It's Getting Hot in Here!

The Dueling Chefs competition at the Madison Food & Wine Show is an annual event that never ceases to entice attendees.

Chefs from seven of Madison’s finest restaurants battle it out in elimination heats. The winners advance to the semi-finals and ultimately to the final round. In each round, chefs make two dishes containing a mystery ingredient that is not revealed until moments before the heat begins. Each chef cooks with their own sous chef, and has 30 minutes to come up with their menu and create their dishes featuring the mystery ingredient, which results in an exciting head-to-head cooking competition.

The competition is judged by three pre-determined celebrity judges and one audience member. Dishes are judged on flavor, presentation and use of mystery ingredient. This competition continues to be an attendee favorite at the Food & Wine Show and promises to add to an already exciting weekend schedule.

Dueling Chefs Emcees

Patrick O’Halloran
Lombardino’s Restaurant
Lombardino’s has been a part of the Madison landscape for over fifty years and has the distinction of being one of the city’s oldest continuously operating eateries. Founded by Sicilian immigrant Matteo Lombardino as Lombardino’s Garden Restaurant on State Street, the eatery quickly became a local favorite. The restaurant took a dramatic turn from its Italian American roots in 2000 when Patrick and Marcia O’Halloran bought the business and implemented their philosophies of a seasonal menu, friendly service and the introduction of an exclusively Italian wine list. The menu is a reflection of several journeys to Italy combined with the wealth of local ingredients available in the Madison market.

Robert Von Rutenberg
Von Rutenberg Ventures
The start of von Rutenberg Ventures goes back to 1961 when Bill and Betty von Rutenberg purchased the Nibble Nook, an eight-stool hamburger spot on East Washington Avenue. Five years later, Bill and Betty sold the Nibble Nook and bought Jack Burke’s Supper Club (now the Mariner’s Inn). The von Rutenbergs saw the need for more casual dining on Lake Mendota, and soon the Nau-Ti-Gal was created. Next they developed a moderately priced seafood restaurant: Captain Bill’s. The most recent addition to von Rutenberg Ventures is Betty Lou Cruises. Bill and Betty’s sons – Bill, Jack and Robert – now carry on the von Rutenberg tradition of waterfront hospitality.

Meet Your 2009 Dueling Chefs

Barbara Wright The Dardanelles Barbara Wright opened The Dardanelles in 1996 and has been enjoying her job ever since. Cooking since she was 14, Wright did not go to culinary school. She says the best part of her job is meeting fascinating people (famous and not-so-famous) and learning many things about the world from them. A veteran in the competition, Wright says she competes in Dueling Chefs just because she enjoys it.

Charles Lazzareschi Dayton Street Grille Charles Lazzareschi, the reigning Dueling Chefs Culinary Conqueror, returns again to flex his competitive muscles in this year’s event. With fifteen years in the industry and three years at the Dayton Street Grille under his belt, Lazzareschi maintains his competitive edge by reading about what other restaurants are doing as well as dining in Chicago as much as possible, adding “Chicago is like a giant culinary school.”

Daniel Smith Liliana’s Restaurant Daniel Smith, a sous chef at Liliana’s, will compete in his first Dueling Chefs competition this year. He has been at Liliana’s for two years and is ready to give it his all in the competition. Smith keeps his competitive edge by reading blogs and books to learn about new ingredients and techniques.

Justin Carlisle Restaurant Muramoto Justin Carlisle is one of the head chefs at Restaurant Muramoto. With 13 years in the industry, he has cultivated the culinary expertise that he has used to help craft Muramoto’s menu and will ultimately help him to excel in the Dueling Chefs competition.

Jeff Bach Captain Bill’s Jeff Bach has been cooking since high school and enjoys many different styles of cooking. He says his inspiration for cooking is always changing: in the summer the farmer’s market inspires him, while other times of the year he may be inspired by the music he’s listening to or even a TV show or movie.

Kane Goulet-Evans The Blue Marlin In his second year as head chef at The Blue Marlin, Kane Goulet-Evans has found his spot in the Madison dining scene. Inspired by the knowledge that he is creating something that people can enjoy with all of their senses, Goulet-Evans is heading into this year’s Dueling Chefs competition ready to go for the gold.

Rob Grisham Brasserie V A returning competitor to Dueling Chefs, Rob Grisham is back representing Brasserie V. When he’s not eating his comfort food, Velveeta broccoli, at home he can be found cooking “one-pan wonders”. With five years in the industry, Grisham will be a force to be reckoned with in this year’s competition.

Dueling Chef Winner History

Madison Originals

Madison Originals is a grassroots confederation of more than three dozen independently owned restaurants dedicated to preserving the area’s unique local flavor amid the onslaught of national chains. Their mission is to call attention to the concept of eating locally through collective marketing efforts, special events and sponsorship of charitable causes.