Healthcare chef takes top honors in Competition Dining Series

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Got to Be NC Competition Dining Series crowned a winner in the Triangle Monday night.

From the very first dinner, Rex Healthcare's Ryan Conklin was the chef to beat. His high-scoring dishes had diners changing their impressions of hospital cuisine.

Conklin continued his Competition Dining Cinderella-story by narrowly defeating Curt Shelvey of Curt's Cucina in Southern Pines to take home the Triangle title.

The chefs had a challenge Monday night when taking on the night's secret ingredients - Certified Angus Beef short loin and Charlotte's Uno Alla Volta cheeses. Each ingredient had to be in two of the chef's three dishes.

The night's featured brewery was Crank Arm of Raleigh. The brewer brought along two great selections for diners - the Rickshaw Rye IPA and the Flying Scotsman Scottish Ale. Before the battle, diners snacked on La Farm Bakery bread.

The Meal

As with all Competition Dining events, the dishes are served and no one knows who made what until after the scores are tabulated. Here's a rundown of each course, reviews and results. In each round and overall, diners (the Joes) and local chefs (the Pros) grade the dish on aroma, presentation, creativity and other factors. All scores are out of a possible 40 points. The score shown is the final weighed score for each dish.

Course 1: Uno Alla Volta Ricotta & Arugula Gnudi, Winter Vegetable Fricassee, Parmesan Brodo, Peppered Certified Angus Beef® Brand Charred Rare Tenderloin, UAV Hay-Smoked Mozzarella (Curt's) Score: 28.367

Last year's Competition Dining Triad winner Tim Thompson, a pro judge for the evening, described the night's featured ingredients as a chef's dream. "These are two lucky guys," he said of the competing chefs.

Thompson was also a fan of the first course saying he was glad he wasn't cooking against it.

Diners were a little confused when the dish came out though because the original description, which was shown on large screens throughout the dining room, said the meat was being served Carpaccio or raw. Host and founder of Competition Dining Jimmy Crippen verbally corrected that to "charred rare" while diners were enjoying the course.

The parmesan brodo had a great flavor. The beef was one of the best prepared and served of the night and the Gnudi was a wonderful way to showcase the cheese.

The only complaint I heard from some diners was that the dish wasn't warm. Mine was lukewarm but many at my table said their meal was cold.

Two-time Competition Dining Triangle champion Dean Thompson, another pro judge for the evening, must have gotten a warm first course. He described it as a "well-rounded" and a good start to the evening.

Course 2: Bourbon Barrel Smoked Salt & Pepper-Horseradish Rubbed Certified Angus Beef Brand Strip Loin, Uno Alla Volta Hay-Smoked Mozzarella Logan Turnpike Grits, Béarnaise, Asparagus-UAV Burrata Whey Purée, Fennell & UAV Ricotta Little River Crab Salad, Tangerine (Rex) Score: 25.140

This dish was a little bit of a let down after the first course. Tim Thompson noted inconsistencies among the elements and portion sizes of this dish at his table.

The crab salad and grits were the stars of this dish. The grits were good enough to turn several non-grit fans into supporters. While the cheese got its moment through the grits, the beef wasn't as well-seasoned as the first course.

Course 3: Whole Roasted Certified Angus Beef® Brand Strip Loin, Fingerling Potato Confit, Uno Alla Volta Mozzarella-Shallot Fondue, Green Tomato Salsa Verde, Natural Jus (Curt's) Score: 22.148

By the time the third beef course hit the tables, many diners were having beef fatigue. Each dish seemed to have a chunk of beef.

Dean Thompson said the beef was cut too thick and undercooked.

While the salsa verde was praised by diners, the rest of the elements just blended together into a fondue stew in the bowl.