Next month, 11 chefs from the around the Permian Basin will get a chance to showcase their skills to hungry attendees at the inaugural Chef Showdown.
The event, which is a fundraiser for the Nonprofit Management Center, will take place at 6 p.m. Feb. 29 at the Ector County Coliseum in Barn B.
The fundraiser is a thrilling live cook-off, accompanied by live music as well as an auction.
Guests will have the unique opportunity to vote for their favorite dish and witness the crowning moment when the grand prize, a golden skillet, is awarded to the outstanding chef of the evening.
A kickoff promotional event, which featured all 11 chefs, was held Monday at the NMC Odessa location at 1000 Maple Ave.
The event also featured the chefs participate in a drawing for which protein they will use as the main ingredient in their culinary creations for the showdown.
“Today’s event was the protein drawing,” Nonprofit Management Center Vice President and Committee Co-Chair of the event Evan Thomas said. “We have people who will be cooking beef, chicken or seafood and a designated vegetarian chef so that people can have a diversity of different foods.”
All the chefs come from around the area.
Participating chefs include Tracey Wood (of Driftwood Catering), Giancarlo Del Aguila (Flair Taverna), Teak Allen Barry (Jersey Girl Pizza), Luis Arenas (Market Street), Yvette Hernadez (Mi Cocinita Food Trailer and Catering), John Vandergrift (Midland Meat Company Half Acre), Ruben Carrasco (Pachucos), Raul Vasqeuz (Ratengo), Dede and Erick Prado (Roosters Diner), Devon Subia (Tasty Bones Rollin’ Kitchen) and Mike Carillo (Renew Health Coaching).
“We have some of the best chefs in our communities,” Thomas said. “What people are going to experience when they come to our event is a tasty, small dish meals of so many different varieties, it’s going to be a real treat to attend.”
For some of the participants, this is not their first competition.
Vasquez, who is from Andrews, was featured on the Food Network’s “Supermarket Stakeout” back in 2022.
“I’m pretty excited,” Vasquez said. “The last competition I competed in was on the Food Network. This will be a fun, local competition and I’ll be representing Andrews. I’m eager to showcase my skills and everything I’ve learned over the years.”
He took second on “Supermarket Stakeout,” but he knows he’s in for a tough competition next month.
“We have super-talented chefs all the way around,” Vasquez said.
For Hernandez, this will be her first time competing in a food competition.
She was relieved to draw pork during Monday’s protein event and not seafood.
“I’m excited either way. I just didn’t want seafood,” Hernandez said while laughing.
Hernandez, who has been in the cooking business for 10 years, said she wanted to compete in this event because she was ready for a challenge.
“I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and go out and compete,” Hernandez said.
For more information about the event or the Nonprofit Management Center, go to nmc-pb.org/chef-showdown.
