During an emergency or disaster situation there is very little time to stop, plan, and prepare for your response.  You respond quickly, and you hope effectively, as you rely on what you know in that moment about emergency response.  All too often, volunteers, local leaders, and neighbors aren’t coordinated effectively or don’t know how to get in touch with relief organizations that can help them.  Training in emergency planning, disaster preparedness, and relief coordination is needed. World Cares Center was created to fill that very need.  Once a year, we gather the emergency response community together to have a spirited, competitive culinary cook off in which firehouse chefs and restaurant chefs battle it out for bragging rights (lots of bragging) and the title of Iron Skillet® Champion.  Emergency responders, community leaders, corporate sponsors, and everyday citizens gather for a festive night of food, drink, and merriment as they savor the dishes that flow freely throughout the night.  This year’s event on October 22, 2012 at Crimson restaurant from 6pm-10pm will bring down the house!  It’s World Cares Center’s way of giving back to the emergency response community, but it also allows us to thank those people who consistently get involved for the greater good.  With this one night, we stop time and enjoy ourselves.  World Cares Center also takes 100% of the proceeds and puts it to good use with its educational training programs and outreach efforts throughout the coming year. 

There’s still time to get a taste of these mouth-watering dishes.  For tickets, go to:  www.ironskilletcookoff.org. Come and join us for food, laughter, and a unique live auction as we take this moment in time to give back, and look forward. 

In a world where gourmet food continues to spread beyond the walls of traditional restaurants to food trucks, pop-up restaurants, and farmer’s market stands, restaurant chefs continue to reinvent dishes.  Often this means reimaining conventional ideas of food pairings, using new cooking techniques, and upgrading the dining environment to complement the food.  Or they could just compete in our 11^th annual Iron Skillet® Cook Off!  On October 22, 2012 at Crimson Restaurant, five top restaurant chefs will reinterpret the original recipes of five superb firehouse chefs.   Each year, World Cares Center sponsors the Iron Skillet® Cook Off as both a fundraiser for its ongoing emergency response training programs and as a way to celebrate the resilient  communities that help their neighbors when disaster strike.  The restaurant chefs know that the firehouse chefs will bring all their best cooking techniques and tasteful secrets.  This year, the arsenal of professional, restaurant chefs is particularly competitive. While the firehouse chefs create the recipes, the restaurant chefs only know the name, bringing their own twist and creativity to the table and wowing the judges. Here is a small sample of the star-power of our restaurant chef competitors.

Chef Diane DiMeo, a Food Network Chopped winner and co-star of TLC’s world cuisine cooking show, Mission Menu, is taking New York by storm with her Bootleg Farms line of condiments (think artisanal pickles and sauces) and her new, highly-successful Bootleg pop-up restaurant.  She will prepare her own rendition of Smothered Pork Chops.  Chef Michael Carrino from Pig & Prince Restaurant has been a celebrated chef since a young age; he was inducted into the prestigious food and wine society, the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs™ at the age of 28.  He knows how to reinvent the classics and will add his cooking flair to a Spicy Apple Pork dish.  Chef Jack Koumbis of Assembly Steakhouse and Seafood Grill was the youngest Executive Chef within the Grand Bay Hotel hospitality company.  His Englewood Cliffs restaurant is known as an elegant eatery with impeccable style and great steaks.  Chef Koumbis will compete within his area of expertise, making White Lightening Surf & Turf that’s sure to wow.   Our next chef is in charge of all the concession stands and lounge eateries at Yankee Stadium.  Chef Matt Gibson, formerly an Executive Sous Chef at New York’s famed Spice Market restaurant, is currently the Executive Chef at Legends Hospitality – the sole food and beverage provider for the new Yankee Stadium.  Chef Gibson will present a high-end, delicious take on Skirt Steak with Burgundy Cream Sauce.  It’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser.  From a New York classic we have Chef Dino Redzic from Uncle Paul’s Pizza.  Given his background as both a butcher and a former Maitre’d at the James Beard House, Chef Redzic has learned to marry refined classic style with our country’s much beloved dish - pizza. Chef Redzic will prepare Skewers of Chicken and Sweet Potato with a Chipotle Sauce.

 There’s still time to get a taste of these mouth-watering dishes. 

For tickets, go to:  www.ironskilletcookoff.org.

World Cares Center is gearing up for our biggest event of the year – the 11^th annual Iron Skillet® Cook Off on October 22, 2012 at Crimson Restaurant.  We have five awesome firehouse chefs who will compete against five restaurant chefs in the hottest match-up in town.

Taking a page from the spirit of first responders everywhere, our team of firehouse chefs is culled from fire stations across the five boroughs of New York.  Usually hard at work feeding their firefighter brothers healthy, flavorful meals, these firehouse chefs have to do things on the run, often producing cost-efficient, foolproof recipes in a short amount of time.  We know they can take the heat of the kitchen, but what exactly does Team Firehouse have in store for us come October 22^nd?  To take a peak inside the event, we’re revealing some of the menu items to give you a preview of the night’s offerings.  Knowing these chefs, there are bound to be many surprise taste elements in the dishes they prepare.

Joe Russo, Ladder 156 (Brooklyn) is preparing mouth-watering Smothered Pork Chops, Pete Lazarcheck, Engine 291 (Queens) brings us tender Skirt Steak with Burgundy Cream Sauce, Ron Venner, Engine 42 (Bronx) is kicking it up with Spicy Apple Pork, Khalid Baylor, Ladder 14 (Manhattan) heats things up with a Southern favorite, Fried Chicken and Waffles, and Robert Marolla, Engine 165 (Staten Island) will shine a spotlight on his White Lightening Surf & Turf.

Are you hungry yet? Tickets are still available and you can vote for your favorite chef.  Don’t miss out!  Go to: www.ironskilletcookoff.org. 

*Check out next week’s blog on the stellar cast of restaurant chefs that hope to reinvent these dishes to win the Iron Skillet® title.

Over the years, we’ve worked to train the emergency response community to prepare and recover from the unexpected.  Luckily, for the last 10 years, we have benefited from the steady, generous support of the Metronome Hospitality Group for our annual fundraising event, the Iron Skillet® Cook Off.   In a world of corporate upheaval, changing leadership, and economic stressors, this partnership with Metronome Hospital Group has been a commitment that we at World Cares Center have relied on to help us fund our important training programs. 

Metronome Hospitality Group (MHG) is a premiere venue operating and party hosting company that has four spectacular NYC locations and an additional space in Atlantic City.  With more than 120 planning experts at their disposal, and some of the hottest venues to consider, MHG is the place for NYC’s most talked about media and celebrity events.  With venues in a full range of sizes and designs, MHG hosts red carpet galas, corporate events, weddings, and bar mitzvahs.

This year, MHG has donated their fabulous Crimson restaurant for the Iron Skillet® Cook Off.  Crimson, located on 915 Broadway in Manhattan, has a treasure-trove of dazzling features guaranteed to get you in the party mood including two levels, three bars, and plush, rich crimson hue accents.  Our firehouse and restaurant chefs, along with over 500 guests and corporations, will heat things up with gourmet dishes and signature cocktails in over 14,000 square feet of prime party space.

At our 11^th annual Iron Skillet® Cook Off, guests will get unparalleled pampering as they feast on gourmet offerings in Metronome’s luxurious spaces.  Over the years, MHG’s venues have hosted events for heavy-hitter clients like MTV, MetLife, Barnes & Noble, and major media networks like HBO and CBS.  They have hosted star-studded celebrity birthday parties, major record label release parties, and media award events.  Did we mention they are hosting our Iron Skillet® Cook Off event?  When the media descends on this event, MHG will play host to the hottest culinary competition in NYC!  We hope to see you there.  For tickets, go to: www.ironskilletcookoff.org.

We thank MHG for their longstanding corporate giving – we look forward to another 10 years!

Q:  How does the emergency response community celebrate and have a good time?

A:  In a big way of course — at the World Cares Center’s annual Iron Skillet® Cook Off — where the talented world of everyday heroes comes to compete and feast on the best food and drink in the city!

This year’s Iron Skillet® culinary competition has everyone all fired up!  The competition will be held at Crimson Restaurant in Manhattan on October 22^nd from 6pm-9pm.  We couldn’t do it without our team of phenomenal chefs, our generous corporate sponsors, and our panel of celebrity guest judges.  We have the best and the brightest from the world of TV/radio, sports, and community leadership taking on the tough job of choosing the Iron Skillet® champion.  Here’s a run-down on our panel of judges.

·         Returning Emcee Extraordinaire:  Valerie Smaldone – NY radio personality and talk show host

·         Councilmember Peter Vallone, Jr. – District 22 (Queens)

·         Ben Aaron, Reporter for NBC Universal

·         Lynda Baquero, Consumer reporter for NBC 4

·         Thomas Huff, Former NFL player (Washington Redskins)

·         Soterios Johnson, Host of WNYC Radio’s Morning Edition

·         Sukanya Krishnan, Reporter/Host for WPIX 11

·         Grant Marshall, Former NHL player (New Jersey Devils)

·         Freeman McNeil, Former NFL player (New York Jets)

Each year as we fire up the stoves and pit firehouse chefs against the top restaurant chefs in a friendly, yet competitive culinary romp, World Cares Center puts you in the middle of the action for a night of great food, signature cocktails, and a lively auction.  A fun night is guaranteed for all! Get your tickets at: www.ironskilletcookoff.org.

Collectively, we have some of the biggest and brightest on-air personalities in the Tri-State area giving their time to make sure the event is spectacular.  As always, Valerie Smaldone, renowned NY radio personality, will emcee the event with style and humor. Come out to join us and mingle with the stars of the emergency response community. 

This year at the Iron Skillet® Cook-off we have some of the best live auction items we’ve ever assembled.  Donations from sponsors like Chelsea Piers, Distrikt Hotel, and Watson Adventures have been pouring into our offices to prepare for our lively auction.  We wanted to highlight some of these great items.  How about taking 5 of your friends on a NYC scavenger hunt courtesy of Watson Adventures or sprucing up your kitchen with a 7-piece, German-crafted knife set from WÜsthof?  Love sports?  We have 4 Gold Passports to Chelsea Piers’ golf, exercise, and skating facilities.  How about a hockey stick signed by a famous New York Ranger?  Since we live in one of the art capitals of the world, we also have auction items from Carnegie Hall and Kramer Portraits.  Want a laugh?  How about 4 tickets to Stand-Up NY Comedy Club where funnymen Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock have performed!  We are so excited to share a night of great food, friendly competition, and one-of-a-kind auction items with you!  World Cares Center sends a heartfelt thank you to all of our sponsors for donating so generously. 

Join us on October 22, 2012.  Get tickets at:  www.ironskilletcookoff.org.

When World Cares Center created its unique emergency response, collaborative support system 11 years ago, it partnered with some remarkable corporate sponsors to host a one-of-a-kind culinary competition called the Iron Skillet® Cook Off.  The first cook off in 2002 was a “Thank you” to the Firefighters, and one year later, it became World Cares Center’s signature fundraiser. This annual cook off between Firehouse Chefs and world renowned New York restaurant chefs relied on corporate sponsorship to provide the venue, the food, the live auction prizes, and much more. 

The Firehouse Chefs and restaurant Chefs generously gave their time, knowing that 100% of the proceeds would go to help communities coordinate and train for emergency response and disaster preparedness.

With us from the start has been Brooklyn Brewery, the local purveyor of fine crafted beers.  Brooklyn Brewery paired our chef offerings with their award-winning roster of specialty beers like Oktoberfest and Brooklyn Lager.  Also in the spotlight, were other generous sponsors that continue to support WCC’s programs through the Iron Skillet® Cook Off each year including:  Turner Construction Company, RailWorks, London Fischer LLP, Blackstone Financial, and Newmark Knight Frank.  These platinum level sponsors have maintained a commitment to World Cares Center as it redefines emergency response.  This annual fundraiser makes it possible for local community leadership and everyday citizens to make lasting changes in their preparedness plans for a safer tomorrow.  

Other sponsors, such as Crimson in Manhattan, Metronome Hospitality Group, and Dickstein Shapiro LLP, have also continued to give generously throughout the years.  The return on their investment has been far reaching, including the enrichment of their company’s mission as they reach out to their community, in-kind donations that showcase their unique products and venues, and media exposure for ongoing good works.

“World Cares Center and its programs would not exist if not for out corporate sponsors who provide support through finance,donated product and subject matter expertise. The Iron Skillet®  Cook Off is our way of saying thank you and shining a spotlight on those who make our work possible”, said Lisa Orloff, founder of World Cares Center. 

Sign up as a corporate sponsor at the Platinum, Gold, Silver, or Bronze level and start putting your sponsorship dollars to work for you (and so many others).  This is a fun-filled event that you won’t want to miss! 

For tickets and sponsorship information, visit www.ironskilletcookoff.org

Follow us on Twitter #ironskilletcookoff

World Cares Center would like to extend a warm welcome to all our Iron Skillet® Cook Off Competitors.  From the FDNY our participants are Joe Russo of Ladder 156 in Brooklyn, Khalid Baylor of Ladder 14 in Manhattan, Pete Lazarcheck of Engine 291 Ladder 140 in Queens, Ron Venner of Engine 42 in the Bronx, and Robert Marolla of Engine 165 in Staten Island.  Taking on NY Bravest are 3 chefs from NYC, David Martinez of The 5 and Diamond Restaurant, Diane DiMeo of Black Duck, and Matt Fisher of Backyard.  For the first time ever we’ll have also 2 NJ chefs competing, Mike Carrino of Pig & Prince and Jack Koumbis of Assembly Steak House.

Good luck to all competitors!

A special thanks to our early returning sponsors Turner Construction, Blackstone, Metronome Hospitality Group, Newmark Knight Frank, RailWorks, Brooklyn Brewery and Lodge!

Don’t miss this fabulous culinary event that has New York City talking.  It will take place on Monday, October 22, at Crimson in Manhattan.  For tickets and sponsorships please visit our website at www.worldcares.org.  We hope to see you there!