Chef Kendra Castello Wins Big at Newport Charter Yacht Show Chef Competition

Fine dining was the theme for the 2024 Newport Charter Yacht Show Chef Competition. Judging was tough as the yacht scores were incredibly close. The mystery basket ingredients included Sakura Mix Living Cress (micro), local garlic scapes, wild licorice roots, Dutch jumbo white asparagus AAA, European heirloom sunchokes, Spigariello kale, and baby artichokes. The chefs also had to incorporate either boneless short rib or scallops, along with Australian fresh truffles and Petrossian Ossetra Royal Caviar. 

Judges: Kitty McGowan, President of USSA (U.S. Superyacht Association); Chef Kev D (Kevin Des Chenes), Culinary Director of Newport Mansions and Private Chef; and Matthew MacCartney, Wine Director, The Ocean House & Newport Mansions Wine and Food, with Winnie DeCoster, Chef Competition Coordinator.

The Winners are:
1st Place – Chef Kendra Castello on Yacht Freedom
2nd Place – Monja Jacobs on Yacht Vivace
3rd Place – Fernando Gomez on Yacht Hoya Saxa

Sure Fire Can’t Miss Prime Rib Roast

GNOCHI SURF AND TURF
Prep time: 40 minutes. Cooking time: 4 hours or 6 hours at 300ºF. Serves: 4 – 6
Braised short ribs:
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 Tbsp. oil, divided
White all-purpose flour
Short ribs
4 cups red wine
2 cup beef broth
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp tomato paste
3 Tbsp dried oregano

Gnochi:
2 sunchoke roots, about 1-1/2 lbs.
1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. salt
1 egg

Kale Pesto:
1 bunch wild kale
½ bunch basil leaves
½ bunch parsley
3 garlic cloves
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup toasted pistachios
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350ºF

Sauté carrots and onions. In a large, oven safe pot with a lid (e.g. Dutch- oven), heat one tablespoon of oil over medium high heat. Sauté carrots, onion, and celery, then remove to a plate.

Sear ribs. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pot. Lightly flour the ribs on all sides, place them in the pot and sear them over high heat until they are nice and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate.

Deglaze the pot. Add wine to deglaze the pot. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Boil for 2 minutes. Add beef broth, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in tomato paste and oregano. Taste broth and add additional seasonings, if needed. Add sautéed vegetables, and ribs.

Bake: Cover pot with a lid and place it in the oven to cook.  Over the next few hours, let the oven do the work. The end result will be super tender, fall-off-the-bone ribs, in the most delicious sauce! When meat is cooked, remove. Blend all together and then reduce on a low heat and strain.

Sunchoke Gnocchi: Bake sunchokes in oven until very soft, then purée in a food processor. While still warm, add flour, baking powder, Parmesan cheese, salt, and egg. Manipulate gently until incorporated. Add a little more flour if necessary but not too much or it will become heavy. The dough should be moist but not sticky. Cut into 8 pieces and gently roll and make ¾ inch pieces. In a fresh pot of boiling salted water. Cook the gnoochi in batches, dropping them in the boiling water. They will pop up when cooked. Remove and repeat until finished. 

Kale Pesto: I use the wild kale they provided (but you can use a bunch of dinosaur kale). Place kale in a blender. Add basil leaves, parsley, garlic, Parmesan, pistachios, juice and zest of lemon, salt and pepper. Slowly add the oil and blend all together.

To serve: See photo below for presentation.

 

Jan Robinson, Captain, Health Coach, Chef Competition Coordinator/Judge, Charter Yacht Consultant, CYBA Hall of Fame, and author of the Ship to Shore Cookbook collection; available on Amazon and/or [email protected]

The Crab Pot Conundrum

Capt. Jan Robinson has written for ALL AT SEA since 2005.