BOSTON — On Wednesday, May 21, before a crowd of 400 happily-fed guests at Cyclorama at The Boston Center of the Arts, Brewery Ommegang announced Johnny Sheehan, executive chef of New World Tavern, as the winner of the HopChef Boston.
Johnny Sheehan wowed the judges with his striped bass sashimi, which he paired with Ommegang’s Hennepin. As the winner of HopChef Miami, Chef Sheehan wins a trip to Brewery Ommegang to compete at the HopChef Grand Finale against winners from Miami, Denver, and Philadelphia at Ommegang’s annual Belgium Comes to Cooperstown festival on Aug. 9, 2014. He also received a Vitamix package as part of his winnings.
The Judges and the people were aligned on Wednesday night as Chef Sheehan was as also named the VerTerra People’s Choice winner.
Upon the announcement of his win – and before many foodie fans of New World Tavern -Chef Sheehan said, “I’m going to Cooperstown to take this whole thing!”
Chef Sheehan faced tough competition with the following HopChef competitors, including:
- Jeff Howe – Teatro (rabbit sausage with dry hopped coriander mustard – paired with the Ommegang Hop House)
- Julie Cutting – Cure (glazed pork belly on corn breads – paired with the Ommegang Witte)
- Alexs Jenkins – Foundry on Elm – who gave herself a mohawk for the event (confit of lamb, sweet potato fondant potato, black berries – paired with the Ommegang Rare Vos)
- Kyle Stamps – Coda Bar & Kitchen (lamb “pastrami” with braised cabbage, fennel and mustard – paired with Ommegang Abby Ale)
- Brian Reyelt – Franklin Cafe (crispy big trotter schnitzel with smoked hopes, molasses and sour cherry mash – paired with the Ommegang Three Philosophers)
Each chef created one dish showcasing their imaginative beer and food pairing skills. The Boston judging panel included: Celebrity Chef, Mary Dumont (Iron Chef contender and Food and Wine Magazine’s honored “Best Chef”); Master Cicerone Neil Witte; StarChefs Managing Editor Will Blunt; Brewbound.com Editor Chris Furnari, Saveur Editor Farideh Sadeghin.
With the Boston win under his belt, Chef Sheehan will now have a couple months to prepare his dish for the Grand Finale in Cooperstown this August. The winner of the finale event will receive a spotlight position on the SAVEUR TastemakersÔäó chef advisory board, a spotlight in SAVEUR Magazine & StarChefs.com editorial, a showcase with Brewery Ommegang at the StarChefs.com International Chefs Congress and a showcase station with Brewery Ommegang at the SAVEUR Summer BBQ, both in New York.
ABOUT BREWERY OMMEGANG
Brewery Ommegang, located on a 136-acre farmstead in Cooperstown, NY, is regarded by many as the most beautiful brewery in America. The company opened in 1997 to brew fine Belgian-style craft beers, which are now distributed in 43 states. The brewery offers daily tours and tastings as well as a 100-seat café and an annual calendar of events, concerts and beer festivals. For more information, visit http://www.ommegang.com. Follow Ommegang on Twitter @BreweryOmmegang, www.Facebook.com/Ommegang, and on Instagram @BreweryOmmegang.