A bunch of BJ’s shoppers, spending their Friday morning buying in bulk, were treated to a culinary surprise in the front of the massive store in College Point.
Three New York based “Top Chef” Season 4 contestants, Manuel Trevino, Nikki Cascone and Season Finalist Lisa Fernandes, competed in a Quickfire Challenge, where they were given 30 minutes to complete a dish from a table of available ingredients ranging from precooked packaged chicken to fresh asparagus.
The friendly competition, which mirrored the customary Quickfire Challenge on the popular Bravo TV series, was arbitrated by a panel of four judges, two event organizers and two chosen from the audience by raffle.
One of the randomly selected judges, Bayside’s Bob Lauri, took his position very seriously and hailed himself an “amateur food taster.”
He said his friends tell him he has a talent for expressing how a dish tastes and often joke, “You depict a menu like you were looking at a beautiful girl in a bikini breaking down her bust and her body.”
Seconds prior to the contest’s start, organizers asked the judges if there were any foods in particular that should be avoided; Lauri replied confidently, “I can eat stones. I’m allergic to nothing.”
And then, they were off.
Although the clock ticked away, the environment was easy-going and laid back as the three chefs helped each other out and chatted with the audience about their dishes and their experience on the show.
Like on the show, the contest was completed with limited equipment: only a hot plate, toaster, microwave and typical BJ’s free sample station served atop the stage above 30 spectators, many of whom said they did not come specifically for the event.
BJ’s General Manager Alek Shapiro, another judge, said the company organized the event to show how BJ’s interacts with its members through special events and daily demonstrations.
PS 177 Student Teacher Daniela Tardugno, who happened to be the BJ’s with her class on a day trip, said she is a fan of Top Chef, but the atmosphere was not what she had expected.
“I feel like on TV it seems so much more fast-paced and there is so much more action,” Tardugno said.
Two other audience members agreed with this sentiment, commenting on how TV editing really heightens the viewing sensation.
Finally, time was up and the chefs presented their dishes.
Lisa Fernandes, a chef at Dos Caminos, made a warm crab and bacon salad topped with Asian pear and a hint of chili pepper flavoring.
Chef at Manhattan’s Travertine Manuel Trevino made chicken covered in blueberry sauce, accompanied by warm potatoes.
Lastly, Nikki Cascone, chef and co-owner of 24 Prince, made a Sicilian salad complete with roasted red peppers, artichokes and fresh cilantro.
After a quick huddle, the judges decided Fernandes’ dish was the winner.
“When you pick up this dish to eat it each time you pick up everything that was prepared,” Lauri said.
“There are a lot of different flavors that hit all your taste buds,” said Lori Lennon, a national account manager for Clorox, the corporation that sponsored the event.
Fernandes said she was pleased to win, although it was more of a fun event than a real competition. She said the setting was similar to the show in terms of the tight space and limited tools, but there was less pressure.
“It’s the same kind of environment; I just don’t have that giant timer in the corner that were all staring at saying ‘Please, don’t say there only a minute left,’” she said.
After offering spectators some of Fernandes’ salad, Lauri, who asked the chef to cater his upcoming 70th birthday party, decided to take it upon himself to down the rest of the dish.
“I’m going to finish this,” Lauri said. “I don’t care who gets mad at me.”
Reach Reporter Kaitlyn Kilmetis at kkilmetis@queenstribune.com,
or (718) 357-7400, Ext. 128.
