Next week begins the Mason Dixon Master Chef Competition.  Starting on Monday, May 10th and going on until Monday, September 23rd.  In the competition will be 32 Executive Chefs in the Baltimore area, and their sous chefs.  Competition will be held on most Mondays and Tuesdays between this time at the Belvedere. 

This week will have a menu of Spring Salad (poached pair, red and green oak lettuce, assorted berries, red peppers, pinenut dust and raspberry vinaigrette), sorbet, choice of chicken, beef, or vegetarian, and dessert of mini creme brule, chocolate truffle, and fruit dessert soup.  The chicken dish is chicken Neptune (chicken with scallops, shrimp, jumbo lump crabmeat, and sherry cream sauce.  The beef dish will be beef filet with blueberry merlot demi glace.  And the vegetable dish will include grilled portabella mushroom with ratatouille and three cheese fondue.

Proceeds from this event will go to support Moveable Feast, a nonprofit organization that brings food to the houses of people in Baltimore area that are home bound with HIV/Aids and Breast Cancer. 
Tickets to the event are $55 for a four course meal, and $75 to be added as a mystery judge.

I want to give a shout out to two of the chefs in the competition who I've worked side by side with in the kitchen, Chef Matt Merkel of The Reserve and Chef Chad Novak of Don't Know Tavern.  Good luck to both of you (OK honestly though I hope Chef Merkel wins.)