Adam Wells-Morgan Wins Checkoff’s National Taste of Elegance™ Competition

Adam Wells-Morgan, executive chef of The Club at Old Hawthorne in Columbia, Mo., won top honors in the 21^st annual National Taste of Elegance™ contest June 14 in Baltimore, Md. The competition, sponsored by the Pork Checkoff, featured 18 chefs, all winners of state and regional Taste of Elegance culinary competitions. Wells-Morgan earned Chef Par Excellence honors and $5,000 with his winning entrée of Duo of Pork: Sumac and Rosemary Scented Pork Loin and Cider Braised Pork Shoulder served with white cheddar grits, crispy carrots and leeks, and apple spice gastrique. He also was presented with the Media Choice Award, an honor given by representatives of foodservice media to the chef with the most creative application of a pork dish.

“The National Taste of Elegance event brought some of the nation’s best chefs together to share their talent using pork,” said Tim Bierman, a pork producer from Iowa and National Pork Board member. “By reaching chefs through Checkoff programs like this, the goal is to increase the number of pork items on menus.”

In the national contest, competing chefs from Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee and Wisconsin created original pork entrees that were judged on taste, appearance and originality. The Taste of Elegance competitions were created to highlight chefs’ innovative ways of using pork and to encourage chefs to work with pork in creative, non-traditional ways.

Additional top-placing chefs include Jason Santos, who earned the Superior Chef Award and $2,000 with his Sous Vide Pork Belly, Honeydew, Raspberry Pudding, Lime Sugar, Pink Pepper dish and David Vlach, who earned the Premium Chef Award and $1,000 with his Spiced Slow-Cooked Pork Shank with Gremolata and Black Beluga Lentil Tomato Stew. 

Competing chefs also had the opportunity to attend an abridged version of Pork 101, a Checkoff-funded short course that focuses on pork quality, consistency and value.   New to the Pork 101 program this year was a conversation with pork producers about the industry and pork production. Bierman along with Steve Weaver, a pork producer from California, showed photos from their farm, discussed the production practices of their operation and answered questions about the ethical principles and practices of the pork industry. 

“Not only were the chefs able to view a hog carcass being broken down into different cuts, but they also heard the story of pork production firsthand from farmers,” said Bierman. “These chefs are the trendsetters of the food industry, and reaching out to them through a seminar like this is part of our overall effort to increase pork demand.”

Judges for this year’s event included: 

·         Stephan Hesse of Luna Rossa Trattoria and Wine Bar; Stillwater, Minn.

·         Chris Lilly of Big Bob Gibson’s BBQ; Decatur, Ala.

·         Michael Paley of Proof on Main; Louisville, Ky.

·         Kevin Storm of Bellerive Country Club; St. Louis, Mo.

·         John Sundstrom of Lark; Seattle, Wash.

·         Tyler Wiard of Elway’s; Denver, Colo.

Other co-sponsors for the Checkoff-funded National Taste of Elegance event were Baltimore Renaissance Harborplace Hotel of Baltimore, Chefwear®, Steelite USA, Cutco Cutlery and Four Vines Vineyard.

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Note to media: A complete list of contestant follows. Pork producers are available to interview about this story. To arrange for an interview, please contact Cindy Cunningham, assistant vice president of communications at the National Pork Board, at 515-223-2600.

A photograph of the winner can be downloaded here.

Adam C. Wells-Morgan

The Club at Old Hawthorne

Columbia, Mo.

Duo of Pork: Sumac and Rosemary Scented Pork Loin and Cider Braised Pork Shoulder served with white cheddar grits, crispy carrots and leeks, and apple spice gastrique

Barry Greenberg, CEC

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa

Trio of Asian Pork

David Vlach

Heidi’s Minneapolis

Minneapolis, Minn.

Spiced Slow-Cooked Pork Shank with Gremolata and Black Beluga Lentil Tomato Stew

Gayland Toriella

Museum Café

Oklahoma City, Okla.

Pork 3 Ways

Jerimy Henson

The Outing Club

Davenport, Iowa

Braised Pork Shoulder with Sous Vide Pork Belly

Matt Chatfield

The Culinary Center of Kansas City

Overland Park, Kansas

Roast Pork Rack with Savory Apricot-Cognac Sauce

Michael Sicinski

Laurel Creek Country Club

Mount Laurel, N.J.

Tribute to Pork Shank

Robert Frye

The Chef’s Academy

Indianapolis, Ind.

Vietnamese Soup, Salad and Sandwich

Takashi Kusanishi

Renaissance Orlando at Seaworld

Orlando, Fla.

Pork Belly Three Ways

Thom Zoog

Portabella Restaurant & Catering

Clayton, Mo.

Spiced Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Apple Fennel Braised Pork

Mark Boor

Trio Bistro

Cincinnati, Ohio

Vastago de Cerdo con Chorizo y Fabada

Joe DeGuira

Loews Vanderbilt Hotel

Nashville, Tenn.

Maple Pork with Smokey Potato Risotto, Green Bean Salad and Cranberry Red Onion Marmalade

Tyler Honke CEC CCM

Minnehaha Country Club

Sioux Falls, S.D.

Apricot Basil Pork

Jerry Edwards CPCE

Chef’s Expressions Catering

Baltimore, Md.

The Three Little Pigs

Jason Santos

Gargoyles on the Square

Somerville, Mass.

Sous Vide Pork Belly, honeydew, raspberry pudding, lime sugar, pink pepper

Miles Breed

The Great Karoo at Kalahari Resorts

Wisconsin Dells, Wis.

Braised Pork Cheeks, Mitonee and Braising Jus

Ian Ramirez

Brandywine Creek

Covert, Mich.

International Pork Trio

Robert Meitzer

Red Rocks Country Club

Morrison, Colo.

“Voodoo” Grilled Pork Loin with Chocolate Mole

Pork Belly Chile Relleno with Chili Verde

Fried Hominy and Black Beans

New Mexico Slaw