September 21st wasn’t an ordinary Monday at the Rochester Public Market, Savor Rochester: a Festival of Food returned for its sixth year. With 900 attendees, the evening was a wonderful celebration of the region’s agricultural bounty and culinary talent. Over 85 restaurants, caterers, specialty food purveyors, breweries and wineries provided delicious samples. The $40 ticket gave you more than a full stomach. The Bill Tiberio Band and The Dirty Bourbon Blues Band helped set the ambiance of this upscale event. This year featured the new Food Fight at the Festival, a fast-paced culinary challenge between four top local chefs.
Participating chefs in this Iron Chef style cook off were Andy Penner: from The Rabbit Room, Debra Whiting from Red Newt Bistro, Chris Brandt from Tastings and the 2007 returning champion John Freezee from The Erie Grill at the Renaissance Del Monte Lodge. 
The chefs had 10 minutes to create a dish from a secret ingredient. The three secret ingredients throughout the challenge were kale, cabbage and quail eggs respectively. This year’s champion is Chris Brandt with his Angus Beef Tartare seasoned with shallot, parsley, green olive and grated hard boiled quail egg, topped with a raw quail egg, truffle-deviled quail egg on the side and finished with a quail yolk hollandaise.
Foodlink thanks all vendors that donated their food, time and staff. Thank you to volunteers, sponsors and attendees! This was a great time and a successful event! We depend on people like you who share our dedication and vision of ending hunger and building a healthy community.
See event pictures taken by CITY Newspaper‘s Staff Photographer Matt Deturck.
Democrat and Chronicle’s Staff Food Writer Karen Miltner awarded Superlatives to her Festival favorites. Check out her blog: Savor Rochester Superlatives