SBU Eats Earns Second Place People’s Choice Award at SUNY Battle of the Chefs

SBU Eats brought the heat and the heart to the third annual SUNY Battle of the Chefs competition, earning second place in the highly competitive People's Choice Award category at the State University of New York Auxiliary Services Association (SASA) Annual Conference on January 5.

Competing against culinary teams from across the SUNY system, Stony Brook University's chefs captivated conference attendees with robust flavors and culinary creativity which secured their second place position in the People's Choice Award category.

"The talent and passion of the SBU Eats culinary team was clearly showcasedduring this event and I was honored to be present when they received recognition for their efforts. It is because of this extremely creative, dedicated and committed team that our dining program far exceeds the expectations of our community every day," said Diana Kubik, executive director, Auxiliary Services Association.

Representing Stony Brook University were CulinArt Group team members, Team Captain and Executive Chef Joseph Rosselli, alongside Chefs Christopher Hibbert, Vincent Jessop, and Albin Melo. Together, the team collaborated seamlessly to cultivate a meal that satisfied the palettes of all the attendees that sampled their signature dish. This type of partnership within the SBU Eats program is what drives our quality dining program at Stony Brook University.

Nine SUNY schools competed, each fielding a team of four chefs. Two months prior to the event, teams participated in a live "knife pull," randomly assigning each campus a featured protein and theme. Once the ingredients were revealed, chefs conceptualized, tested and refined an original dish to prepare for the competition.

On the day of the competition, teams faced a live cook-off where they were judged on organization, technique, taste and showmanship. Each team was challenged to create a tapas-style dish using their assigned protein while staying within a strict budget. In addition to plating four dishes for judges, chefs prepared 250 portions for conference attendees, which emphasizes the importance of consistency and precision alongside creativity.

"I really loved the camaraderie of working together with the chefs from our own team, but also with all of the other SUNY chefs. It was a great team-building experience that allowed us to really get to know one another on a personal and professional level," said Rosselli.

The SBU Eats team impressed guests with pan-seared grouper medallions served over a crispy white grit cake, topped with fire-roasted pepper rouille and finished with a cilantro-ginger dressing. They also prepared a vibrant winter citrus ceviche marinated in blood orange and accented with persimmons and pomegranate arils, served in a savory plantain nest. In a vegan variation, they substituted enoki mushrooms for the grouper, which quickly became a fan favorite. Adding a uniquely Stony Brook touch, the chefs incorporated fresh basil grown at Stony Brook University's on-campus micro-farm as a finishing garnish.

"Our dish was inspired by a fusion of Southern and Latin cuisines," Rosselli said. "This was our second time competing, and we learned a great deal from our first experience. We spent two months practicing and refining the recipe because getting the balance of flavors just right was especially important to us."

The award-winning recipe will soon make its way to campus. During the spring semester, the dish will be featured as part of the High Tides micro-concept, giving the Stony Brook University community the opportunity to taste the sustainable seafood creation that earned SBU Eats statewide recognition.