Binghamton University Chefs Win "Best Taste Of Broome"

Local chefs in the Southern Tier cooked their best dishes for the 5th annual Fresh Food Face-off, all to win the title for the best taste of Broome using locally grown ingredients.

The winner this year is Binghamton University Dining Services by Sodexo with a dish of grilled chicken and corn chowder with carved smoked flank steak over jalapeño mashed with greens. Campus chefs Sam Pfaffenbach, Charlie Williams, and Thomas Dello used fresh potatoes, onions and the variety of greens from the Binghamton University Acres Garden.

Local chefs and restaurants, local breweries, wineries, cheeses and even local hot sauce were featured in the competition.  The goal of the event is to highlight local products and services. Agriculture in Broome County is a nearly a $31 million industry, with 563 farms across the area.

The Fresh Food Face-Off took place August 19th at Cutler Botanical Gardens in Binghamton, New York. Local dignitaries served as culinary judges and guests voted for the best presentation.

The event was organized by Cornell Cooperative Extension, a local nonprofit organization which strives to enable people to improve their lives and communities through partnerships and collaboration that puts experience and research knowledge to work.

"Binghamton University is very proud to have our culinary team represent  us at the 'Fresh Food Face-off,' said Peter Napolitano, Binghamton University Director of Auxiliary Service. "Using our garden fresh 'BU Acres' vegetables and the creativity of our culinary staff demonstrate how farmers and chefs work together to bring combinations of taste, flavor and freshness to our tables. Many thanks to the Cornell Corporative Extension of Broome County for making this possible."

Binghamton University is dedicated to student health and wellness as evidenced through its newly renovated Rec Center at the East Gym and Simple Servings program in the dining centers. In 2014, Binghamton University Dining Services by Sodexo was awarded a Loyal E. Horton Dining Award in the Retail Sales—Multiple Concepts/Marketplace category by the National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS).