Long Branch Cooking Competition Will Challenge City's Top Chefs

By Christopher Sheldon

The Greater Long Branch Chamber of Commerce is hosting its third annual Long Branch Chef Challenge to showcase some of the area's best chefs and restaurants and raise money for a local cause.

The event will be held on Thursday, Nov. 7 at the Ocean Place Resort and Spa at 6 p.m. The cost to attend is $75 and tickets are available by calling the chamber office at 732-222-0400 or emailing info@longbranchchamber.org.

This year, a major portion of the ticket proceeds will be given to the Kay Guadagno Memorial Fund at Monmouth Medical Center.  Guadagno was an officer and board member of the Greater Long Branch Chamber of Commerce for many years.

The event is sponsored by the chamber, Monmouth Medical Center, Atlantic Eye Physicians and the City of Long Branch Office of Economic Development and the Long Branch Urban Enterprise Zone.

Chefs from Sirena, Ocean Place Resort and Spa, Avenue, SAWA, Rooney’s, Tre Amici, Johnny Piancone’s, Tuzzio’s and the Draft House will be participating in this year's challenge and will be judged by a 3-member panel of industry specialists.

All attendees will be able to sample each of the chef’s entries and awards will be presented to the judge's and attendee's favorite dishes.

During the competition, other restaurants and food purveyors will be demonstrating and sampling include Rook Coffee Roasters, MIX Lounge, 2nd Floor Restaurant, Windmill, Cake Bake and Roll and Rocky Mountain Chocolate.

R & R Marketing and Shore Point Distributors will be sampling wine and various libations to go along with the food.  Court Liquors will be sampling various microbreweries at the event. 

The event is sponsored by the chamber, Monmouth Medical Center, Atlantic Eye Physicians and the City of Long Branch Office of Economic Development and the Long Branch Urban Enterprise Zone.