Embassy Chef Challenge 2014 winner is Jiraporn Bunlert, center, from the Royal Thai embassy. On the left is the 2013 Challenge winner, New Zealand’s Nathan Bates; on the right is Tim Cox, board chairman of Cultural Tourism DC. / Photo by John Caruso.
Chef Nathan Bates, from the Embassy of New Zealand, won the Embassy Chef Challenge in 2013 and was a judge this year. / Photo by Nancy McKeon.
New Zealand didn’t compete this year but offered delicious NZ lamb chops with a salsa of kiwi (of course) and roasted red peppers. Yum. / Photo by Nancy McKeon.
Mrs. Lameis Faily, wife of Iraqi Ambassador to the U.S. Lukman Faily, visits with Embassy Chef Djamel Amroune at the 6th Annual Embassy Chef Challenge. / Photo by Nancy McKeon.
Iraqi Chef Djamel Amroune puts the finishing touch–a pomegranate reduction–on his Iraqi Kibbeh. / Photo by Nancy McKeon.
Festive carvings and decorations are part of the ambience at the Embassy Chef Challenge. Above, a detail from the Royal Thai Embassy display. / Photo by Nancy McKeon.
The evening’s winning dish was the Royal Thai Embassy Chef Jiraporn Bunlert’s Spicy Salmon Salad “Phla Salmon.” / Photo by Nancy McKeon.
One of Poland’s offerings was Apricot Stuffed With Smoked Trout and Horseradish and accompanied by Balsamic Beets. / Photo by Nancy McKeon.
Jan Du Plain, left, with Judith Terra at the 6th Annual Embassy Chef Challenge. Du Plain worked with Cultural Tourism DC to launch Passport DC, a month-long festival that connects the city and the diplomatic community. Philanthropist Terra chairs the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities. / Photo by Nancy McKeon.
Showing their support for Cultural Tourism DC, sponsor of the Embassy Chef Challenge, are Ann Scoffier, left, former Challenge gala chair and board member of the Washington Literacy Center, and Mary T. (Terry) Algire, executive director of the WLC. / Photo by Nancy McKeon.
Sarita Gopal, a doctor with Greenbriar OBGYN in Fairfax County, hoists the replica of an Iraqi cuneiform tablet she won at the silent auction (she beat me out!). / Photo by Nancy McKeon.
A newcomer to Washington, Natalia Ward checked out the Chef Challenge scene with her husband, Marcus Ward. / Photo by Nancy McKeon.
Erin Kilday of McLean, half of the Kilday sisters duo rehabbing a 1969 Airstream (see www.silversistas.com) looked great in her Akris dress (you can’t see her Louboutin platform heels). / Photo by Nancy McKeon.
Julie Gunderson, who heads up the Washington Post’s FW magazine, turns her head so we can see her elegant up-do (should we even point out the cheekbones that just won’t quit?). FW was a Community Sponsor of the 6th Annual Embassy Chef Challenge, as was MyLittleBird. / Photo by Nancy McKeon.
This adorable cardboard airplane bookmark won’t get us to Istanbul in September, but the Turkish Airlines tickets we won at the silent auction sure will! / Photo by Nancy McKeon.
When the judges’ votes were tallied tonight at the 6th Annual Embassy Chef Challenge, the chef from the Royal Thai embassy, Jiraporn Bunlert, and her Spicy Salmon Salad had taken the honors.
The People’s Choice Award, voted by the tastebuds of those attending the gala at the Ronald Reagan Building, was taken by Chef Roman Shchadrin of the Russian Federation with his, um, interesting Salmon Ice Cream with a sprinkling of caviar on top. “It’s not a dessert,” the chef was heard to insist. Seemed a mixed message, but it was hard to argue with the shot of vodka accompanying it.
Other outstanding dishes came from the Iraqi chef, Djamel Amroune, a delicious Iraqi Kibbeh; succulent New Zealand lamb chops with a salsa of kiwi and roasted red peppers; and the Venezuelan entry, Chef Angel L.’s Blackened Roast (like a tender short rib) and Delight Cassava Balls. All in all, yum.
I didn’t manage to connect with the winners of the MyLittleBird gala tickets, Jane and John H. Zimmerman, who emailed me afterward to assure me they had had a great evening. “Even better,” Jane trilled, “I ran into my former housemate from grad school–he is now the Thai ambassador! Hope your evening was as enjoyable as ours.”
Well, it was: I won a pair of tickets on Turkish Airlines, which I will use to go back to … Turkey! And in the gift bag I received upon leaving there was the most darling Turkish Airlines airplane bookmark with an amulet against the “evil eye” dangling from the tail of the plane.
Philanthropist and arts supporter Judith Terra was there, as was D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray. We saw Cultural Tourism DC’s executive director, Steven Shulman, and PR phenom and networker extraordinaire Jan Du Plain (she’s the force behind Passport DC, which gets embassies to open their doors to the public every May). The Washington Post’s Julie Gunderson (FW magazine) and Emily Heil (Reliable Source) made their appearances. Mary Bird was there, of course, covering the event for The Georgetowner newspaper (it probably wasn’t her only event yesterday–the woman’s a dynamo).
–Nancy McKeon
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As a board member and sponsorship co-chair, thanks to all those that attended and sponsored! Appreciate the thoughtful write up as well! It was a wonderful evening and amazing Chefs – huge thanks to them and all their work. Each year’s winner is brought back the next year to highlight their dish, participate in the judging of the new chefs and provide support to those participating and provide their expertise to the event! We look forward to having the Chef from the Royal Thai Embassy back next year!
New Zealand lamb chops were last year’s winning dish. There weren’t any lamb chops this year.
There were: Chef Bates was under the Oculus very early in the event (it paid to be early!). I noticed that the lamb chops were no longer in evidence as the evening went on. Guess I got lucky; sorry you didn’t.