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Phil Bencomo / Lake Superior Magazine
Taste of Lake Superior Fish Classic 2014
Eight chefs competed this year: five from Minnesota, two from Michigan and one from Wisconsin.
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Phil Bencomo / Lake Superior Magazine
Taste of Lake Superior Fish Classic 2014
Uriah Hefter of Ledge Rock Grille received second-place honors from the judges.
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Bob Berg / Lake Superior Magazine
Taste of Lake Superior Fish Classic 2014
Duluth Grill's team, led by Tom Hanson (left), won the People's Choice.
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Phil Bencomo / Lake Superior Magazine
Taste of Lake Superior Fish Classic 2014
Chef Thomas Malone, from Duluth's Restaurant 301, prepares his dish for the judges.
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Phil Bencomo / Lake Superior Magazine
Taste of Lake Superior Fish Classic 2014
Ryan Carstens came from Marquette, representing the Landmark Inn.
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Bob Berg / Lake Superior Magazine
Taste of Lake Superior Fish Classic 2014
The other Michigan competitor was James Damon Mount. He's the head chef at Fitzgerald's in the Keweenaw town of Eagle River.
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Phil Bencomo / Lake Superior Magazine
Taste of Lake Superior Fish Classic 2014
Matt Chingo, executive chef at the Old Rittenhouse Inn in Bayfield, Wisconsin, presents his whitefish and herring dishes to the judges.
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Phil Bencomo / Lake Superior Magazine
Taste of Lake Superior Fish Classic 2014
Gary Baregi (left) and Glenn D'Amour, both certified executive chefs, score a dish during the judged portion of the competition. The other judges, not pictured, were Paul Madsen, a longtime executive chef, and Juli Kellner, host of "WDSE Cooks" and Lake Superior Magazine's Recipe Box writer.
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Phil Bencomo / Lake Superior Magazine
Taste of Lake Superior Fish Classic 2014
This dish, prepared by Robert Wohlfeil of the Oceanaire Seafood Room in Minneapolis, won first place in the judged competition.
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Phil Bencomo / Lake Superior Magazine
Taste of Lake Superior Fish Classic 2014
The Duluth Grill won the People's Choice.
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Phil Bencomo / Lake Superior Magazine
Taste of Lake Superior Fish Classic 2014
After the judged competition concluded, chefs (including Robert Wohlfeil of the Oceanaire Seafood Room, pictured) prepared samplers for the public. Attendees voted for the People's Choice winner.
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Phil Bencomo / Lake Superior Magazine
Taste of Lake Superior Fish Classic 2014
Avery Cassar, from At Sara's Table Chester Creek Café in Duluth, prepares his fish for the public tasting portion of the evening.
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Phil Bencomo / Lake Superior Magazine
Taste of Lake Superior Fish Classic 2014
The Fitzgerald's team.
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Phil Bencomo / Lake Superior Magazine
Taste of Lake Superior Fish Classic 2014
Matt Chingo from the Old Rittenhouse Inn.
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Phil Bencomo / Lake Superior Magazine
Taste of Lake Superior Fish Classic 2014
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Phil Bencomo / Lake Superior Magazine
Taste of Lake Superior Fish Classic 2014
Outside the tent, attendees sampled craft brews and wines.
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Phil Bencomo / Lake Superior Magazine
Taste of Lake Superior Fish Classic 2014
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Phil Bencomo / Lake Superior Magazine
Taste of Lake Superior Fish Classic 2014
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Bob Berg / Lake Superior Magazine
Taste of Lake Superior Fish Classic 2014
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Phil Bencomo / Lake Superior Magazine
Taste of Lake Superior Fish Classic 2014
Exhibitors included Farmer Doug, Nace Hagemann Photography, Jayne Richards Jewelry & Native Art and Miel Honey & Beeswax Products.
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Bob Berg / Lake Superior Magazine
Taste of Lake Superior Fish Classic 2014
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Bob Berg / Lake Superior Magazine
Taste of Lake Superior Fish Classic 2014
Dessert, coffee and more craft brews were served on the mansion terrace.
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Phil Bencomo / Lake Superior Magazine
Taste of Lake Superior Fish Classic 2014
Rustic Inn provided pies for dessert.
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Phil Bencomo / Lake Superior Magazine
Taste of Lake Superior Fish Classic 2014
Fika Coffee is based in Grand Marais, Minnesota.
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Phil Bencomo / Lake Superior Magazine
Taste of Lake Superior Fish Classic 2014
The four judges – left to right: Juli Kellner, Gary Baregi, Paul Madsen and Glenn D'Amour – and Lake Superior Magazine publisher Paul Hayden.
Eight chefs, two kinds of Lake Superior fish, a host of exhibitors and more than 300 people came together on Wednesday in Duluth for the fourth annual Taste of Lake Superior Fish Classic.
Held this year on the Glensheen grounds and organized by Lake Superior Magazine, the Fish Classic is a cook-off and tasting event that celebrates Lake Superior's sustainable fishery. Each chef prepared two entrees – one featuring lake herring, the other lake whitefish – for a panel of judges, as well as samplers for attendees, who chose the People's Choice winner.
The judges' verdict was the same for both herring and whitefish: The Oceanaire Seafood Room's Robert Wohlfeil took first place, and Ledge Rock Grille's Uriah Hefter placed second. The public's top pick was the Duluth Grill, led by Tom Hanson. You can download their recipes at TasteOfLakeSuperior.com.
For both his lake herring and whitefish dishes, Robert started his award-winning recipe with a basic preparation. From there, though, the interesting nuances from pairing with the side dishes really enhanced the fishes’ flavors. "I understand a lot of people’s reservations in working with seafood and fresh fish,” Robert says, especially ocean species that are expensive. But locally available fish, like whitefish and lake herring, can allow home chefs to experiment without worry. “It’s really affordable and an easy fish to purchase … that should help people being a little more comfortable with it."