Whether an interpretation of a classic or a new, dreamed-up concoction, Minnesota’s humble hotdish was given plenty of upgrades during the third annual Winter Carnival Fancy Hotdish Competition.
In the end, a wild idea for a casserole as well as a Minnesotan dish — made even more Minnesotan — won the hearts of St. Paul Winter Carnival revelers in naming this year’s hotdish royalty.
Eight St. Paul and east metro restaurants — Public Kitchen + Bar, Iron Ranger, Herbie’s on the Park, Zamboni’s, The Lexington, Gray Duck Tavern, Revival/In Bloom and Cherokee Tavern — competed in the ticketed winter carnival competition Sunday at The Lexington, where attendees voted on their favorite hotdish creations.
In addition to a People’s Choice award, a panel of media and hospitality professionals crowned a Judge’s Choice winner. Chefs created a hotdish and had the option of pairing their food with a drink creation integrating Maker’s Mark, an event sponsor, as an ingredient.
The Revival/In Bloom team led by chef/owner Thomas Boemer was named the Judge’s Choice winner for their ode to a reuben, a creation layered with things like house-made pastrami, Russian dressing, Mornay sauce, Swiss cheese, mustard, onions, sauerkraut and pumpernickel rye bread and served with a side of Russian dressing and pickled mustard seeds.
Chef/owner Jack Riebel and his team from The Lexington walked away with the People’s Choice award. The crowd was loving The Lexington’s shepherd’s pie style Swedish meatballs with cranberry chutney creation that toed the line between seriously cheffy and hilariously fun, thanks to things like best-in-class meatballs and, on the other extreme, rings of crispy Funyuns on top.
The contest results came with a little bit of deja vu, since both Boemer and Riebel won in the same categories at last year’s Winter Carnival hotdish competition. That year Boemer made a short rib dish while Riebel created a Minnesota gumbo.
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