Executive Chef Curtis Shaver and Sous Chef Hunter Harding captured the 2018 Duel Chef Showdown Championship in a stunning upset of Executive Chef Melissa Close-Hart on Monday at Tin Whistle Irish Pub.
Harding and Shaver, the executive chef at Hamiltons’ At First & Main and the co-owner of Peloton Station, beat Close-Hart (executive chef at Junction Restaurant) and her husband Matty Hart (executive chef at The Local Restaurant), 188-175, in a championship clash of epic proportions.
“It’s almost unbelievable. I’m a big-time competitor, and I love winning,” Harding said after the victory. “This victory is mind-blowing. It’s truly an amazing feeling.”
Shaver and Harding won the grand prize: $1,000. The Harts earned $750 for their second place finish.
“Mel and Matty are amazing. It was an honor to compete against them,” Harding said. “There were times during The Duel Chef Showdown where I just sat there and watched Matty and Mel work together. The stuff they did was great. It was a close race. It was awesome!”
The 13-point margin of victory was the tightest margin in Duel Chef Showdown history.
The 2018-2019 “Duel Chef Showdown” season starts on Monday, September 10 when Executive Chef Harrison Keevil of Keevil & Keevil Grocery and Kitchen and Commonwealth Restaurant & Skybar faces his protege Dylan Allwood, the fabulous Executive Chef of tavola restaurant in Belmont!
Mark your calendars now and buy your tickets at DuelChefShowdown.com.
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