A sweet ending: Desserts steal the show at Cooking for a Classic finale
It was a sweet ending to this year's Cooking for a Classic fundraiser when Chef Kevin Smith from 41Hundred drove away from the competition in his new 2002 Chevrolet Corvette convertible.
Smith spent all day planning and cooking alongside Chef Kyle Fletcher from Wye Hill Kitchen. The chefs had to use three specific ingredients -- pork shank, white truffle and elderberry -- and one odd ingredient, citrus Jello.
While the first four courses got praises from the judges, it was the desserts that really stole the show Wednesday night.
Smith prepared a moist chocolate cake filled with panna cotta and topped with chocolate mousse and macerated strawberries. Tiny orange dots utilized the Jello, the "curveball ingredient" of the night.
Although Smith went home as the winner, Fletcher received high praises for his elderberry and spiced rum cake. The rich dish was the definition of comfort food, paired with salty truffle pecan pieces and elderberry ice cream.
The dishes utilized ingredients from local farms and companies, including Norm's Farms and TOPO Distillery.
The sweetest part, though, was the thousands of dollars raised in one night for the Lucy Daniels Center, a Cary-based nonprofit that helps families and children with social, emotional, behavioral and mental health challenges.
The fundraiser is made possible entirely by its sponsors and volunteers. You can learn more about Cooking for a Classic and the groups that make it possible online.
