FORT MILL — Three York County chefs plated their best entrées for a Kitchen Takeover event ahead of the 2026 YoCo Taste Trail Week, set for August 19 through August 26.
Kicking off the fifth annual YoCo Taste Trail, organized by Visit York County, a group of featured chefs prepared seafood dishes Aug. 3 that’ll be featured on their Taste Trail menus.
Hosted at the US Foods facility in Fort Mill, the head-to-head showdown included Rob Masone, executive chef at Kre8 Events, which includes Kounter, Twisted Eats and Elsie’s in Rock Hill; Benjamin Alwi, executive chef at Fish Market Bar & Grill in Fort Mill; and Justin Shaw, director of culinary for Devanney Hospitality, which includes The Garrison, The Garrison at Tega Cay and Margaux’s Wine, Pizza & Market in Pineville.
Rob Masone, executive chef at Kre8 Events, plates the prosciutto-wrapped salmon that won the 2026 YoCo Taste Trail Kitchen Takeover event on Aug. 3, 2026, in Fort Mill.
Blake Alsup/Staff
Masone made prosciutto-wrapped salmon, Alwi made lobster mac and cheese, and Shaw made shrimp and grits.
Three judges — Anna Culver, founder of Fort Mill Now; Jana Angel, QC Life co-host and host of Coffee & Conversations; and Nate Mallard, local real estate agent — scored the chefs on taste and flavor, presentation, creativity, Taste Trail appeal, connection to York County and overall impression.
The final scores were close, the judges said, but Masone came out on top. He received a plaque, a $250 US Foods credit and a featured spot in the next York County Destination Guide.
Samples of Rob Masone’s competition-winning prosciutto-wrapped salmon are plated at the YoCo Taste Trail Kitchen Takeover event on Aug. 3, 2026, in Fort Mill.
Blake Alsup/Staff
“Part of the day is to showcase one of the things we’re going to do for the Taste Trail menu,” Masone said when asked how he chose his dish for the competition. “As my bio said, ‘Expect the unexpected.’ You wrap anything in bacon, it’s going to be awesome. You take it up a level with prosciutto.”
