PATH CRISIS Center counts on CHEFS FOR PATH, its largest yearly fundraiser, to account for a lack of state support during the budget stalemate.

The agency is waiting on more than $100,000 from the state. PATH provides crisis response services in 32 counties in Illinois. Just call 2-1-1 for help.

Last night at the BCPA, the friendly competition between some of the top local chefs commenced.  Baxters, Biaggi’s, Rosati’s of Normal, Swingers Grille and Westminster Village were represented.  This year’s competing chefs were asked to prepare a small plate dish that included Angus beef, turnips, Fuji apples, basil and garbanzo beans. All required items were donated by sponsor SYSCO foods, while each chef also had $100 to spend on additional ingredients of their choice.

After the crowd tasted all 5 entries, they voted for their one favorite dish. The top two vote getters will competed in a live 30 minute cook-off, live on stage, with a mystery box that we later learned contained steak and lobster.

Chef Richard Lozada from Westminster Village said it only took him an hour to determine what he planned to serve.

Survey of the crowd found most were having a hard time choosing between Chef Tomlinson’s dish (pictured above), and Chef Lozada’s dish for their single vote.

The crowd vote revealed that the two would now go into a head to head battle for the title live on stage. Biaggi’s head chef Toy Tomlinson had the advantage of experience, having won the event previously in 2009 and 2014, but the head table judges, in a blind tasting of the mystery box challenge plates, ruled Chef Lozada as the over all winner.

The real winner was PATH, and the heroes of the evening were the chefs, volunteers, and patrons who all made the evening a delight. Special THANKS to Manny Martinez of Baxters, Chad Dawson of Rosati’s, and Jon Evans of Swingers Grille for their dishes and contribution to the event. Maybe next year will be your year?

Click HERE for more photos from the event.