Thirty-two chefs will duke it out in an "Iron Chef"-style competition that begins next week at the Belvedere Hotel.
Chefs from Baltimore will go up against their Washington counterparts in the Mason Dixon Master Chef Tournament, which will be held Monday and Tuesday nights for the next four months.
First up this Monday: Stephen Carey of Milan in Baltimore versus Mark Ricker of Morsel in Washington.
I think the Baltimore-Washington rivalry is fun to play up, but if the tournament organizers really wanted to see sparks, they should have pitted Milan's chef against one from some other Little Italy restaurant. Say, Cafe Gia.
The audience gets to eat a four-course dinner while watching the chefs compete.
Tickets are $55 per person, $75 for those who want to be assured a spot as guest judge. Some general admission ticket holders will be randomly selected to get in on the "Judging Experience," too, but it's the luck of the draw.
Ten percent of proceeds benefit Moveable Feast.
Carey could try to wow the judges with grilled swordfish, cannellini beans, asparagus, butternut squash, mushrooms and herbs. Sun photo by Algerina Perna