Chef Cassandra Lynne, owner of A Fraiche Note: Private Chef Services, emerged victorious last Monday evening as Vero’s Top Chef 2017 at the ninth annual Vero’s Top Chef Challenge Finale at Bent Pine Golf Club to benefit the Hope for Families Center.
In a new twist this year, organizers enlisted the assistance of four professional judges to determine which competitor would earn the Top Chef title. Guests were not left out of the epicurean equation, though; they chose Chef Bill Narhi of the Vero Beach Yacht Club as the recipient of the People’s Choice Award.
The professional judges spanned the culinary world: Kimmy Coveny and Joey Fenyak, owners of Joey’s Seafood Shack and former 2016 Top Chef finalists; Thomas Finck, founder of the Treasure Coast Bailliage (chapter) of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, an international association of gastronomy; William Solomon, who oversees the Indian River State College Culinary Institute as Human Environmental Science Department chair; and noted author George Taber, whose reporting on the Judgment of Paris transformed the world of wine.
It was a deliciously hard-fought competition, with each of the four talented finalists creating exceptional cuisine. And despite the friendly rivalry, all were in agreement that they were pleased their efforts would raise money to assist homeless families.
Osceola Bistro owner Chef Chris Bireley was first up, presenting a Greek-style dish with a Florida twist; sautéed Florida gulf shrimp served over fresh, house-made spinach linguine, with a white wine broth flavored with lemon, capers, tomato, Kalamata olives and Feta.
Narhi impressed with twist on beef Wellington; breast of pheasant and shitake mushroom mousse wrapped in flaky puff pastry, beautifully plated atop a yin and yang port wine demi-glace and calvados cream sauce, served alongside truffle whipped potatoes and layered vegetable timbales.
Bent Pine Golf’s own Club Chef Sarah Wills served up a succulent seafood tower over a bed of green bamboo rice, featuring a jumbo lump crab cake, pan-seared with a crisp crust surrounding moist crabmeat, topped with marinated shrimp, a saffron beurre blanc and delicate micro fennel garnish.
Lynne’s winning dish featured lively citrus flavors in a base of fluffy, lemony potato mousseline topped with a tender slice of beef tenderloin and a perfectly pan-seared scallop, surrounded by a citrus champagne beurre blanc.
And as if that wasn’t enough, dessert was a warm, molten-lava chocolate cake.
A short video as guests and chefs awaited results brought home the message of the evening, with children at the shelter sharing their thoughts.
Diana Grossi, HFC executive director, shared that this is the first stable environment many of these children have ever known. She also noted that each of the shelter’s 21 rooms costs roughly $2,000 per month to operate, which includes all their residents’ meals. In addition to providing a structured, safe environment, the HFC partners with other agencies to offer programs in education, health and job preparation.
“This is the only shelter on the Treasure Coast for families. This just has to exist,” said event sponsor Sue Scully. “They want to move on and do better. There are just so many people in the woods and living in cars and they need our help.”
