Here Come the Judges

By: Jamie McAllister

Every November the Williamsburg March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction brings together some of Hampton Roads’ premier chefs. Attendees are treated to gourmet dishes and all funds raised go toward supporting the March of Dimes mission of preventing premature birth, birth defects, and infant mortality.

While the beautifully dressed crowd at the Doubletree by Hilton browses the silent auction items and eagerly awaits the moment the ballroom doors will open so the tastings can begin, a group of food judges is sealed off in another room. White-coated staff bearing elegantly decorated dishes swoop amongst the milling throng on their way to the separate judges’ quarters.

The panel, seated together around a table, taste each dish without knowing any details about who prepared it. Scorecards at their sides, they focus on how the food looks and its presentation on the plate. Does the arrangement make sense? What about the portion size? Is it too much? Too little?

Next the judges assess the temperature of the food before them. Is the hot food hot? Is the cold food cold? The rest of the criteria seem to cascade down the scorecard. Are the knife cuts on the meat precise? Is the texture pleasing? How about the color? If there is a sauce, does it have the perfect sheen and viscosity? Was it applied correctly? If the chef used a garnish, how was it applied? All of the judges want to see clean rims on the sample plates, free of dust or parsley.

Finally, after every other factor is taken into consideration, the judges are able to answer the one question on everyone’s lips: “How does it taste?”

By the time all is said and done, the judges will have spent an hour and a half scrutinizing more than 20 dishes. They will consult their notes, confer with each other, and hash out just which chefs will be walking away with which awards.

The judges come from many different backgrounds and have an array of knowledge and experience, but all are passionate about food and all are deeply committed to supporting the March of Dimes. Stay tuned to the blog to learn more about some of the judges for the 2015 Williamsburg Signature Chefs Auction.

Ready, set, eat! The judging panel for this year’s Williamsburg Signature Chefs Auction, from L to R: Nancy Geddes, Tammy Jaxtheimer, Renny Parziale, David Nicholson, Steve Marsey, and Marisa Marsey

Photo courtesy Helen Oderisi.