Rescue Recipe Throwdown

- Spotlight - Culinary

Winning Chefs Go Head-to-Head in Food Fight to Combat Waste

Elior North America’s Rescue Recipe Throwdown contest inspired chefs across the organization’s entire family of companies to conceive of amazing recipes using food that would have otherwise gone to waste.

Each month from May through September, numerous submissions were judged on taste, visual appeal, creativity, and use of rescued ingredients.

All of the monthly winning dishes were as creative as they were delicious, but only two winners could be chosen to compete in the ultimate LIVE final showdown.

The Rescue Recipe Throwdown Food Fight event will showcase the talents of our top two Rescue Recipe Throwdown monthly winners, Chef Hector Ruiz, Executive Chef for Aladdin at Alvernia University and Chef Dennis Rivera, Regional Culinary Chef at Cura Hospitality!

The Food Fight event will take place LIVE on Nov. 10, 2021 in Charlotte, NC. On that day, chefs will meet with Elior North America VP of Culinary, Chef Paul Basciano, to receive a final challenge to rescue a surprise ingredient and turn it into something delicious. They will present these newly created dishes onstage later that day to a panel of esteemed judges, while being cheered on by an audience of Elior North America team members, culinary professionals, and executive leadership at the ENA Trends Expo, an internal event that will showcase the company’s latest programs, concepts and sales resources.

Chef will battle chef to save the planet from food waste – one dish at a time. Get to know our battling chefs:

Rescue Recipe Throwdown
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Chef Dennis Rivera

Segment: Cura

Title: Regional Culinary Chef 

Nickname: "The Rebel of Repurposing”

Winning Rescue Recipe: Whipped Ricotta Toast

How long have you been with Elior (Cura)? 4 years. Seems so much longer!

What do you love to cook? Fun & hard question. Because I love to experiment in the kitchen. I LOVE cooking seafood and some middle eastern flare of food. I love spice and flavor!

What is your favorite way to use food scraps or to rework leftovers (at work or at home)?  When it comes to "peels" such as orange peels, apple peels and so on, I like to candy them. I have a sweet tooth, so that is a great way to have a snack.

What would you like to share about your home life? I'm a DIE-HARD NY Giants fan. I attend many games every year. I enjoy going out with friends, and I love to spend time with my family, especially my nieces and siblings.

Any words for your opponent? Good luck, and just be yourself when you cook. We made it this far, win or lose were winners already.

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Chef Hector Ruiz

Segment: Aladdin

Title: Executive Chef, Alvernia University

Nickname: "The Upcycler"

Winning Rescue Recipe: Rescued Vegetable Tart

How long have you been with Elior (Aladdin)? 3 years

What do you love to cook? I love to cook Spanish food and re-creating generational recipes.

What is your favorite way to use food scraps or to rework leftovers (at work or at home)? Making stocks, jams, drying out scraps for garnishes. We also package excess food and donate to Claire’s Cupboard a food pantry on campus.

What would you like to share about your home life? I am married with two beautiful children and two dogs.

Any words for your opponent? Good luck, Chef!

Stay tuned for news on the winning chef, his dish, and all the delicious details from the Rescue Recipe Throwdown Food Fight after Nov. 10!