The games have begun. The 2010 hospitality games, that is. Competitors didn't need a hockey puck when they had pineapples. Cindy Butterfield's team returned hoping to hang on to the title. "It's great," she said. "We get a friendly competition going. We work with these people in the business world so it's nice to have a day to come out and have fun with each other."
Relay races also had bellhops rolling to keep luggage on course. There's fun and competition, especially in the kitchen.
Local chefs are given bare minimum, explains Hotel Roanoke Chef Billie Raper. "Throw them in with a couple stoves, a cutting board and not a lot to work with," and challenge them to create a culinary master piece in the "Copper Skillet Competition."
It's a bit more relaxed in this kitchen than you'll find on Iron Chef but these local chefs too, are given a variety of spices, herbs and sauces, grains like grits and cous cous, fruit and of course, a mystery box containing this year's main ingredients-- pork tenderloin and scallops.
The chefs make things sizzle, knowing timing is everything. "A lot of chefs were kind of timing it. They put together beginning items then went right into waiting for the time to get close so they could prepare their proteins," raper said.
They plated mouth watering dishes for the judges but only could make the cut. The winner of the "Copper Skillet Competition was James Andra of the Sheraton Hotel.
This was the second year for the hospitality olympics.
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