Alaska News

Photos: 2014 Great Alaska Seafood Cook Off

On Tuesday night at Anchorage's Marriott Downtown hotel, four of Alaska's top chefs and their assistants gathered for a friendly but feverish competition.

Each team had one hour to prepare a dish and wow a panel of celebrity judges, but the event had a catch: They wouldn't know the ingredients until the clock started ticking down.

As soon as the mystery boxes were brought out, each team sprang into action, racing from their prep tables to a shared pantry. The dishes started taking shape immediately.

One of the mystery ingredients, salmon, wasn't really that much of a mystery given the seafood theme of the event. Alaska-grown celery root, however, was perhaps unexpected.

Southside Bistro chef Travis Haugen was the only chef working without an assistant, and he executed his plan with an almost zen-like efficiency.

"I planned out my entry based on what I knew was in season right now," he said as he poured wild mushroom tea from a french press.

In the end, after a lengthy closed-door deliberation, the judges returned to give their verdict. Spokesperson and Olympic skier Kikkan Randall crowned Haugen the winner.

Haugen will represent Alaska at the World Food Championships in Las Vegas next month.

ADVERTISEMENT