COVER STORY
French chicken recipe.” The salad is sweet with dried apricots or golden raisins, and adding turmeric gives it an even more
golden appearance — fit for a queen, in fact. BEST FLAVORS OF THE BBQ REGIONS
Chef Byron Sykes, Aramark Chef at Fairfield University in Connecticut, has created a signature barbecue sauce that’s the best of all the classic BBQ regions of the U.S. “As a big fan of barbecue, I wanted a sauce that could embody the many different styles: Memphis, Carolina and Kansas City style. The idea behind my sauce was to combine the flavors from different regions into one,” Sykes says, adding that over the years he’s created a sweet-and-spicy wing sauce, a sweet chili wing sauce and more. His signature Sweet Heat BBQ Sauce has been such a hit, it’s now available in bottles, with a cool label designed by Marketing Manager Amanda Carroll. And great news: Sykes has graciously shared his recipe with FSD readers. LIBERTY U’S BATTLE OF THE CHEFS WINNER MAKES A STANDOUT BRISKET SAUCE A multi-week lunchtime competition at Liberty University’s Reber-Thomas Dining Center, Battle of the Chefs, drew big crowds as the rounds unfolded: There were rounds for pizza, tacos, pasta and then semi-final rounds for hot dogs and dips, all yielding some very cool winning items, such as Chef Bryan Raitter’s Vietnamese-inspired Ba’nh Mi’zza, Chef Tim Johnson’s Bang Bang Chicken Taco and Chef Anthony Gannello’s Buttermilk Chicken Orecchiette. Sodexo Executive Chef Laverne Crawley emerged as the ultimate winner, capping off a series of head-to-head matchups that drew enthusiastic crowds and more than 100 votes per round. She won the Dip Battle with a double-punch of Buffalo Chicken Dip and Cheeseburger Dip. “The Cheeseburger Dip is a go-to dish I make for family gatherings — it’s my specialty,” she says. “I added the Buffalo Chicken Dip to offer a little variety and spice things up.” Crawley went on to defeat Ganello’s Five Cheese Pork Mac with her Four Cheese mac with Dr. Pepper Brisket. “These are two of my favorite comfort foods, and combining them felt natural,” Crawley says. “I actually came up with the brisket and Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce about nine years ago when I was working as a smokehouse cook, experimenting with different flavors.” Students crowned Crawley the winner, and she received a $500 gift card. Gannello, as runner-up, earned $250. District Chef Berry Spence praised the competition’s energy and reach. “Battle of the Chefs was a big success,” Spence says. “It was fun, engaging, and really well-received—not just by the students, but by the chefs and staff as well. The chefs were genuinely excited to compete, showcase their skills, and have the creative freedom to craft some incredible dishes.”
20
QUARTERLY | Q2
PHOTO COURTESY OF ARAMARK
Powered by FlippingBook