Pechanga Tribal Nation

Inland Empire cooking contest

Pechanga chefs earn honors at competition

June 20, 2003
Rebecca JamesCourie - The Californian

TEMECULA --- Hours of chopping, tasting and creating fine cuisine with an artist's eye paid off for chefs from Pechanga Resort & Casino as they walked away with two trophies from the eighth annual Great Chefs of the Inland Empire competition.

"This is great for Pechanga," said Perry Mascitti, executive banquet chef for Pechanga. "It lets the people know that we're here." This is the first time Pechanga has entered the competition at the California Speedway, and Ciara Coyle, public relations manager, said everyone is celebrating.

"It speaks well of the caliber of our cuisine," she said, "and it lets people know that they can expect good things when they come here." Mascitti and his culinary team, Garde Manger Chef Avelino Miranda and Executive Pastry Chef Jean-Marie Verhoeven, competed against more than 15 restaurants during the event that raised more than $40,000 for Second Harvest Food Bank.

Verhoeven won the Best Dessert Professional Chefs Panel trophy ---- an award voted on by professional chefs throughout the Inland Empire ---- for his milk chocolate sabayon with an orange creme brulee center.

Miranda won the Consumer Panel Best Appetizer trophy ---- awarded by local Inland Empire dignitaries ---- for his summer lobster rolls with three-eagle nest sauce.

Verhoeven said the competition was stiff, which made his win even sweeter.

"I always enjoy meeting the other chefs and seeing what they can do, too," he said. He added that he took a break from dishing out desserts to visit with the student chefs at the competition and give them encouragement.

"This is a tough business so it's always good to meet the young students and be supportive," he said. "I invited them to take a field trip to Pechanga. We'll show them our kitchen and help give them ideas."

More than 7,000 people wandered through the tents hoisted along the speedway's pits. While the Red Street Band crooned tunes such as Barry White's, "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe," the crowd couldn't get enough fine cuisine and Pechanga chefs were busy creating mini-masterpieces on tiny plates and handing them out to the group.

"We made a good team," said Verhoeven. "Perry was like a coach and really put us together very well."

With one major competition under their belt, Mascitti said he's looking forward to next year's contest.

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