Fierce competition, tasty results

BANGOR The second annual Maine Chef Challenge is back after an incredibly popular first year. Three of Maine's top chefs will battle it out in front of an audience for the chance to be named 'Maine's Chef' this March 22.

'Last year, we were wondering if chefs would even want to compete,' said Katrina Mumford, the social media and web manager of Development and Marketing at EMCC. 'And now, we've had such an overwhelming response. We've been very lucky in that way.'

BANGOR - Three chefs will put their culinary skills to the test during the Maine Chef Challenge being held at Eastern Maine Community College later this month. Laurie Turner, resident chef at Winterport Winery; Jason Payne of Jeanie Marshal Foods and an in flight chef and caterer for private and corporate flights; along with Meghan Woodbury, executive chef at Ipanema Bar & Grill and The Reverend Noble Pub, will be whipping together three courses of their choosing from ingredients that they will be shown just moments before the competition.

"Slightly before the competition begins, they will [also] be informed of a mystery ingredient they must use, which will add some excitement and a bit of a twist," said CarolAnne Dube of Eastern Maine Community College.

The chefs will not only have the pressure of creating their culinary works of art in front of a live audience, but they'll also have a time limit in which to do so.