Officers Cook Up an Array of Arresting Flavors

Officers representing Nassau County, New York City, Old Brookville, Old Westbury, Suffolk County as well as New York State Troopers put on their aprons to compete in the eighth annual New York Institute of Technology Cast Iron Chef police appreciation cooking competition.

The competition, modeled after shows like Chopped and Iron Chef, was held on September 24 at NYIT de Seversky Mansion. The six teams were challenged with creating an appetizer and an entrée with a basket of secret ingredients including quail, fresh sardines, speck, lobster mushrooms, preserved lemons as well as a curveball ingredient: donuts.

Emmy-award winning television host, author, and restaurateur Lidia Bastianich served as the master of ceremonies. Before the cooking began, attendees had the opportunity to meet the famed chef and receive an autographed copy of one of her cookbooks.

The dishes were judged by restaurateur Anthony Scotto; Charles Massoud, owner of Paumanok and Palmer vineyards; former chef and now NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine student Angela Siev; and chef Guy Reuge. Former Cast Iron Chef master of ceremonies and restaurateur Tom Schaudel, restaurateur Bill Holden, and New York Tech Chef Supervisor Angelo Rodriguez coached the teams as they prepped their dishes.

The judges scored each team using criteria like execution, timing, creativity, flavor, texture, and presentation. After the scores were tallied, it was Nassau County Police Department that took home first place.

While there could only be one winner, all the teams walked away with a prize. New York Tech presented a $2,000 check to each team to a charity of their choice.

Nassau County Police Department took first place.

Attendees lined up to meet Lidia Bastianich and receive a signed copy of her cookbook.

Angela Siev discusses the dishes with fellow Cast Iron Chef judges.

Prepping the sardines.