WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA (WLOS) — A chef from Leicester, a chef from Asheville and two mixologists from Asheville are four western North Carolina contestants left in the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association Showdown.
All four are now headed to the finale.
According to a news release from the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association (NCRLA), the semifinalists battled it out earlier this month at different venues.
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The competitors representing WNC who won in their semifinal competition were Chef Taylor Montgomery of Montgomery Sky Farm in Leicester, Chef Chase Young of Hopfly Brewing in Asheville and Margaret Boerner of Sovereign Remedies in Asheville and James Donaldson of Chemist Spirits in Asheville (as a team).
Montgomery will be competing in the culinary finals, while Boerner and Donaldson will be competing in the mixology finals. The Grand Finale is Sept. 2 at American Tobacco Campus in Durham.
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Below is a list of all the finalists:
CULINARY
Savory Chef Finalists
Chef Taylor Montgomery, Montgomery Sky Farm, LeicesterChef Chase Young, Hopfly Brewing, AshevilleChef Roberto Barth, Vidrio, RaleighChef Bobby McFarland, Wye Hill, RaleighChef Matt Moore, Customshop, CharlotteChef James “JP” Patterson, Porter’s Neck Country Club, WilmingtonChef Ben Real, Cypress Hall, New BernChef Spyros Skellas, Taverna Agora, RaleighChef Brandon Staton, Supperland, CharlotteChef John Tharp, Spotted Cow Steakhouse, Winston-SalemChef Ericka Torres, STOKE at the Marriott Charlotte City Center, CharlotteChef Jason Trivette, Chef Trivette’s Conceptions, HickoryChef Roberto Barth, Vidrio, Raleigh
Chef Bobby McFarland, Wye Hill, RaleighChef Matt Moore, Customshop, Charlotte
Pastry Chef Finalists
Pastry Chef Lei Van Note, STOKE at the Marriott Charlotte City Center, CharlottePastry Chef Makala Beaver, King Neptune, Wrightsville BeachPastry Chef Charmaine Lizette Eclain Devine, Sugo Italian Steakhouse, WilmingtonPastry Chef Josh Dobson, Peppervine, CharlottePastry Chef Becky Keil, Porter’s Neck Country Club, Wilmington
MIXOLOGISTS/DISTILLERIES
Margaret Boerner – Souvereign Remedies in Asheville, Chemist Spirits in Asheville (James Donaldson)Zach Benson – Supperland in Charlotte | Outerbanks Distilling in ManteoJeremy Powers – The Hackney in Washington | 1000 Piers Gin Hackney Distillery in WashingtonAshely Sarkis – Yunta Nikkei in Charlotte | Muddy River Distillery in Mount HollyHanna Troedsson – Weldon Mills in Durham | Weldon Mills Distillery in DurhamEverette Young – Daingerfields at the Westglow Spa in Blowing Rock | Broadslab Distillery in Benson
