: | Tim Carman, Food Reporter, The Washington Post |
| Chef Lars Beese, Chef at Embassy of Denmark and Winner of Embassy Chef Challenge 2011 | |
| Chef Carla Hall, Co-host The Chew, Top Chef All-Stars Finalist | |
| Warren Brown, Founder, CakeLove | |
| Chef Xavier Deshayes, Executive Chef, Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center | |
| Chef Sina Molavi, Executive Chef, Occasions Caterers | |
| Chef Maziar Farivar, Executive Chef and Co-owner, Peacock Café | |
| Missy Frederick, Columnist, “Top Shelf” Washington Business Journal |
| 2012 Culinary Council: |
Her Excellency Ambassador Capricia Marshall, Chief of Protocol, U.S. Department of State |
| Chef Firoza Mehta, Executive Chef and owner, Graffiti (New York); Contestant, Iron Chef and The Next Iron Chef | |
| Chef Jan Van Haute, Executive Chef, Embassy of Belgium and Winner Embassy Chef Challenge 2010 | |
| Joe Yonan, Food and Travel Editor, The Washington Post | |
| Chef John Hanny, Former White House Chef, Author Secrets From the White House Kitchens |
Washington, DC has grown into a world-class epicurean destination, attracting top chefs from around the globe. Created in 2009, Cultural Tourism DC's Embassy Chef Challenge celebrates the talents of these artists with a friendly competition. The Embassy Chef Challenge is in one of the only opportunities for DC residences to taste the works of these accomplished chefs.
For more information contact at Elizabeth Goldberg at 202-638-8363 or EGoldberg@CulturalTourismDC.org
About the Embassy Chef Challenge
More than a dozen chefs from Washington, DC embassies, representing countries from around the world, competed in this friendly culinary competition. A panel of celebrity chefs and food critics serve as judges throughout the competition.
The two-part competition begins with a preliminary Top-Chef style challenge, this year dubbed Challenge Denmark in honor of last year’s Judge Choice Winner Chef Lars Beese from The Royal Danish Embassy. Competitors will receive a basket of surprise ingredients drawn from Danish cuisine and tasked to create a dish on the spot using the ingredients.
The second part of the competition is the open tasting where DC’s cultural and diplomatic communities come together to experience the talents of the competitors. The scores from this event are combined with the scores from Challenge Denmark to pick the Judges Choice award winner. The attendees at Embassy Chef Challenge also get to voice their opinion as they vote to award the People’s Choice winner.
Past Winners of the Embassy Chef Challenge
2011
Judges Choice and Challenge Belgium Winner: Chef Lars Beese, The Royal Danish Embassy
People’s Choice Winner: Chef Jose Luis Fernandez, Em0bassy of Peru
2010
Judges Choice Winner: Chef Jan Van Haute, Embassy of Belgium Chef
People’s Choice Winner: Chef Einat Admony, Embassy of Israel
Challenge Sweden Winner: Chef Viktor Merényi, Embassy of Hungary
2009
Judges Choice and People’s Choice Winner: Chef Nazha Kasraoui, Embassy of Morocco
Embassy Chef Challenge 2011
Embassy Chef Challenge 2010
Embassy Chef Challenge 2009
2012 Sponsors
Chef
Regent Palms/The Hartling Group, Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
Gastronome
The Coca-Cola Company, Lockheed Martin, Inc., UPS
Bon Vivant
Amgen, Capital One, Microsoft Corporation
Challenge Denmark
Whole Foods Markets, presenting sponsor, Occasions Caterers, co-host
Gourmet
Bonstra Haresign Architects LLP, Donatelli Development, Pepper Hamilton, The JBG Companies, Novartis Corporation, Pepco, Marcel and Ann Scoffier, Rogers & Company PLLC, Victor Shargai, Theatre Washington, Zagat
Connoisseur
American Summits
Foodie
Alliance Insurance Services, Inc., Aronson LLC, Artisan Partners, Capitol Engineering Group, LLC, Douglas Development, Fidelity Investments, GCS Inc., Goulston & Storrs, Holland + Knight, Lee & McShane P.C., Daniel and Sunita Leeds, Peter Olle, Eugene Ludwig and Promontory Financial Group, Perseus Realty, Stanton Development Corporation, Urban Investment Partners
Media Sponsor
Washington Business Journal, 94.7 FRESH fm
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Testimonials
I would like to take the time to thank you for the support provided to our organization, Latin Fashion Week. The event was a huge success thank to the cooperation of company like Cultural Tourism DC and people like you.