LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Chase Sapphire Preferred®, a premier travel and dining rewards card from Chase, in partnership with Bon Appétit hosted the second annual Chase Sapphire Preferred Grill Challenge, Thursday, May 8, during the eighth annual Vegas Uncork’d by Bon Appétit. Celebrity chef Mario Batali, chef/owner of B&B Ristorante, Otto Las Vegas, B&B Burger and Beer and Carnevino Italian Steakhouse, and TLC’s Cake Boss Buddy Valastro, owner of Carlo’s Bakery, partnered with two students from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Las Vegas, Brooke Worley and Kelly Ricker, for the ultimate live grilling competition during the Night Market: East Meets West.
The competition heated up as teams prepared an Asian-inspired version of Porc Charcutiere, and Emcee Andrew Knowlton, Restaurant and Drinks Editor at Bon Appétit, surprised the crowd with a “culinary curveball” requiring contestants to incorporate Shaoxing wine, a traditional ingredient in Chinese cuisine, into their menu. Chef Batali and Brooke Worley impressed the judges with their barbequed pulled pork on a bed of crispy udon noodles. Meanwhile Chef Valastro and Kelly Ricker served up a mouthwatering pork chop topped with a pickled bean sprout salad.
“I'm excited to participate in the Chase Sapphire Preferred Grill Challenge,” said Chef Batali. “These students are the next generation of culinary talent in Las Vegas, I'm delighted to participate in an event which supports their culinary education.”
“I am honored to be a part of such an incredible event alongside my fellow Venetian Palazzo chefs,” said Valastro. “The Chase Sapphire Preferred Grill Challenge is a fun, intense, and very unique way for me to support the next generation of culinary super stars right here in Las Vegas from Le Cordon Bleu.”
The live competition came down to the wire, judges Adam Rapoport, Editor-in-Chief at Bon Appétit, Alison Roman, Senior Associate Food Editor at Bon Appétit, and Todd Huelsman, 2013 Chase Sapphire Preferred Grill Challenge champion, cast votes and named Worley and Batali the winning team. The winning student, Brooke, received a $20,000 scholarship, and the runner-up, Kelly, was awarded $5,000 to fund their culinary educations, courtesy of Chase Sapphire Preferred.
“It’s great to see all-star chefs Mario Batali and Buddy Valastro come together to support the culinary community in Las Vegas,” said Lisa Walker, general manager, Chase Sapphire. “We’re proud to host this competition and create unique opportunities for our cardmembers to experience a premiere culinary festival, while also providing scholarship funds to support these students’ culinary educations.”
The eighth annual Vegas Uncork’d by Bon Appétit and Las Vegas, in partnership with ARIA, Bellagio, Caesars Palace, MGM Grand, The Venetian and Chase Sapphire Preferred runs May 8-11. The food festival features chefs including Bobby Flay, Buddy Valastro, Daniel Boulud, Giada De Laurentiis, Joёl Robuchon, Julian Serrano, Guy Savoy, Mario Batali, Michael Mina, Nobu Matsuhisa and more.
As a presenting sponsor of Vegas Uncork’d by Bon Appétit, Chase Sapphire Preferred offered cardholders the ability to redeem credit card rewards points or purchase tickets to select Vegas Uncork’d events – and enjoy exclusive perks, such as a VIP lounge at the Grand Tasting featuring bites from Nobu Matsuhisa, a private brunch featuring cuisine prepared by executive chef Julian Serrano of Picasso at Bellagio and exclusive meet-and-greets with chef François Payard.
About Chase Sapphire Preferred
Chase Sapphire Preferred is a premier rewards credit card for people who are passionate about travel and dining. With Sapphire Preferred you enjoy premium travel rewards and benefits with no travel restrictions or blackout dates on airfare booked through Ultimate Rewards, double points for every dollar spent on dining and travel, Chip and Signature for international travel and no foreign transaction fees, 1:1 point transfer to leading frequent travel programs, 24/7 live customer service, access to exclusive cardmember experiences and more. More information is available at www.chasesapphire.com/preferred.
About Chase
Chase is the U.S. consumer and commercial banking business of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM), a leading global financial services firm with assets of $2.4 trillion and operations in more than 60 countries. Chase serves more than 52 million consumers and small businesses through more than 5,600 bank branches, 18,700 ATMs, credit cards, mortgage offices, and online and mobile banking as well as through relationships with auto dealerships. More information about Chase is available at www.chase.com.
About Bon Appétit
Food is culture and Bon Appétit is where food and culture intersect in your life. Bon Appétit, in all its formats (print, digital, products, events) delivers not just recipes, tips, and techniques, but a world of lush travel, high-gloss entertaining, and up-to-the-minute restaurant coverage. It’s a visually arresting publication, driven by excellent photography, clean graphics, and headlines that pop. And notable faces, too: Each issue features of-the-moment tastemakers, from chefs and restaurateurs to fashion designers and celebrities. All of these elements combine to make Bon Appétit the largest epicurean magazine in America with the most affluent readership.
About Le Cordon Bleu
Le Cordon Bleu is a leading provider of quality culinary arts education worldwide. The network of 16 schools in the United States offers culinary and baking students a hands-on training alongside faculty dedicated to providing students with the necessary skills, knowledge, support and guidance to pursue career opportunities in the culinary and hospitality industry. Find disclosures on employment rates, student financial obligations and more disclosures at www.chefs.com.disclosure. Le Cordon Bleu cannot guarantee employment or salary. Le Cordon Bleu is a member of the Career Education Corporation (NASDAQ:CECO) network of universities, colleges and schools. For more information about Le Cordon Bleu, visit www.Chefs.edu. Le Cordon Bleu® and the Le Cordon Bleu logo are registered trademarks of Career Education Corporation.
