Chef Rick’s Ultimately Fine Foods Crowned Taste for Justice Chili Champion
Chef Rick’s Ultimately Fine Foods reigned supreme yesterday at the Chili Cook-off hosted at the 7th Annual Taste for Justice event held on Saturday March 5, 2011 at a WWII Airport Hangar at Santa Maria Airport. Competing against 8 other restaurants, Chef Rick’s received a unanimous vote of confidence from the three judges and also walked away with the People’s Choice Award. The judges were Michael Cervin, food and travel author, Santa Barbara County Superior Court judges the honorable Edward Bullard and the honorable Timothy Staffel.
Winners of the Chili Cook-off:
1st – Chef Rick’s Ultimately Fine Foods
2nd – Solvang Brewing Company
3rd – Tahlias Cucina
Winner of the People’s Choice Award:
Chef Rick’s Ultimately Fine Foods
This event was hosted as a tribute to the troops and featured tank rides in a WWII Army tank! The ever popular 52 bottles of wine was a hot ticket raffle item as well. A US Flag that was flown over Capitol Hill was auctioned off and the proceeds were donated to the Wounded Warriors Project. Renowned trumpeter-composer Jeff Elliott who has worked with the likes of James Brown, Less McCann, Doc Severinsen and many other jazz legends provided musical entertainment along with vocal soloist Art Emr.
Proceeds from this event aside from the auction of the flag benefit Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County.
Save the date for the 8th Annual Taste for Justice, March 3, 2012.