Posted March 31, 2015

From the experienced chefs to those in training, the Iowa Pork Producers Association was pleased with the level of participation and creativity exhibited in two pork culinary contests held earlier this month.

IPPA held the annual Student Taste of Elegance at the Iowa Culinary Institute on the Des Moines Area Community College campus in Ankeny on March 9. The contest featured 12 teams from DMACC, Iowa Western Community College, Indian Hills Community College, Scott Community College and Iowa State University.

The students used a variety of ingredients to create their best pork entrees and judges selected an Iowa Culinary Institute team entrée as the winner.

“We continue to be impressed with the dishes that these students are able to create. They are enthusiastic about being in the kitchen, they didn’t over cook their pork and their flavor combinations were inventive,” said IPPA Marketing and Programs Director Kelsey Sutter.

IPPA held its 4th annual Missouri River Valley Taste of Elegance culinary contest on March 16 in Council Bluffs with nine Iowa and Nebraska chefs competing. A Council Bluffs chef captured top honors.

“It was really nice to see a good variety in all the dishes at this year’s event and the People’s Choice ballots proved that all the dishes were enjoyed by the attendees,” said Stephen Friedrich of the IPPA Restaurant & Food Service Committee.

The Taste of Elegance is a Pork Checkoff-funded culinary competition designed to inspire innovative and exciting ways to menu pork.