Metrovino's Gregory Denton Takes 1st Place at Nicky USA’S 11th Wild About Game Cook-Off With “Duck S’Mores”

Judges Saveur Executive Editor Dana Bowen, Eater.com National Editor Raphael Brion and Game Expert and Cookbook Author Janie Hibler Tasted Quail Schnitzel to Rabbit Roulade To Proclaim the Winners

The 11^th Annual Wild About Game Festival sponsored by Nicky USA had all burners firing this year, with Chef Gregory Denton of Metrovino Restaurant taking home first place with his innovative Duck S’mores dish. The mystery game ingredients were revealed, the chefs took their two hours to create their masterpieces, and after tasting dish after dish featuring ingredients like quail, squab and rabbit, the judges revealed their results. Denton’s duck dish, which included seared breast of Mascovy duck, toasted foie gras marshmallow, chard wrapped giblet sausage, graham cracker streusel, cocoa nib sauce, presented with campfire smoke, emerged victorious. In a surprising twist, the competition also netted a tie between Portland chefs Matt Christianson of Urban Farmer and Erik Van Kley of Little Bird for third place.

 

The 2011 Wild About Game judges included Savuer Magazine Executive Editor Dana Bowen, Eater.com National Editor Raphael Brion and local game expert and cookbook author Janie HIbler. The event included cooking demonstrations from chefs like Bernard Malherbe of The Crooked House, Salem, OR presenting the Fermin Iberico de Belotta, and Brendan Newell and J.B. Tranholm, Pok Pok and Whiskey Soda Lounge demoing wild boar collar.

Photos courtesy John Valls - www.johnvalls.com

  2011 Wild About Game Award-Winning Chefs:

• 1st Place – Gregory Denton, Metrovino, Portland, Ore. – “Duck Smore”
  Seared Breast of Mascovy duck, toasted foie gras marshmallow, chard wrapped giblet sausage, graham cracker streusel, cocoa nib sauce with campfire smoke
• 2nd Place – Naomi Pomeroy, Beast, Portland, Ore. – Confit squab leg and chanterelle, foie stuffed squab breast truffle cauliflower puree & demi-glace with herb and seabean salad
• 3rd Place – TIE! – Matt Christianson, Urban Farmer, Portland, Ore. – Quail Schnitzel, mustard spatzel and roasted squash relish; Erik Van Kley, Little Bird, Portland, Ore. – Poached rabbit roulade with soft polenta, crispy rabbit carnitas, roasted rabbit rack with grape brown butter

2011 Wild About Game Cook-Off Chefs:

·   Naomi Pomeroy (Iron Chef America and Top Chef Masters), Beast, www.beastpdx.com 

·   Erik Van Kley, Little Bird, www.littlebirdbistro.com

·   Gregory Denton, Metrovino, http://metrovinopdx.com

·   Ben Bettinger (Iron Chef America), Beaker & Flask, www.beakerandflask.com

·   Matt Christianson, Urban Farmer, www.urbanfarmerrestaurant.com

·   Chris Carriker, Gilt Club, www.giltclub.com

·   Michael Stanton, The Heathman Restaurant & Bar, www.heathmanrestaurantandbar.com

·   Jason Stoller Smith, Timberline Lodge, www.timberlinelodge.com

·   Philippe Thomelin, Olivar, Seattle, WA, www.olivarrestaurant.com