Local chef Sam Ratchford and his team from Vidalia Restaurant are working their way to the top in this week’s Got to Be NC Competition Dining Series in Winston-Salem. They’ve made it to the final round, and tonight they take on the tournament’s reigning champs for a chance move on to the statewide Battle of the Champions.
Ratchford’s team, which includes Vidalia co-owner Julius Kalman and chef Jason Walsh, defeated Team Los Tres Jefes from Kernersville in the first round on Monday.
In each round, participating teams cook up a three-course featuring surprise ingredients that are revealed just an hour before they’re allowed in the kitchen. Ticketed guests enjoying the meal vote for their favorite to help determine who wins each round.
Ratchford and his team have competed in the series many times since former Blowing Rock restaurateur Jimmy Crippen created it. While they’ve performed well on every occasion, tonight’s their shot to win their first title and the coveted red chef’s jackets.
“They’ve come so close to winning the whole thing several times, and they’re in that position again,” Crippen said. “This time they’re up against the defending champions, Richard Miller of Graze Restaurant and his team.
“Sam is calm, cool and collected. He’s a man of few words but he’s powerful with a knife. They’re back there right now going at it,” said Crippen. “We’re in for a great battle. It’s not going to be an easy battle, but we’ll see what happens. “
Click here to read more about how the events work and stay tuned as we continue to follow the competition.
Follow the series on Facebook for updates.
We’re cheering on our friends from Vidalia and we hope that you are, too!
You must be logged in to post a comment.