Latest news with #ChefShowdown
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Westfield Technical Academy high schoolers compete in Chef Showdown
WESTFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Wednesday was the second day of the cooking competition, where sophomores and juniors at Westfield Technical Academy are showing off their cooking skills. These high school students are participating in the annual four-day Chef Showdown, and the culinary arts instructor told 22News that he is amazed by the students' skill sets. Sunshine Village art show at Chicopee senior center Today, the culinary students had to make a dish from a different part of the U.S., with choices ranging from soul food to Creole cuisine. The students had 30 minutes to prep and 40 minutes to cook. The winners from yesterday's contest were able to get a head start. WTA culinary arts instructor Eric Rogers said this competition is showing students how important it is to work together. 'You know, getting ideas from other students and bouncing ideas from each other, collaborating, researching, designing their own dish, and then putting it into practice in the kitchen,' Rogers said. A team of three won Wednesday's competition, and those students will compete against each other on Thursday. They'll get to choose two sous-chefs to work with to produce an entree with one side and a dessert. The special ingredient is beef tenderloin and crawfish. Coincidentally, April 17 is National Crawfish Day. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Chicago Tribune
14-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Former ESPN legal analyst Lester Munson to discuss book on Pete Rose at Batavia Public Library program
Commentator and former ESPN legal analyst Lester Munson will discuss the book 'Charlie Hustle: The Rise and Fall of Pete Rose' by Keith O'Brien during the next Books Between Bites program at the Batavia Public Library on Thursday, March 20. The event, which is free to attend, will go from noon to 1 p.m. at the library, 10 S. Batavia Ave. in Batavia, according to a press release from the library. Reservations are not required. Along with his past work for ESPN, Munson has been a legal analyst and guest on WTTW's 'Chicago Tonight,' according to the release. He will share his thoughts on the new book about former baseball player and manager Pete Rose at the March 20 event. The program will be held in the Founders Room on the main level of the Batavia Public Library. Parking is available in the lot just south and adjacent to the library, officials said. Visitors are invited to bring their lunch and eat as they enjoy the program and discussion, according to the release. Lunch items, beverages and baked goods also may be purchased from Flyleaf Bakery Cafe, located just inside the library and adjacent to the meeting room. For more information about Books Between Bites, go to where a complete schedule and description of each program can be found, along with a printable season schedule, according to the release. Printed season schedules are also available at the library. Chef Showdown fundraising event set in Aurora Chef Showdown, an event to raise funds for Loaves & Fishes Community Services in Naperville, will be held Thursday, April 17, at the organization's Linnea Eleanor Rutkowski Food Distribution Hub in Aurora. Executive chefs from Entourage and Meson Sabika will go head-to-head in a culinary battle to create unique dishes during the competition. The chefs have an hour to create a three-course meal while being observed by a panel of judges. They will be assisted by celebrity sous chefs and Loaves & Fishes supporters, including Adam Fuchs of Wintrust Commercial Banking, Kristen Refness of Endeavor Health, Karen Wells of Make-A-Wish Foundation and Dustin Wilson of Duly Health and Care. Panelists voting on the dishes are 'Chopped' celebrity Chef Alonso Beckford of Aurora from The Matrix Club, John Diederich from Rush Copley Medical Center in Aurora, Susana Rivera-Mills from Aurora University and Naperville Mayor Scott Wehrli. The competition will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. inside the Loaves & Fishes Aurora warehouse at 580 Exchange Court, which will be transformed into a kitchen. Tickets are $125, with food provided by My Chef Catering. Special seating, including 'Feel the Heat' seats closer to the competition and 'Chill Out Chairs,' are available. To purchase tickets, go to Documentary to be shown in St. Charles The St. Charles Public Library and Fox Valley Hands of Hope are partnering for a free, public showing of 'Meet Me Where I Am,' a recently released feature documentary, from 4 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 25, at the library, 1 S. Sixth Ave. in St. Charles. 'Meet Me Where I Am' explores the topic of grief through individual stories of loss, love and hope, according to a press release about the upcoming event. The film aims to normalize grief in our culture and explores how we can actively participate in helping others through grief, according to the release. Fox Valley Hands of Hope has provided grief support to adults, children and families in the area since 1981, with no charge for services, the release noted. To register for the March 25 showing of the documentary, call 630-584-0076. U.S. Rep. Bill Foster to hold town hall meeting U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, D-Naperville, is hosting an in-person town hall meeting from 7 to 8:15 p.m. Tuesday, March 18, at Benedictine University, 5700 College Road, Lisle. The event will be held in the university's Goodwin Hall Auditorium, with parking available in the garage south of Goodwin Hall. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. Following Foster's presentation, a question-and-answer session will follow, a news release said. Registration is encouraged but not required to attend. To RSVP, go to For questions, call Foster's district office at 630-585-7672. Kane sheriff's, health departments offering free CPR classes The Kane County Sheriff's Office and Health Department will offer free CPR training for the public at the Kane County Sheriff's Office, 37W755 Route 38, St. Charles. Sessions are scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon, 1 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, March 21, and Monday, March 24, according to a webpage for the program. The classes follow the American Heart Association's HeartSaver CPR course and are designed for educational purposes, a news release said. They do not include certification. To register, go to Kane Animal Control holding vaccine, microchip clinics Kane County Animal Control has spring and summer dates open for its drive-thru rabies vaccine and microchip clinics. Clinics will be held at the Kane County Animal Control Facility, 4060 Keslinger Road, Geneva, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 26; 4:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 14; and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 14. A one-year rabies vaccine with tag costs $30 for neutered animals and $55 for non-neutered pets, a news release said. For county residents 65 or older, vaccines are $15 for neutered animals and $25 for non-neutered. Microchipping is $15. Owners must verify their pets have not bitten anyone in the past 10 days. An adult over age 18 must be present to handle their pet. If a pet requires a muzzle, it must be placed on the animal before entering the clinic, the release said.
Chicago Tribune
14-03-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Naperville News Digest: Naperville Park District to do prescribed spring burns; Loaves & Fishes to hold Chef Showdown fundraising event
Naperville Park District planning prescribed spring burns Naperville Park District will conduct prescribed burns at three dozen parks this spring to help improve the overall health of their ecosystems. Burns are intentionally set to clear invasive weeds and reduce the amount of leaf and plant debris on the ground, officials said in a news release. They are supervised by professionals, and weather conditions and certain variables must be met before maintenance crews start the fires. Factors such as dormant grass, wind velocity and direction, and precipitation are evaluated when determining when the burns will be conducted, the release said. The parks where prescribed burns will be done this spring are Arrowhead Park, Ashbury Greenway, Ashbury Park, Bailey Hobson Woods, Baileywood Park, Brighton Ridge Park, Brook Crossings, Buttonwood Park, Commissioners Park, DuPage River Park, Fairway Commons Park, Frontier Sports Complex, Hobson West Ponds, Hunter Woods, Kingsley Prairie, Knoch Knolls Commons, Knoch Knolls Park and Lincoln Greenway. Others include May Watts Park, Meadow Glens, Nike Sports Complex, Olsen Estates Park, Pioneer Park, Rock Ridge Park, Seager Park, Sportsman's Park, Springbrook Crossings, Springbrook Parkway, Summerfield Lake Park, Tall Grass Lakes, Westglen Commons, Willowgate Square, Wil-O-Way Commons, Wil-O-Way Park. Winding Creek Park and Wolf's Crossing Community Park. Loaves & Fishes to hold Chef Showdown fundraising event Chef Showdown, an event to raise funds for Loaves & Fishes Community Services in Naperville, will be held Thursday, April 17, at the organization's Linnea Eleanor Rutkowski Food Distribution Hub in Aurora. Executive chefs from Entourage and Meson Sabika will go head-to-head in a culinary battle to create unique dishes during the competition. The chefs have an hour to create a three-course meal while being observed by a panel of judges. They will be assisted by celebrity sous chefs and Loaves & Fishes supporters, including Adam Fuchs of Wintrust Commercial Banking, Kristen Refness of Endeavor Health, Karen Wells of Make-A-Wish Foundation and Dustin Wilson of Duly Health and Care. Panelists voting on the dishes are 'Chopped' celebrity Chef Alonso Beckford from The Matrix Club, John Diederich from Rush Copley Medical Center, Dr. Susana Rivera-Mills from Aurora University and Naperville Mayor Scott Wehrli. The competition will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. inside the Loaves & Fishes Aurora warehouse at 580 Exchange Court, which will be transformed into a kitchen. Tickets are $125, with food provided by My Chef Catering. Special seating, including 'Feel the Heat' seats closer to the competition and 'Chill Out Chairs,' are available. Purchase tickets at Park district holding open houses for ADA Accessibility Plan Two open house events for residents to offer feedback on Naperville Park District's updated accessibility plan will be held at 1 and 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 8, at the Fort Hill Activity Center, 20 Fort Hill Drive. The district's original Americans with Disabilities Act Transition Plan was created in 1992 and last update done in 2014, a news release said. Presentation boards will be set up for attendees to review, and district staff on hand to answer questions and receive comments or suggestions. No formal presentation will be made. Online feedback will be solicited later, the release said. A final report is scheduled for release by the end of 2025. Anyone interested in attending one fo the open houses or in need of special accommodations should contact Eric Shutes at 630-848-5014 or eshutes@
