A pair of culinarians from one of Delaware North’s newest operations – Honey Creek Resort in Iowa – recently took home second place at the Iowa Restaurant Association Culinary Competition.
Much to the delight of nearly 300 attendees, Executive Chef Alexander Beltran and Line Supervisor Charles 
Severson prepared Spanish-style tofu empanadas – featuring short rib and mango – with sweet potato and tofu chorizo hash, topped with mole sauce. The empanadas were served with side salad, topped with a raspberry chipotle vinaigrette, cranberries, papitas (pumpkin seeds), pickled red onion and sopapilla chips.
The effort also had a little extra emotional value for Beltran.
“I had Charles take the lead as this was his first competition,” Beltran said. “I was actually one of Charles’ culinary instructors at Indian Hills College when he went through the culinary program two years ago. I brought him on in May, a few weeks after I arrived here at Honey Creek. I have five former students working here.”
In the photo at right, Beltran is pictured to the left with Severson donning the second-place medal to the right
