As the competition dates draw near, participants in this year's Got to Be NC Competition Dining Series are sharpening their knives and preparing for battle.
 
On Sept. 19, Team Pine Valley Market will take on Team Miso Hungry in the first round of competition held at Bluewater Waterfront Grill. Chris McCauley, executive chef and manager at Pine Valley Market, will work with Paul Smith, sous chef at Pine Valley Market, and Samantha Smith of Sugar Island Bakery in Surf City.
 
McCauley said he has always wanted to take part in the competition and loves the idea of a mystery ingredient, especially one that highlights a North Carolina product. He said he and Smith are confident in their ability to work together under pressure, but both agreed they would greatly benefit from the help of an experienced pastry chef.
 
“Sam was really the natural choice for us,” said McCauley. “We carry some of her seasonal products at the market and she is super talented.”
 
McCauley acknowledged the experience and talent of his team’s competition, Team Me So Hungry, comprised of chef Jeffrey Porter of Dixie Grill and Port City Pop Ups and chefs Jameson Chavez and Rebeca Eldemira Alvarado-Paredes of manna.
 
“There’s no doubt that it will be a great night for the guests, and they’re going to get an awesome meal from six people who love to cook,” said McCauley.
 
On Sept. 20, it’s the battle of the beaches with Team 65 ROSES of Carolina Beach competing against Team Ceviche’s of Wrightsville Beach.
 
Led by executive chef Sam Cahoon, Team Ceviche’s is the only team with all three members from the same restaurant. The team also includes Ceviche’s sous chefs Edson Juarez and Eric Smith. Team 65 Roses is comprised of Brandon Stark, executive chef of Michael’s Seafood Restaurant & Catering, Blake Bedson, kitchen manager from Michael’s Seafood Restaurant & Catering, and Matthew Shepard, sous chef at McNinch House Restaurant in Charlotte.
 
Stark said he and Bedson have been working together since their culinary school days and is confident in his team’s ability to tackle whatever comes their way. He said that the biggest challenge is often not the mystery ingredient, but working in an unfamiliar kitchen.
 
“Competitions such as this push me to become a better chef,” said Stark.
 
The winners of the Sept. 19 and Sept. 20 events will compete in the series finale on Sept. 22.
 
Each team must prepare three courses featuring a North Carolina ingredient that is revealed to them just an hour before they start cooking.
 
Guests will enjoy a full-service, six-course meal without knowing which team prepared which plates, and the diners score each course using an interactive app on their phones. These scores, combined with the scores from local judges, help to determine which teams advance to the finals.
 
More information and tickets are available online.
 
 
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