The Sixth Annual Firefighter Cookoff and Food and Wine Tasting was held on February 29, 2016 at the Pines Manor in Edison, New Jersey. Over thirty-five restaurants, bakeries and caterers, twenty-five tables of wines, spirits, liquors and cordials and the Firefighter Cookoff involving twenty fire departments from around the State will get together for an evening of good eats, good spirits for a good cause.
The event featured a cook off pitting teams of firefighters against each to be judges for their culinary skills. The event was started by Robert Hill, retired Fire Chief of Roselle, NJ. What started as a lighthearted competition for bragging rights has turned into a major fundraiser for The Burn Center at Saint Barnabas sponsored by the New Jersey State Fireman’s Mutual Benevolent Association.
Though the event had a party atmosphere the there is some serious cooking going on. The event originally was to choose the team with the best “Firehouse Food”, quickly made dishes that can fill the hearty appetite of firefighters on duty.
Over the years the dishes that were being prepared were elevating out of the realm of firehouse food and so a gourmet category was added to the competition. Now half of the teams, determined by lottery, compete in the fire house food category while the other half compete in the gourmet category. Then an over all winner is crowned.
Shifts are twenty four hours long so the need for breakfast, lunch and dinner is a daily concern. Usually the task of cooking is shared amongst the firefighters unless there is some one who loves to cook and then the rest are usually in for a treat. The teams are given gift cards donated by Shoprite with a $500 limit to get the supplies they need for the cook-off.
Besides the judged competition the public got to vote for their favorite Firefighter Chef. Everyone who attended, approximately one thousand people, got to vote for their own People’s Choice Award. More information can be found on line at cookedanduncorked.com or by calling 973-322-4305.
(above) Cranford Fire Department Cook-Off team.
