Westport Pride will be making Queer Cook-Off an annual event and it promises great fun for everyone in years to come.

Winning team from Left To Right: Sarah Ferro, Chef Arik Bensimon, Monogram Luxury Appliances Corporate Chef, Jason Epstein, John Dodig  and Bethany Eppner

Three teams of chef-testants and five judges assembled at Aitoro's Appliance Store in Norwalk on Thursday to create a lively culinary competition to raise money for Westport Pride’s education programs.

Designed to cook up local competition and foster valuable relationships in the community, Westport Pride’s “Queer Cook-Off” pitted members of the Fairfield County LGBTQ+ and ally community against one another in this fun competition. Each of the three teams got to work in each of three of Aitoro's live kitchens which are often used for cooking events throughout the year. Guests were invited to observe the competition while enjoying a variety of catered hors d’oeuvres, beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages. Among the guests were former First Selectman Jim Marpe and wife Mary Ellen, Police Chief Foti Koskinas, and Westport artist Miggs Burroughs.

Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com  Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.

The competition uses the format of the long-running Food Network cooking show “Chopped,” challenging its contestants to prepare an appetizer and entrée featuring items contained within a mystery box. The teams had to use all of the items in their mystery box and incorporate the secret ingredient that will be revealed that night. Each team has 30 minutes to prepare their dishes and at the end of each round, each dish will be presented to a judging panel who will announce the winning team of the Queer Cook-Off.

Volunteer "sous chefs joining each team included Westport First Selectwoman Jen Tooker, Second Selectwoman Andrea Moore and former Staples High School Principal John Dodig.

“We are so excited to bring together the LGBTQ+ community and allies in a fun and unique way,” says Ria Rueda, Westport Pride Advisory Board member & Event Chairperson. “This was a great way to meet new people, cultivate relationships, and provide support for one another. Westport Pride fundraisers enable us to offer programs supporting the growing needs of our diverse community and ensure LGBTQ+ Westporters have a safe place to connect, heal, celebrate and thrive.”

Celebrity chefs guiding their team were Bill Taibe (Chef/Owner of Don Memo, Kawa Ni, & The Whelk);  Jes Bengtson (Executive Chef of Terrain Café and Amis Trattoria); and Arik Bensimon (Executive Chef of the Monogram Design Center).

The panel of judges were:  Brian McGunagle (Founder, Westport Pride); Tony Aitoro (CEO, Aitoro Appliance); Matt Storch (Chef/Owner of Match and Match Burger Lobster); and Dan Woog (Founder/Editor-In-Chief, 06880.

And The Winning Team Was:

Chef Arik Bensimon, Monogram Luxury Appliances Corporate Chef Jason Epstein, Sarah Ferro and Bethany Eppner and John Dodig. who prepared  cod and miso with pork rind gremolata, and marinated book choy. Second place was a burger with popcorn aioli, crisp Swiss chard and roasted fingerlings. Sponsors in addition to Aitory Appliances who provided food to the guests included: Copps Island Oysters, Dave & Charlie's Hometown Deli, Fisher & Paykel, Garden Catering, Longford's Ice Cream, Monogram Luxury Appliances, Organic Krush, Pam's Jams (Westport-based), The Katchen, Tribus Beer

For more information about Westport Pride, visit https://linktr.ee/Westportpride or join the community @westportpride on Facebook and Instagram.

Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com  Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery