Kitchen Clash cooks up cash for charity
Courtesy of Nate Mass
Nate Kepler was the cook for the team representing the Washington Police Department, which was the winner of the First Responders Kitchen Clash.
Courtesy of Nate Mass
The winning meal prepared by Nate Kepler and the team representing the Washington Police Department consisted of barbecued ribs with a maple bourbon barbecue sauce, chicken thighs, southwest corn, bacon-wrapped jalapenos and a smoked apple crisp with vanilla ice cream.
Courtesy of Nate Mass
Saturday’s First Responders Kitchen Clash was deemed a “massive success” by Shana Brown, Washington’s Main Street manager.
Courtesy of Nate Mass
Vendors on hand included Padiddle Gourmet Donuts of Beallsville.
Courtesy of Nate Mass
Shana Brown, Main Street manager, here with daughter Adalyne, 9, was pressed into duty as a judge of the competition.
His busy work schedule had Nate Kepler feeling somewhat apprehensive about participating in Saturday’s First Responders Kitchen Clash.
He’s glad he did. The cooking competition, sponsored by Don’s Appliances, raised slightly more than $1,100 for charity, plus Kepler and the team representing the city’s police department were victorious.
“I had two great teammates from the Washington Police Department who made my life easier,” Kepler said, who was in his first cooking competition. “They were sous chef extraordinaires, and my mother was there from start to finish. I couldn’t have done it without those three.”
Three teams took part in the competition at the pavilion on South Main Street in downtown Washington. Along with the police department, there were teams from the fire department and Ambulance and Chair Emergency Medical Services. Each team was comprised of a cook and two members of that team’s department and had three hours to prepare two main dishes, two sides and one dessert.
Team Police eked out a 109-108 victory over Team Fire. Team Ambulance tallied 100 points in a close competition in which everyone seemed to have fun.
“People were clapping and cheering,” said Nate Mass, creator of the Facebook page, Washington PA Food Group. “Everybody I talked to said it went smoothly. The vendors seemed to be doing well. It was a great first event.”
The winning meal was barbecued ribs with a maple bourbon barbecue sauce, chicken thighs, southwest corn, bacon-wrapped jalapenos and a smoked apple crisp with vanilla ice cream.
Since the police department won the competition, it is donating the money raised to the National Arthritis Foundation. It’s a charity dear to Kepler, as his mother, Susan, suffers from rheumatoid arthritis.
“I started tearing up when I won and when Nate (Mass) asked where it was going to,” Kepler said. “My mom raised my brother and I since I was 8 years old. She’s been my hero my entire life. Seeing her struggle the last couple of years has torn me apart.”
The police department also received $500 from an anonymous donor to be used at its discretion.
Other cooks involved in the competition were Chef Adam Dillon with Team Ambulance and Tony Panyanouvong with Team Fire.
The judges of the competition were Abby O’Connell, who goes by #foodismysavior_pgh on Instagram; Lee Drake, an executive sous chef with the Porch at Siena in Upper St. Clair, and Shana Brown, Main Street manager.
Brown was pressed into duty as Mike Travis, a sous chef with Elmhurst House of Friendship in Wheeling, W.Va., had to bow out due to illness.
“The food was amazing,” Brown said. “The only hard part of the day was being able to articulate how good this food was. They all did a phenomenal job.”
Teams also were given distractions in which the cook from that team would have to perform a service typically undertaken by a first responder.
“They had me bust through a fire door,” Kepler said. “Oh, my gosh. That wore me out. My hats off to firefighters who have to do that day in and day out.”
Josh Gagich, who uses the name DJ Hustle, served as the master of ceremonies.
“He was amazing,” Mass said. “He really knows how to work a crowd.”
Plans already have begun for another event in 2023.
“We are already planning for next year, making it bigger and better, coupling it with something a little outside of the box,” Brown said, calling the event a massive success. “It was a fun event. We had a great turnout. It was a really good day.”
Kepler said he was told he’ll have to come back and defend the title.
“I was going to be one and done and be undefeated my whole life,” Kepler joked. “Apparently, I’ve got to try it again. I’m glad I did it. It was beyond my wildest imagination.”