Fresh off of the PGA circuit's Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid at Harbor Shores, the crew at KitchenAid is continuing a summer circuit that keeps the brand busy all across the nation. One of their next cool appearances that those of us in the region can enjoy is coming to the Grand Rapids Downtown Market this month, when they host their first-ever "Market Masters presented by KitchenAid." That's an Iron Chef-style competition pitting four teams of Downtown Market chefs and sous chefs against one another in a three-round cooking contest.
Coming on June 24th from 7pm to 10pm, the Grand Rapids Downtown Market will feature the competition, and just like “Iron Chef,” each timed round will have a secret ingredient that the chefs must include as they develop their appetizer, main course or dessert recipes…on the spot.
Local “celebrity” judges will rate each contestant’s efforts, and choose two teams from the first two rounds to move on to the finals. Only one winner will emerge from the rivalries as “Market Master.”
Market Masters is presented by KitchenAid, whose home-base is right here in Michigan's Great Southwest. The event will be hosted by Chef Amy Sherman, host of “Behind the Mitten” and the “Great American Brew Trail,” and founder of West Michigan FarmLink and the local Slow Food chapter for Grand Rapids. Amy has most recently been involved in MLive’s “Michigan’s Best” series.
Mike Huie is Global Kitchenware Director for KitchenAid. He says, “The Downtown Market is a chef’s dream, with the combination of their state-of-the-art Teaching Kitchen, Incubator Kitchen, and Demonstration spaces.” As he puts it, “Our mission at KitchenAid is to become a complete kitchen brand centered around a lifestyle of culinary passion, which caters perfectly to the Downtown Market’s audience. Our new products, like the cookware and cutlery to be featured in Market Masters, were designed to inspire that audience to dive into their passion for great food.”
Huie went on to say, “We were thrilled to sponsor this event knowing it will cater to that passionate group that speaks the same language of hand-crafted food like we do, loves the enjoyment found in cooking like we do, and recognizes the importance of giving back to the community like we do. We believe this is the start of a great partnership with the Downtown Market to jointly educate and inspire the next generation of home cooks.”
Tickets for the event include a glass of bubbly, appetizers from Downtown Market favorites and an evening of entertainment. A cash bar will also be available, featuring fresh, specialty cocktails made with local spirits, as well as local brews and wine.
Amy Sherman declares, “What better way to get to know your favorite local chefs, than watching them wage a battle of wits…and knives?” She adds, “This competition will be three hours of comedy, drama, suspense and great local food, produced live before your eyes.”
Proceeds from the event will benefit the Downtown Market Education Foundation, which supports culinary and nutritional education, entrepreneur opportunities and local food production, with the goal of creating a healthier community lifestyle, The foundation supports access to, and promotion of, fresh healthy foods for all, including disadvantaged families and children.
The Grand Rapids Downtown Market is located at 435 Ionia SW in Grand Rapids, and tickets are available by clicking this link:
The Grand Rapids Downtown Market is the region’s new choice for fresh, delicious foods and amazing public market merchants. The Market is a $30 million, self-sustaining, LEED-certified, mixed-use facility that brings together production, distribution, marketing and education about local foods and growing. It incorporates entrepreneur and experimentation space for both emerging and experienced food artisans and merchants including a 24-vendor Market Hall and two full-service restaurants.
