Iron City Chef competition coming this weekend

Battling blazes or answering a medical emergency call — no problem.  

But faced with the upcoming Vestavia Hills Rotary Club Iron City Chef cook-off, the four area first responders who will square off in the July 18 competition all admit they’re intimidated by the challenge.

The Firehouse Edition is the 2015 theme of the seventh annual fundraiser and will, for the first time, feature representatives of the fire departments of Homewood, Hoover, Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills, said Kent Howard, Rotarian and event chairman.

The event, which attracts a sellout crowd of about 300 every year, will be at 6 p.m. at the Jefferson State Community College Culinary and Hospitality Institute.

“For the last six years, this signature event has had the Iron Chef format, bringing in four Birmingham area chefs to cook a meal that is judged by those in attendance,” Howard said. “But club members started talking last year about mixing it up, and we decided to reach out to surrounding fire departments because, after all, they’re known for their great meals.”

Competitors include Homewood’s Alexander Glover, Mountain Brook’s Lee Currie, Hoover’s Edward Pegues and Vestavia’s Trey VanHooser, each with more than a decade of firefighting experience.

VanHooser, who works at Station 2, said he’s more nervous about competing in the Iron City Chef cook-off than taking part in a rescue.

“I started training for my work when I was 10. That’s what I do, and I know what I’m doing,” he said. “But when you’re cooking in large batches, there’s a much bigger opportunity to screw up.”

VanHooser, a firefighter since 2003 and stationed in Vestavia for the past 10 years, said his cooking experience began when he watched The Frugal Gourmet as a kid and helped his grandmother in the kitchen.

“You kind of get forced to cook at the firehouse, though there’s some that aren’t allowed to cook, even though firefighters will eat just about anything,” he said. “Our rule is, if it’s cooked you eat it, but those guys will sure tell you if it’s not good.”

Though he’s never competed and certainly hasn’t cooked for 300 people, VanHooser said he was both surprised and honored when he was asked to compete.

“I’ve always heard of this event and know it’s an absolutely great cause,” he said. “The Vestavia Hills Rotary Club supports so many charities but has also been so supportive of the Vestavia Fire Department, all the first responders and the community in general.”

The 2015 beneficiaries of the Iron City Chef Firehouse Edition are Jefferson State Community College, the Vestavia Hills math and debate programs and the Rotary’s local and international programs including End Polio Now. The Vestavia Hills Rotary has held a signature event for the past 25 years, raising more than $675,000.

Iron City Chef cook-off guests will begin the evening with a reception of fruit, cheese and a wine tasting provided by Western Supermarkets. Then guests will sample the firehouse competitors’ creations and vote to decide the top two competitors who will enter a glass-enclosed kitchen for a 30-minute final cook-off using mystery ingredients. Judges deciding the overall winner from that contest will be area culinary professionals.

Joseph Mitchell, program director of the Culinary and Hospitality Institute at Jefferson State, has worked with the Iron City Chef cook-off for seven years, serving as a liaison with the Rotary Club to help organize the chefs, prepare the facility and pair some of his students with the participants to assist as sous chefs.

“We provide a team of students for each competitor, and the sous chef working with the overall winner receives a $1,000 scholarship for his student account,” Mitchell said. “It is a win-win opportunity for everyone involved.”

Mitchell said he’s gone to a lot of food events and receives numerous calls about putting on special events, but the Iron City Chef is one of his favorites.

“There’s just so much energy,” he said. “It’s fun, exciting, there’s food, the news crews — it’s just a very special occasion put on by a very special group.”

Iron City Chef Firehouse Edition tickets are $55 per person with corporate tables available for $400 and $800.

For more information, visit rotarytoast.org.