As general manager at Saw’s Soul Kitchen in Avondale, Matthew Statham obviously knows his way around pulled pork, smoked chicken and Southern comfort food.
He proved last month that he can hold his own in just about any food genre.
Well, not just hold his own. Statham was named “World Chef Champion,” at the World Food Championships Oct. 22 in Dallas, Texas, a competition billed as the largest culinary competition in the world.
Chef Matthew Statham won $10,000 at the World Food Championships in Dallas and will compete this spring for $100,000 in Indianapolis.
He and nine other chefs emerged from the World Food Championships Main Event each with a $10,000 prize and a berth in the Final Table round in Indianapolis this spring, where they’ll compete for $100,000.
The other chefs won the following categories: Barbecue, bacon, burger, chili, dessert, recipe, sandwich, seafood and steak.
In the chef category, Statham had to put together a “structured dish,” which was a savory roulade, using Minor’s Base, a type of pre-packaged meat base flavorings.
After the initial round, each chef got to prepare a signature dish. Statham’s was seared scallops over McEwen and Sons stone ground grits, with Brussels sprouts chips, Wright brand bacon and a brown butter and lemon hot sauce.
Finally, the chefs had to make a brunch dish that incorporated Wamplers Omega-3 Sausage. Statham chose a sausage brunch tart with Parmesan herb tuile.
“The brunch tart is a take on a Southern style play on Shakshuka,” a dish of eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, chili peppers and garlic.
Statham’s made his tart in a shell of croissant dough, filled with Wampler’s Omega 3 sausage gravy, sautéed mushrooms and lacinato kale, with a runny egg poached in the gravy as it baked.
Matthew Statham's brunch tart had to include Wampler's Omega 3 sausage. (Contributed photo)
The judges averaged the scores from the three rounds – with the brunch round weighted at 60 percent -- and named Statham the champion.
At the Final Table competition in the spring, each of the 10 champions will cook against each other during timed events.
Statham, who will be transitioning from general manager of Saw’s Soul Kitchen to the role of corporate chef as the restaurant expands, said being named World Chef Champion “is still kind of surreal.
“There were a lot of very talented chefs there and to come out on top in our first year was a great honor,” he said. “I am excited for the opportunities that will arise as a result of the World Food Championships relationships with so many great sponsors. Locally, I will continue to try and help lead Saw’s into the future.”
Shelly Haskins writes about points of pride statewide. Email your suggestions to shaskins@al.com, or tweet them to @Shelly_Haskins using #AlabamaProud
https://www.al.com/news/birmingham/2019/11/saws-soul-kitchen-chef-named-world-chef-champion.html
2019-11-10 12:07:00Z
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