Photo courtesy of Kent Howard.
Jefferson State culinary students Joy Phillips, left, and Anna Griffin, second from left, were the 2016 Iron City Chef competition winners.
Four Birmingham chefs will participate in the 2017 Iron City Chef competition Saturday, July 22. The Vestavia Hills Rotary Foundation hosts the event, which takes place at Jefferson State Community College.
This year’s competitors include Alan Nelson from Nabeel’s Cafe and Market; Clif Holt from Little Savannah; Brittany Garrigus from Satterfield’s; and Sean Butler from Revolve Kitchen & Brew.
Not only does Iron City Chef include the cooking competition itself, but at silent auction will take place before the main event.
Iron City Chef will begin at 6 p.m., while the silent auction will open its doors at 5:30 p.m. General admission is $55, but corporate tables and sponsorship prices are available.
The competition itself is structured into two rounds. All four chefs will go head-to-head in the first round, and two will make it to the second in the hopes of taking home the title. Guests will be able to enjoy all four signature dishes and vote for their favorites.
Proceeds from the event will be given back to the community. In the past 25 years, the Vestavia Hills Rotary Club has raised more than $700,000 due to the generosity of the businesses and community of the Vestavia area.
This year’s beneficiaries include the Vestavia Hills math and debate programs, as well as several communities of Zambia that receive clean water. The Vestavia Rotary also awards various scholarships that include the Interact Club Scholarship and the Jefferson State Culinary Scholarship, which will be presented to the sous chef paired with the winner of Iron City Chef 2017.
Tickets can be found on the Vestavia Hills Rotary Club website, vestaviarotary.com.
