Two students were crowned UConn's "top chefs" Monday after competing against teams from all over the university in UConn's version of the television cooking competition, called "Top Chef @ Uconn!" in Rome Ballroom.
Wenhui Sun and Amir Nasser Bigdeli, Team Wen/Amir, beat nine other teams to win the event, which was sponsored by Hillel, SUBOG and Dining Services.
Aside from the excitement of the competition, this event had another selling point - the guest judge for the evening was Hosea Rosenberg, winner of season five of Bravo's "Top Chef."
The ballroom featured 10 cooking stations and two ingredient tables with food, spices and tools the chefs would be able to use during the competition.
Teams composed of fraternity members, sorority members, SUBOG members, resident assistants and UConn students who love to cook were judged by John Saddlemire, vice president of student affairs; Linda Levine, president of Hillel's board of directors; Dennis Pierce, director of dining services and Rosenberg.
Before the competition began, Rosenberg welcomed students and introduced himself. He radiated an easy confidence, joking around with students and the other judges. He spoke candidly of himself, talking about his new facial hair and the reality of being a celebrity.
"Be careful what you wish for - once you're on TV, everyone has an opinion," he said. He then invited students to ask any questions they had about his life or the show.
Then, the competition began. Pairs started cooking in staggered time increments, allowing the judges to taste the dishes in sequence. Each team was allotted one hour to prepare a three-course meal that had to contain certain pre-chosen ingredients like salmon, honey, chocolate and wanton dough.
Spectators watched as 20 chefs ran around, furiously cooking, which resulted in several mishaps, including dish towels being set on fire and entire pans going up in flames.
Many students thought the night was an incredible showcase of UConn's culinary talent, and the tie-in with a popular show drew them to the event.
"Top Chef is always playing in my room, and now I get to see it in real life," said Karin Gaertner, 5th-semester nursing major.
"Hosea [Rosenberg] was our favorite last season, we had to come," said Tina Doyle, 5th-semester nursing major.
Rome Ballroom buzzed as the chefs struggled to piece together a culinary masterpiece in an hour.
Contestants said they enjoyed the competition.
"I have always loved to cook, I do it mostly at home, but it really is my passion," said contestant David Thibodeau, a 3rd-semester chemistry major.
Finally, the judges sampled the dishes one by one, similar to how it happens on "Top Chef." At times, they offered criticism, but they also showed a good sense of humor.
At one point while tasting a more outlandish dish, Pierce asked one of the contestants if he would want his sandwich to be served in a UConn dining hall.
The contestant candidly replied, "Maybe in Buckley…"
In the end, team Wen/Amir stood out above the others.
The event's sponsors said they were happy with the turnout.
"This is a great opportunity for other organizations to see how they could partner with Hillel," said Gary Wolff, executive director of Hillel.
Wolff also said he was pleased with the diversity of the teams drawing from Greek Life, SUBOG and other UConn students.
Since "UConn's "Top Chef" was so successful, there is potential for it to become an annual event, he said.
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