East Town Market/Battle of the Chefs

The restaurant industry is as cutthroat as any other. Still, many (including myself) never thought of cooking as a competitive activity, that is, until The Food Network imported the popular “Iron Chef” series, FOX whipped up “Hell’s Kitchen,” and Bravo served us “Top Chef,” all of which turned into a culinary cultural phenomenon and my newest obsession.

Even though I’m not a master chef, I do love to cook and observe those competitions that motivate me to experiment in my kitchen. A couple nights ago I made a delicious rib eye steak soaked in a pool of Guinness marinade with garlic parmesan mashed potatoes and sautéed green beans with shallots. I must say, it was delicious.

Clearly, you don’t have to go to Chicago or New York, or even Paris to find great cuisine; and you certainly don’t have to tune into a television program to witness exciting cooking. Even if Chef Boyardee is your sous-chef, I’m certain that you appreciate the satisfying tastes of superior cuisine and the inspiration from real top chefs.

Luckily, exquisite dining and thrills exist right under your nose and all around  Milwaukee. In fact, on Saturday several of Milwaukee’s finest restaurants were highlighted at the East Town Market.

After a quick cup of coffee my sister, Eric and I were out the door. The East Town Market was our first stop on Saturday morning.

The day was seasonably warm, especially as the early morning rays beamed down onto our sun-kissed shoulders and freckled noses.

To my surprise Cathedral Square was brimming with town’s people who gathered in the center of the square. Locals were using city brochures for fans and wiping their brows with handkerchiefs or napkins from the popcorn cart.

I’d never been to the East Town Market, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I certainly didn’t realize how exciting this event truly was; particularly on Saturday as I witnessed Milwaukee’s finest chefs vie for the title “The Best Chef in East Town” for the fourth and final preliminary battle.

The concept for this competition, which began June 16, is simple.

Chefs from some of Milwaukee’s best eateries are given a culinary challenge and handed $50 to gather ingredients from the merchants around the Market. The chefs then have 45 minutes to transform the products using their own equipment and utensils - three butane burners, one blender, two sauté pans, two pots, two cutting boards, two bowls, two serving spoons, two spatulas, one pair of tongs, and up to four knives - into a plated dish for a panel of five judges. The judges evaluate efforts based on quality of preparation and flavor, originality and creativity, and performance and presentation, according to the official East Town website.

I merged with the crowd snapping photographs or standing on their tiptoes for a better look. Each chef worked diligently with fellow sous-chef to prepare an entrée as spectators took turns inquiring about each dish.

In addition to a pair of eight-foot tables, the three challengers – Shane Valenti of Brew City BBQ, Jordan Short of Coast Restaurant, and Nicolas Sanduval from Hotel Metro - were provided with basic pantry items and mystery ingredients from Metro Market that included black pepper, kosher salt, granulated sugar, flour, eggs, red wine vinegar, white wine, extra virgin olive oil, etc.

As chefs garnished their main course, I could smell the oregano, cilantro and rosemary. Finally, the ten second countdown began as the chefs were forced to stop and plate their meal.

The three teams pivoted back and forth from the chef’s table to the stovetop wrapped in aluminum foil. Beads of sweat gathered on their forehead, but they only stopped for an instant to gather it onto their sleeve.

With whirring knives and flipping pans, the action at the chef's tables provided a stark contrast to the normally laidback East Town Market as shoppers sipped coffee and strolled through an assortment of vendor stands.

“Time’s up!”

Emcee John McGivern, local actor and comedian, went from table to table with several judges to take a quick look at the final product. 

One by one each chef presented their entrée to the judge’s table. Dishes were passed to each judge who sampled and savored each dainty bite. Several judges even went back for seconds!

In the end, Shane Valenti, General Manager of Brew City, was the winner and will attend the final battle on August 11 where he will square off against Jarvis Williams of Carnevor, Mike Wolf of the Knick, Time McLean from Whole Foods, Andy Stiyer of Moceans, and David Piette from Sabor.

After listening to the proud acceptance speech, the crowd steered hastily to the judge’s table and began grazing on leftovers. Flocks of spectators hovered and picked at the buffalo and steak like vultures. Milwaukeeans definitely like to eat and appreciate well prepared food even better than cheese curds and beer brats. Who knew?

After the crowd departed, we had a half hour to shop the Market. Our first stop was the honey stand where we savored honey glazed kettle corn that melted in our mouths and sipped lemonade kissed with honey.

As we walked the path I caught a whiff of the variety of fresh flowers and produce – freshly grown fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices – and tried samples of pickled peppers and preserved jellies and jams. The selection of organic foods - nuts, cheese, sausage, and meats – made my mouth water. 

Besides the variety of food, we looked at the arts and crafts – jewelry, pottery, clothing accessories, paintings, soaps – and then drooled over the bakery stand that sold mouthwatering breads, muffins, pastries, cakes, and cookies. I was eyeing up the blueberry muffin tops, but managed to curb the temptation.

At the end of our visit, I met a neighborhood herb farmer who gave me some insight on  the Market. According to the local, there are over 80 Wisconsin farmers, craftsmen, bakers and chefs offering seasonal, fresh and unique items at the East Town Market. More notably, everything is made or grown locally, which is a great way to support our local community.

Again, you don’t have to be a master chef to appreciate good food. Many people watching the chef’s work found inspiration to do their own shopping or cooking that day.

Little do outsiders know (and even some locals. Tisk, tisk) that Milwaukee has many culinary treasures such as those featured in Battle of the Chefs. These restaurants and markets are excellent for business dinners, anniversary dates, receptions and even parties. You don’t have to venture to “big” cities for big named dining and superb cooking; it’s right under your nose.

Comments

[scott]

Great entry. I'm hungry now.

[Melanie]

I love how this entry is somewhat of a narrative. Good descriptions. This is an event I must check out on August 11th! Needless to say I am addicted to Top Chef...every Wednesday night I am glued to the TV. It would be cool to see a similar event take place in my backyard.

[Amanda]

I'm with you on that Scott. All of that talk about food is making my mouth water! I really enjoyed your photos too. You took a ton!

[Suzieq]

Will you be going to the finals?

[Audra]

I love the East Town Market. There's something so much better about fresh-from-the-farm foods...

[KarenC]

I know exactly what you mean, Audra. I bought some fresh veggies while there and I SWEAR my cooking is ten times better! No, seriously...

[Eric]

I still can't believe the spectators started grazing on the judges leftovers...ugh...can't wait for the finals, though I'm sad that the Saffron Bistro in Brookfield didn't make the finals

[Amanda]

I don't know about you guys, but I'm interested in seeing what Carnevor and Sabor cook-up. I've been dying to try both, but will have to rob a bank to do so. So that won't happen. At least I can watch the chefs cook in the finals, and then drool over each dish. See you there!

[KarenC]

Yep, I'll certainly be there on Saturday, August 11 with bells on. Can't wait!

[Eric]

Yeah...I've been wanting to hit up sabor since I heard about it...damn pricey though. On the weekends..hmm maybe its weekdays, anyway I heard they have a reduced price lunch that is just as good as the dinner...

[KarenC]

Lunch: Full Rodizio (1st course + meat), $28.50; 1st course only, $14.50
Dinner: Full Rodizio, $44.50; 1st course only, $32.50
It doesn't seem horribly priced for what you get for the full rodizio...
Take a look at Sabor's website for more info. (http://www.saborbrazil.net/index.html)

[Agpye]

You're in luck, Sabor will be at Zoo A La Carte, so you can get a taste for less. It is expensive, but it is real experience, so maybe a special occasion?