The Winner: Ultimate Chef Bergen County

The Ultimate Chef Bergen County 2012 has been crowned--and the winner is chef Ninamarie Bojekian of Ooh La La Catering in Franklin Lakes.

Chef Bojekian competed against chef Laurie Cera of 5 Seasons Bistro, 28 Oak Street, Ridgewood who was the winner of the first round held on January 14 at Chef Central, 240 Rt 17 N, Paramus.

Bergen County Chefs prepare a four-course tasting using a mystery ingredient. This past Saturday it was Jack Daniels and the judges (Thomas Griffiths, senior executive chef and director of Campbell’s Culinary Institute; Michele DiPietro, culinary concepts coordinator for Whole Foods; and me) were treated to some excellent food.

Standouts were a pistachio-crusted whiskey chicken liver mousse and sticky purple rice pudding soaked and cooked in Jack Daniels with coconut milk from 5Seasons Bistro and from Ooh La La Caters; smoked trout topped with apple horseradish cream and a Jack Daniels infused broth; and baked baby back pork ribs with a Carolina-style mustard and Jack Daniels BBQ, blackberry compote, and corn bread.

But in the end, although the judging was close, Chef Bojekian won this event. Congratulations to two very talented women.