Penn can now boast its very own Top Chef.
Bon Appetit’s competition — inspired by the popular Bravo show — took place Wednesday in 1920 Commons. Three teams of Penn students competed in a three-hour cook-off, with Team Meat claiming victory.
The winning team included College freshmen Chris Gerbino, Jackie Reef and Madi Mornhinweg, Engineering freshman Matt Rybak and Wharton freshman Jacqueline Vaiana.
The mystery ingredient of farro, a type of grain, was announced right before the teams began cooking. Team Meat cooked up a tomato and farro soup with a main dish of farro risotto with parmesan cheese, breaded chicken with a strawberry reduction and arugula with balsamic vinaigrette.
“Meat means team!” Rybak exclaimed, playing with the spelling of “meat” to create the anagram.
Bon Appetit thought it would be a “great opportunity to put together a culinary competition” to engage the community, Penn Executive Chef Joel Blice said.
Similar competitions have taken place at other campuses, but this is Penn’s first Top Chef competition, according to director of business services for Penn Dining Laurie Cousart.
Team Flying Chicken, also comprised of all freshman, created a farro salad with a citrus honey vinaigrette, along with a farro chicken stir-fry.
“I think our appetizer is extremely daring,” team member and College freshman Haftom Khasai said.
Team Zucchini prepared a vegetable and farro soup, a warm citrus and summer salad with a blue cheese and farro stuffed chicken drizzled with balsamic syrup. “Our menu is not overly complicated, and it will taste good,” said team member Katie Costable, a College freshman.
Cousart, Harrison College House Dean Frank Pellicone and Director of Marketing for Business Services Ilene Wilder comprised the judging panel. They were selected to create a sense of community between the College Houses and Penn Dining, according to Business Services spokeswoman Barbara Lea-Kruger.
The menus were judged based on teamwork, organization, cleanliness, flavor and use of ingredients, Blice said.
The winning team members each received a prize of 25 dining dollars, a $25 gift certificate to Distrito, a Bon Appetit apron and a Penn pot holder.
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