Accounting Hell's Kitchen - Blue Team

somerville kitchen had the privilege to be invited as a judge at a fun work hell's kitchen competition. Wearing a judge's badge, camera and a timer, I was put to work.

Two teams of 8 - 10 people each, chosen at random by picking a blue or a red piece of paper (thus the names Blue and Red teams), were to compete in a hell's kitchen style event.

The rules were clear:
- cook one main dish and one starter
- spend no more than $100 on ingredients (receipts were required as confirmation)
- make enough to feed 25 people
- prepare a menu that can be executed from beginning to serving in 60 minutes or less
- be heckled by the other team as you cook
- make sure every team member has a task
- have fun

And what are the chances that, by mere coincidence, each of the teams had chicken, butternut squash and risotto as the basis of their meal? It sure made the judging more systematic. 

The judging criteria was:

Meeting timing deadline - 15 points
Presentation - 20 points
Creativity - 15 points
Taste - 50 points

The blue team, all dressed in blue, was set to go. 

Timer in hand: 1, 2, 3 GO!

Working as systematically as an accounting spreadsheet, the blue team were chopping, rolling, cooking, baking - a real amazing team work.

So what did the blue team make?

As starter, they prepared a "Green Salad with Goat Cheese Purses made with true team work".
  
Over two dozens of those fancy-looking goat cheese purses were miraculously ready. But what tipped the scale up was the most delicious salad dressing made of champagne vinegar and dijon mustard. Excellent so far.

The main dish was "Stuffed Chicken with Marsala Wine Sauce made with care".

It was cooking and cooking and the team had to make a judgment call between feeding well cooked chicken or meeting their timelines.

But the highlight of the main dish was the risotto accompanying the chicken. This was "Butternut Squash Rosemary and Chili Risotto made with love". 

The judge was presented the plate. I sure could taste the love in those chunks of squash with every bite, not to mention a sweet-hot chili aftertaste.

I restrained from seconds, realizing a second meal is on its way.

Stomach warmed up and taste buds satisfied, it was time to deliberate on the scores.

Dealing with accountants, I had to be able to support my decision, so it was not easy. But the score was tallied...

86.5

Tune in tomorrow to see the Red Team's score.