The competition was held in three day: two qualifying days on May 11-12 and the final on May 13. The set of products from the organizers included American beef premium and alternative cuts, and a set of ingredients as follows: oil, thyme, rosemary, parsley, cilantro, iceberg salad, salt, pepper, vegetables (potatoes, beets, onions, tomatoes, zucchini).

The Battle regulations allowed the participants to take with their three ingredients, 1 type of equipment, 2 serving plates. As for final day approved set included 3 spices or seasonings, 1 type of equipment, 2 serving plates. There was also surprise as “black box” contained some unknown ingredients as buckwheat, shrimps and avocado, which were sure to go into the recipe for one of the cooking dishes

Each of the participants had to cook two dishes – a salad or snack at his choice and a main course. The level of steaks doneness was set as medium rare.

A variety of recipes as well as a creative approach to serving were showcased during two qualifying rounds and the finals. At the same time the different level of experience to cook the American Beef was discovered.

The jury was headed by USMEF Corporate Chief for Mexico, Central America and the Dominican Republic German Navarrete and included chefs-consultants from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, as well as representatives of partner companies Chef Star, Jiraffa, MicroGreens, Inalca Kazakhstan.

Most of all the jury was particularly impressed by ribeye in thyme ash with onion mousse and shrimp biscuit, butcher steak with buckwheat and avocado with jerky, set with hanging tender, shrimps with avocado, viola tricolor flowers and foam and a squeeze of vegetables, butcher steak on a curry buckwheat cushion with shrimps, sushi with beef diaphragm on buckwheat and guacamole shrimp, beef diaphragm rolls with avocado shrimp chips, ribeye steak with avocado salad, shrimp and buckwheat popcorn, hanging tender snack with chimichurri, tartare with black halibut caviar, savory warm salad with butcher steak in Asian style, warm salad with beef diaphragm and tarragon, lettuce leaves, hanging tender pate on a date “tray” and cream cheese with lime, ribeye steak in hob leaves with beans, tartare with nori combo, purple basil with marrowbone, butcher steak with taco sauce and guacamole, a la tataki tartare of beef diaphragm with vegetable sauce in zucchini, ribeye steak marinated in Korean sauce under potato sauce and straw potatoes.

The third place was taken by Yusuf Mirzayev from the Kurants restaurant, Tashkent, Uzbekistan.  The chef from the same restaurant, Vladimir Yugi, took second place.  The first place was won by Yegor Danilchenko, the Oblaka restaurant, Almaty, Kazakhstan.  The jury members had no doubts about the Grand Prix which rightfully went to Muzaffar Mirzakarimov, the Gust restaurant, Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Muzaffar was invited to join the jury of Chief Battle next year due to his flawless victory and unanimous recognition of high professional level.

Chef Battle participants and winners were awarded on May 14 at the Jambul restaurant of the Rahat Palace Hotel. The winners will get a meat gastro tour to Tbilisi, Georgia.

The second Central Asian Chef Battle in Almaty and awarding of professionals of the Central Asia Hospitality Industry of Central Asia completed with reception with American beef in the USA Southland cuisine.

 Source: USMEF