Top Chefs Face Off
Did you hear? The City of Black Hawk hosted its first annual Casino Chef Cook-Off on May 3! Six chef teams competed to benefit the ACF Colorado Chefs Association Apprenticeship Program. Chefs from Ameristar Casino Resort Spa, The Gilpin, Isle Casino Hotel, Lady Luck Casino, The Lodge Casino, Monarch Casino, Saratoga Casino, Z Casino, and the ACF Colorado Chefs Association all went head-to-head for a number of awards. Tommyknocker Brewery was there handing out special craft brews to attendees, who also enjoyed wines courtesy of Ferarri-Carano Vineyards and what a treat it was!
The Winners Are In
Mayor David Spellman led the program of events, assisted by four judges who had the enviable task of selecting the winners. The Isle and Lady Luck took home the Aces High Award for the most delicious dish: Farraday’s ahi tuna tacos and raspberry cheesecake. The Lodge and Gilpin won the Wild Card award for the most unique use of ingredients: sesame-crusted yellowfin tuna with crisp Asian slaw, wasabi creme, and micro greens. Saratoga accepted the High Roller award for the most creative dish: braised short ribs, brown butter vegetable bundle, cheesy truffle gnocchi and cranberry vinaigrette salad in a crisp asiago bowl. Ameristar landed the Jackpot Award for the overall top dish: pork belly ramen. Monarch was graced with the Full House Award for best presentation of their lobster ceviche and coconut lime broth. The Double Down Award was given to Z Casino for the best presentation of savory and sweet: sous vide chicken bites with mole.
Stay Engaged
Is your mouth watering at this point?
FOX31 KDVR’s Drew Engelbart and The Modern Eater’s Jay Parker were both there conducting interviews with the different teams and were also judges for the competition! See a sample of photos below or visit the City of Black Hawk’s Facebook page to view the full photo album from the amazing event.
Come check out one of the many talented chefs in Black Hawk! Whether you’re looking for a fancy gourmet meal or interested in a quick dine and dash to hit the casino floor to play, we’ve got everything in between to meet any craving! Check out our full list of restaurants and start planning your next experience to Black Hawk today!
