FOOD NOTES/The Food Network Hosts a Cook-off at Nats Stadium

Photo by John Arundel/Local Kicks Come and Get it! The first-cookoff at National Stadium occurs Sunday, July 19 at noon.

The Washington Nationals, Levy Restaurants and Food Network have partnered for the first-ever cooking competition at Nationals Park.
 
Phil Bucco, who oversees menu concepts and food served in each area of the ballpark as Levy Restaurants Chef at Nationals Park, will compete against District Chef Teddy Folkman.
 
A Next Food Network Star finalist, Chef Folkman is the Executive Chef and co-owner of Granville Moore’s Gastropub. The event will take place in the Nats Family Fun Area on Sunday, July 19 at noon, prior to the Nationals game vs. the Chicago Cubs.
 
Following the mold of Food Network shows such as “Iron Chef America” and “Chopped,” the chefs will not know which ingredients they are working with until the grill-off begins.
 
The chefs will each receive a basket of items they must incorporate into their dishes, and have access to a limited pantry.
 
All items must be prepared on the state-of-the-art grills provided by Strosniders Hardware Stores, a Maryland-based company with stores in Bethesda, Potomac and Silver Spring.
 
Chef Eddie Gilbert, also a finalist on The Next Food Network Star, will emcee the event, speaking with judges and taking questions from the crowd as the competition heats up. Each chef will have 45 minutes to prepare their dish before being judged on taste and originality. The judges panel will consist of The Washington Post Food Editor Joe Yonan, WTTG Sports Anchor Dave Ross, and two Nationals fans selected from the audience.
 
"It will be fun to have a little competition off the baseball diamond at Nationals Park," said Bucco, a veteran grill master and chef. "I'm pretty confident in my grilling skills and look forward to facing off against Teddy over the flames."
 
"I am really excited to battle against Chef Bucco and see whose ballpark food reigns supreme,” said Folkman, co-owner and executive chef of Granville Moore’s Gastropub in Washington, D.C. “I am bringing my Gourmet Bar Food approach to his Supreme Ball Park Cuisine.  Come out and see a great game and cooking competition."
 
The Nats Family Fun Area will be set up for the competition by 11:00am when the Center Field Gates open. There will be seating for 30 audience members that will be filled on a first-come first-served basis. Two members of the audience will be randomly selected to act as judges for the competition. Plates will be judged at 1:00pm, leaving fans plenty of time to find their seats and enjoy the day’s game in its entirety.