Three area chefs squared off at yesterday’s Art in the Park in Highland, Ill. The debut food-as-art competition featured Joshua Galliano of Monarch Restaurant in Maplewood, Pat Jacoby of Patty-Cakes in Highland and Claire Robberson of Eclipse Restaurant in the East Loop.
Robberson stayed consistent with Eclipse’s outer space theme by creating a colorful rocket ship complete with alien aboard (pictured). Jacoby, recent winner of TLC’s Ultimate Cake Off, displayed three edible flowers so delicate and lifelike that they were encased in a glass viewing box. Jacoby then flexed her culinary muscle by sculpting and decorating a bass fish cake – complete with scales and gills – within 30 minutes. Galliano wowed onlookers by demonstrating the art of dessert plating. The executive chef at Monarch presented three desserts: soft chocolate fudge, pumpkin panna cotta and apple mille-feuille. (The latter two currently star on Monarch’s fall menu.)
Spectators voted for their favorite dessert by dropping spare change in jars. Although no winner was declared, Dueling Desserts raised more than $100. Proceeds will benefit the Highland Area Christian Service Ministry’s food pantry.
– Ligaya Figueras, who helped the Highland Arts Council organize Art in the Park
This article appears in Oct 1-31, 2009.