Crepes Come out Victorious: Danielle Savard Wins Conference Cooking Competition

Things heated up at the 2014 Bed and Breakfast Association of Virginia (BBAV) Annual Conference Cooking Competition. After the fierce competition, Danielle Savard of Le Bleu Ridge B&B in Afton, Virginia was declared the winner with her breakfast creation of crepes. This was no ordinary competition, however. Along with the time restriction and miniature cooking accommodations, (lots of toaster ovens to be seen!) the chefs and innkeepers were also under the limitation of designing a gluten, vegan or dairy free dish. Though a number of breakfast foods meet this criteria, (fruits, meats) to stray beyond the norm can prove challenging. Victor, Savard, took a gluten-free approach, skillfully using gluten free flours, seeds meal, vanilla, milk and eggs to achieve her delicious crepe batter. Three other contestants also chose to accommodate this allergy. Les Cooper of Coopers Landing Inn in Clarksville, Virginia whipped up miniature egg spinach casseroles. Chef Dunalap of the Ashby Inn in Paris, Virginia created a poached egg centered dish. Finally, Nickie Aldridge of Tree Streets Inn in Waynesboro, Virginia presented coconut pancakes. With new and innovative gluten-free breakfast dishes, contestants rose to the occasion. The final contestant, Rachel Worsley of the Waypoint House in Berryville, Virginia, heightened the challenge even more however, creating a Tofu Scramble, which accommodated all three dietary needs. The competitors were seen chopping, whisking and dicing their way through the time, pausing in moments of calm to share tips and inspirations with the admiring audience. As the minutes dwindled, wide arrays of dishes were starting to form. After time was up, the dishes were sent to the judge’s table where they were to be ranked on three key components: taste, appearance/presentation and originality. After some tough deliberation, Savard was named the winner. Savard and her competition inspired the audience (and judges) to think outside the box when it comes to cooking for guests with dietary restrictions. BBAV properties now have some helpful tools to cook up tasty and allergy-accommodating meals! [caption id="attachment_7515" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Congratulations to Danielle Savard![/caption]   [caption id="attachment_7516" align="aligncenter" width="288"] Danielle in her new Chef's Jacket (Thank you DNJ Specialties for providing the jacket)[/caption]