Chris Wright, general manager of food operations at Saz’s Western Lakes Country Club in Delafield, was recently awarded one of two $25,000 grand prizes in Ocean Spray’s third annual Ultimate Cranberry Recipe Contest for his Cranberry Wontons with Cranberry Jalapeno Jelly dipping sauce. Wright was the grand prize winner in the food service category.
"All of the finalists incorporated cranberries into recipes in very clever ways – it was difficult to choose just one winning recipe for each category," said celebrity Chef Tyler Florence, and judge of the event. "Ultimately, all of the judges felt that Patrice Hurd and Chris Wright’s recipe’s best showcased the year-round versatility of the cranberry.”
Hurd won the grand prize in the consumer category for her Cranberry Bacon Brunch Scones with Cranberry Pecan Cream Cheese. Grand prize winners were awarded their checks during a private cocktail function at 620 Loft & Garden in New York’s Rockefeller Center. The reception was held in conjunction with the kick-off of Ocean Spray’s "Big Apple Bog," where more than 2,000 pounds of glimmering cranberries are on display in a free-standing urban cranberry bog in Rockefeller Center
The contest was open to anyone, home cooks were encouraged to enter the consumer category while food professionals were encouraged to submit for the foodservice division. The contest attracted more than 2,000 recipes displaying the fruit’s true versatility including drinks, desserts and entrees.
"Ocean Spray growers have harvested the finest cranberries for our products for 80 years, so you’d think that we’d have seen all that you can do with the cranberry by now," said Larry Martin, vice president of marketing at Ocean Spray. "While cranberries are often recognized as the unofficial, official fruit of the holidays it’s clear that the variety and dimension they add to everyday dishes makes them a year-round favorite."
Recipes were judged on creativity, use of product, taste, overall appearance and ease of preparation. The panel of judges, including acclaimed Chef Tyler Florence, Chef Chris Gatto of UNO Chicago Grill and Woman’s Day Food Director Jackie Plant, evaluated eight cranberry recipes during a cook-off at De Gustibus Cooking School in New York City.Wright’s recipe will soon be a feature at Saz’s.
