To Josh Rhoades and Ashley Murray, Syracuse may just be one of the next foodie destinations.

The two are the minds behind Chef Challenge Syracuse, which is central New York’s take on “Chopped.” A local restaurant is chosen and chefs cook there using local ingredients, all of which are a mystery until an hour before the guests arrive. The chefs then plan a four-course meal, using all the ingredients, to feed about 30 people.

The next Chef Challenge is being held Monday at Otro Cinco, a Spanish and Mexican restaurant on South Warren Street. For Rhoades and Murray, bringing the cooking event to Syracuse is all about linking locals with their food.

“We’re trying to reconnect people to the place that our food comes from and the steps that are taken to get it to our plates,” Murray said.

Rhoades, who grew up in Vermont, said he used to eat things like overcooked chicken over a bed of pre-packaged peas. But he’s come a long way with his cuisine and has since found more appetizing ways to enjoy food.

“It was kind of my mission to show Josh the world of food that I loved,” Murray said, “and he really took to it.”

It all started when Rhoades and Murray began experimenting with the way they cook and eat. It turned into a collaboration with Grindstone Farm to cultivate Chef Challenge Syracuse, which they envisioned as being a fun way to engage the Syracuse community with local culture. The first challenge came to Salt City Grille in November 2017 as a culmination of their passion for good cuisine and love for the city.

“Josh and I showed up there, but we didn’t really know what we wanted from the challenge just yet,” Murray said. “Soon we realized that we could make the challenge bigger and keep promoting local food and businesses.”

Murray and Rhoades agreed that food connects people. Starting the challenge helped them realize they could use the event to elevate the city of Syracuse as a foodie destination, Rhoades said. One of their goals with the Challenge is to start a conversation between chefs, farmers and foodies.

Clement Coleman, a chef from Otro Cinco who will be participating in the challenge, said he was immediately intrigued by the idea.

“We use seasonal ingredients and always cook with what we have, and I feel like that’s what a good restaurant should do,” Coleman said. “So when Josh introduced the idea, I thought it would be a slightly more enhanced version of what we already do here — plus it should be a lot of fun.”

Like with Food Network’s “Chopped,” the baskets will include “wacky” ingredients. But it’s not a competition.

“It’s wintertime, and winter in upstate New York is a time where you get a lot of root veggies,” Coleman said. “It’s going to be a lot different than going to the supermarket and making meals from that. Participants will be experiencing the flavors of the soil and the farms nearby them.”

Coleman hopes that along with the fun, the challenge will act as a vehicle for bringing participants and spectators a message about a dining experience.

“The medicine that I would like to be snuck into the teaspoon of sugar is to educate the community and promote the idea that going out to dinner can be challenging, and the challenge can be a part of the experience,” he said.

The challenge takes place Monday at 4:30 p.m. for those who already have tickets. The restaurant will still be open for regular diners, too. Murray and Rhoades plan on having more of the events in the upcoming months.

“Anytime you can bring food to the table, you bring much more than a meal,” Rhoades said. “You also bring so much joy.”

Published on March 25, 2018 at 10:35 pm

Contact Leah: ltoney@syr.edu