Mercer County Community College Culinary students Akino Tomizawa, Tiffany Locke, David Grigoryan, and Dave Aust, along with Maddie Benowitz (front), Chef Frank Benowitz and Chef Bill Beyer at the 24th Annual NJ State Chili and Salsa Cook Off in Toms River on May 18, 2013.
Robbinsville resident Frank Benowitz won second place in the 2013 Jersey Seafood Challenge on June 20.
After judging in last year’s Jersey Seafood Challenge, Benowitz was asked to return this year as a competitor. He competed against other New Jersey chefs at Drumthwacket, the governor’s residence in Princeton.
Benowitz, an instructor at Mercer County Community College, participated with the assistance of one of his culinary students; Dave Aust.
For his signature dish, Benowitz prepared golden tile fish sous-vide. He pan-seared it and paired it with a blueberry peach salsa and a blueberry tomato cilantro gastrique.
Benowitz said he chose to use the golden tile fish in his recipe after first using it in a stage demonstration at the Atlantic City Food & Wine Show. The fish was provided by Viking Village general manager Ernie Panacek.
Benowitz also earned the First Place People’s Choice Award for his mango salsa in the 24th Annual N.J. State Chili and Salsa Cook Off in May.
This is the eighth year that Benowitz and his team have won the award. He has lead the team for the last five years.
This year’s team members included MCCC Culinary students Akino Tomizawa, Tiffany Locke, David Grigoryan and Dave Aust, along with MCCC Chef Bill Beyer and Benowitz’s daughter; Maddie.
Benowitz shares his recipies on Dish It Out, a show he hosts with Hospitality Programs coordinator Doug Fee in Mercer’s cable station, MCTV-26. The show is scheduled to air every night at 9 p.m.
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