University News

Popular Copper Chef Cooking Competition Continues at WIU Feb. 27

February 20, 2013

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MACOMB, IL – An exciting cooking competition spin-off at Western Illinois University will match two culinary heavy hitters from the ranks of the University's experienced chefs.

The 11th edition of Copper Chef will be played out in the Corbin/Olson Dining Center from 5:15 – 6:45 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27.

The composition of the show is similar to the Food Network's Iron Chef competition. This year's WIU event will feature Dan Murphy, director of Dining Operations at Western, a previous Copper Chef winner, taking on reigning champion Nate Rebman, the chef of North Dining.

Murphy will be assisted by Corbin/Olson Complex Director Brett Bucholz and Assistant Higgins Hall Complex Director Hollie Butcher. Rebman's assistants will be Tanner Hall Complex Director Megan Thurston and Tanner Hall Assistant Complex Director Andy Lehr.

The two chefs will be presented with three secret ingredients and will each have one hour to incorporate them into three dishes. The winner will be presented with an engraved copper platter.

A panel of WIU administrators, and one student who will be added the night of the competition, will taste and score each dish by taste, creativity and presentation. Judges for this year's contest include Matt Taney, associate director of Athletics for Student Athlete Services; Maysoon Biller, instructor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders; Ketra Russell, assistant director of Residential Facilities; Willam Clow, dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication and Karoline Heuer, director of the Student Assistance Center.

The evening will also include a variety of contests and prizes for the audience.

For the first time, this year's competition will be broadcast live on cable channels 3 and 17.

Copper Chef is open free to the public and is sponsored by Sodexo Campus Services at Western.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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