Contests / University City

The Florida Keys and Key West Cook-Off and Cocktail Competition

Key West Philadelphia Food Influencer Cook-Off


The Florida Keys and Key West Cook-Off and Florida Keys Cocktail Competition will bring a touch and taste of the Keys to Philadelphia on Monday, March 6th. Walnut Hill College will serve as the venue for a special cook-off that will feature 24 local food and travel influencers and writers. Instead of snapping, tweeting and blogging they will get on the other side of the stove and cook up two Florida Keys dishes with direction from Chef Bobby Stoky. In conjunction with the cook-off, four Philadelphia bartenders will shake and stir up Keys-inspired cocktails. A winner from each competition wins a trip to the Florida Keys and Key West.

Walnut Hill College is the gracious host for the night and their students (and our city’s future restaurant stars and chefs) are prepping and creating a fantastic menu of Keys inspired dishes. The Florida Keys is sending up Chef Bobby Stoky from the Keys – a notable chef and booth author – is coming up as a special partnership to work with the students and be a guest judge for the cook-off. Local son Pat Croce, who has several spots in the Florida Keys, is judging a special Florida Keys Cocktail Competition. The idea is to give a hard-working, over-worked, talented bartender a chance to get away “from it all.”

COOK-OFF
They reviewed, posted, snapped, tweeted and blogged about their favorite restaurants and dishes. Now the tables will turn as 24 of the region’s food and travel influences/writers will get behind the stove and cook-off. One of them will win a trip to the Florida Keys and Key West. Chef Bobby Stoky will lead them in demos and will make their own version of a Key Lime Pie and a surprise keys seafood dish.

  • Nicole Michalik, I Heart Radio
  • Mina Say What, Power 99
  • Marilyn Russell, WOGL
  • Marisa Magnatta, WMMR
  • Alex Holley, FOX-29
  • Jenny DeHuff, PhillyVoice
  • Ernest Owens, Philadelphia Magazine
  • LeAnne Lindsay, Tinsel and Tine
  • Roberta Pipito, Homemade Delish
  • Jersey Girl Cooks, Lisa Grant
  • Kass Dahlquist, Philly Food Girl
  • Rachee Fagg, Say It Rachee
  • Jordan Price, Food Sweat Beers
  • Linda Arceo, Giggles Gobbles Gulps
  • Sandy Zimmerman, Philly Bite Mag
  • Sarah Maiellano, Eater, Thrillist, USA Today, Freelancer
  • Colleen Kennedy, Souffle Bombay
  • Emily Rush, Penn Appetite
  • Sarah Ricks, Very Hungry Traveler
  • Iris McCarthy, The Palate Princess
  • Denine Gorniak, The Bicycle Chef
  • Linda Vertlieb, Frugal Philly Mom
  • Emily Tharp, Her Philly
  • Steve McCann, Philly Gay Calendar

COCKTAIL CONTEST
As part of the Florida Keys and Key West Cook-Off at Walnut Hill College they are giving a bartender a chance to win a vacation! They shake and stir. They listen to your problems. They know your every need. Four of Philly’s most talented and over-worked bartenders are getting a chance to get away from it all for a two night three day trip to the Florida Keys.

Participants are from the just-opened Dim Sum House in University City, South Street Headhouse’s Whetstone Tavern, and Rittenhouse Row’s Fine Palate and Vesper. Cast your vote for your favorite Keys-inspired cocktail here.

The public will cast their advance vote online, guests at the event will cast a vote and then our favorite son Pat Croce (who owns several bars in the Keys!) will also judge. Pat is even putting the winning cocktail on his menu for a week in honor of the winning bartender.

Tickets are sold out for the event, but you can follow along on social media hashtag #FLKeysCookOff.

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