Page 18 - River Landing Newsletter - Spring 2019

River Landing Chef Enters 2019 Chef Showdown
CHEF JAKE VOLLMAR COMPETES FOR NORTH CAROLINA’S BEST CHEF
North Carolina based products reign supreme in the North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association's (NCRLA) cooking competition: "Chef Showdown." The contest brings chefs from all over the state to one location where they prepare and serve a dish of their choice to a panel of judges who then
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taste, and use of local North Carolina ingredients. This year, River Landing Chef Jake Vollmar was chosen to represent our area for NCRLA's savory Chef of the Year.
Jake is no stranger to similar types of cooking competitions as he participated in several throughout his college years. When crafting a meal for a panel of judges, Jake pays homage to his culinary roots. He explains, “When I create a dish, I always pay tribute to people that have influenced me throughout my career.
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“We put up a rock-solid dish that showcases local flavors that come from farms in our area,” said Vollmar, further adding, “for me, there is no better feeling than standing in front of a panel, knowing you have a solid dish to present and a good story behind the food.”
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has described that participating in the
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e the chef’s work on presentation, overall
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influences in mind, Jake blended his style with the North Carolina ingredients to craft a dish that he was sure would wow the judges.
mother is my biggest inspiration.” With his
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with this past year. I lost my home in the floods after Hurricane Florence and we’re still trying to recover. Winning would give this year some positivity and demonstrate that even going through one of the hardest things I’ve ever dealt with, I can overcome.”
Jake is currently awaiting preliminary round results. Due to contest rules, we may not share any photos or details about Jake’s dish until later in the competition.
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competition is a thrill, but winning the title of North Carolina Chef of the Year would bring lots of positivity to a trying, personal year following Hurricane Florence. “Winning would mean so much to me on many different levels. My hope is that it would show my dedication to
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y career despite everything I’ve been faced