Main caption: Delaware North culinarians took part in a Zero Waste Culinary Challenge this month in Dallas, testing their skills in creating dishes that emphasized sustainability and repurposed ingredients.
Pictured above in the back row, left to right, are Tim Toler of Mardi Gras Casino & Resort; Stephen Bergstrom of The Squire at Grand Canyon; Dylan West of Niagara Falls State Park; David Schultz of Homefield Pub + Social; Bordin Boriphanvichitr of Kalaloch Lodge; Jon Wilson of Parks and Resorts; and Yuhi Fujinaga of Patina Group. Pictured in the front row, left to right, are Kashiea Lotts of Southland Casino Hotel; Olga Mikhlina of The Grand Tier, Metropolitan Opera; Megan Wonnacott of Comerica Park; and Jaime Martinez of Tutto Italia.
Delaware North held its annual Culinary Challenge March 9-12 at Middleby Innovation Kitchens in Dallas, charging teams to build concepts, develop recipes and deliver four-course menus with a focus on repurposing ingredients and achieving zero waste.
Unlike previous Culinary Challenges, in which participants met several times virtually before the event, Zero Waste Challenge participants met for the first time in person March 9 to form teams and develop concepts from the ground up in just a few days.
Teams of three were formed among 12 Delaware North chefs representing Gaming, Parks and Resorts, Patina Group and Sportservice. Teams worked with a $100 grocery budget, and each was randomly assigned a protein – chicken, beef or pork – to cross-utilize across four-course menus featuring a salad, appetizer, entrée and dessert.
The Zero Waste Culinary Challenge teams rose to the occasion with inventive dishes that highlighted both creativity and sustainability – featuring dishes such as Azteca Pork Pozole Soup, Braised Beef with Baby Shiitake Risotto, Fried Potato Donuts and Maple Gelato served with toasted meringue, pistachio and crispy chicken skin.
Steve Eden, director of the Delaware North Culinary & Hospitality Academy; Yuhi Fujinaga, director of culinary for Patina Group; and Russell Scott, a Certified Master Chef and vice president of culinary at Middleby Innovation Kitchens, served as judges.
“Hosting Delaware North’s Culinary Challenges since 2023 has been especially rewarding to me personally because they are a great example of a corporate commitment to supporting and developing the next generation of culinary leadership,” Scott said. “Even with the pressure on foodservice companies to be more efficient and innovative, it is rare to see companies such as Delaware North truly invest in their talent – the impact on team members and the industry should not be underestimated.”
Santiago Gomez, executive sous chef at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, and a member of the winning team, said it is important to step outside one’s comfort zone to strengthen skills.
“It was a great experience networking with other chefs from across the company – it takes you out of your comfort zone and places you under different pressures, which pushes your ability to think differently and collaborate effectively,” Gomez said. “Working with all of the chefs, especially Jon Wilson and Stephen Bergstrom, has also introduced me to new ideas I can take back to my unit.”
Megan Wonnacott, executive sous chef at Comerica Park in Detroit, led her team confidently while also strengthening her ability to push her ingredients and cook with a more environmentally conscious mindset.
“What stood out most was how quickly the team rallied around the zero-waste focus, finding thoughtful ways to use every component with intention and respect for the ingredients,” Wonnacott said. “Challenges like this reinforce how important it is for chefs to think sustainably while still delivering flavor, technique and execution. I’m proud of the teamwork and problem-solving that came together under pressure.”
Zero Waste Culinary Challenge participants
Team 1:
- Cristobal Vazquez, executive chef, Globe Life Field
- Kashiea Lotts, executive sous chef, Southland Casino Hotel, West Memphis, Ark.
- Jaime Martinez, Tutto Italia, Walt Disney World’s EPCOT, Fla.
Team 2:
- Bordin Boriphanvichitr, executive chef, Kalaloch Lodge, Forks, Wash.
- David Schultz, executive sous chef, Homefield Pub + Social, Green Bay, Wisc.
- Olga Mikhlina, sous chef, The Grand Tier, Metropolitan Opera, New York City
Team 3:
- Jon Wilson, culinary director, Parks and Resorts
- Stephen Bergstrom, sous chef, The Squire at Grand Canyon, Tusayan, Ariz.
- Santiago Gomez, Globe Life Field, Arlington, Texas
Team 4:
- Megan Wonnacott, executive sous chef, Comerica Park, Detroit
- Tim Toler, Mardi Gras Casino & Resort, Cross Lanes, W.Va.
- Dylan West, Niagara Falls State Park, N.Y.