Golden Onion Judges Announced

Annual spring cooking competition in Vidalia, Georgia, heats up.

Like a sweet Vidalia onion, this news is too good to keep unpeeled for long. The competitor roster for the 3rd annual Golden Onion professional cooking competition includes eight great chefs. The cookoff will be held Sunday, April 27, in Vidalia, Georgia, during the 37th Annual Vidalia Onion Festival. The event showcases the Vidalia onion, Georgia’s most exclusive and renowned agricultural treasure, and also offers a platform for chefs across the state to display their skills and creativity.

Golden Onion competitors will have one hour to prepare and present a recipe that features Vidalia onions. This year’s roster includes:

Chef Jennifer Booker (Your Resident Gourmet / Georgia Grown Exec Chef 2013, Lilburn)

Chef Jason Brumfiel (The King & Prince, St. Simons)

Chef Kevin Gillespie (Gunshow / Georgia Grown Exec Chef 2012, Atlanta)

Chef Brian Justice (Tasteful Temptations, Brunswick), who was awarded 2nd place during Golden Onion 2013

Chef Pano Karatassos (Kyma, Atlanta)

Chef Austin Rocconi (Le Vigne, Dahlonega), who was awarded 3rd place during Golden Onion 2012

Chef Comer Smith (Southern Soul BBQ, St. Simons)

Chef Marc Taft (Chicken & The Egg, Marietta)

Four of the 12 total competitor slots remain open. If you’re a Georgia Chef and want to show off your fabulous Vidalia onion skills at the Vidalia Onion Festival on April 27, then get your entry in before the February 7 deadline. For details visit www.garestaurants.org/GoldenOnion.

Read more about Golden Onion over at Getaways for Grownups.