2015 Cast Iron Cook-off features Appalachian cuisine

The annual Cast Iron Cook-Off® returns to the Charleston, WV Marriott January 30-31, 2015. By incorporating events for professional chefs, amateur cooks, culinary students, and the general public, the cook-off becomes a fun weekend focused on the best in contemporary Appalachian cuisine.

Program organizer Collaborative for the 21st Century Appalachia announced that in addition to the traditional pro-am team cooking competitions, the 2015 cook-off features two new events:

• The Culinary Battle of the Virginias. Teams of Executive Chefs from West Virginia and Old Virginia, will celebrate the culinary heritage of the region by competing in a juried exhibition. In addition to preparing a multi-course meal for judging, each team will serve a dining table of eight sponsored guests.

• The First Junior Cast Iron Cook-Off. Five teams of ProStart Culinary students, each led by an instructor, will compete on Friday, July 30th. In keeping with the theme of the weekend, this competition will feature local ingredients and new Appalachian cuisine dishes, prepared on-site using cast iron products.

Want to participate on a cook-off team? Culinary teams are forming now and there are spaces available. Registration closes on December 20. Use this link to the Cast-Iron Cook-Off webpage for chef registration.

On Saturday evening a special dine-around event allow guests to sample cast-iron fare. Dine-around tickets are $40.  Part of the proceeds from the event benefit ProStart culinary students in West Virginia.

The Cast Iron Cookoff is an event of the Collaborative for the 21st Century Appalachia®

Cast Iron Cook-Off® Website