Upcoming Events

Do you dream of achieving creative wine and food pairings, only to buy the same familiar bottles over and over again? Come enjoy a memorable evening of wine and food pairing with Chef Rocky Durham.

• Cooking Classes at Builders Source Appliance Showroom  |   TO BE ANNOUNCED 

• Winemaker Dinners at Estrella Del Norte Vineyard  |  January 13, 2012 - 5 to 7 PM

• La Noche Dulce at Estrella Del Norte Vineyard  |  February 10, 2012 - 5 to 7 PM

• WINE PAIRING CLASSES AT ESTRELLA DEL NORTE VINEYARD  |  MARCH 9, 2012 - 5 to 7 PM 

• Television - Guest Chef Appearances at Local & Internl Restaurants  |  TO BE ANNOUNCED 

• Cooking with Kids Fundraisers  |  TO BE ANNOUNCED

PRESS

DURHAM WINS FIRST SHOWDOWN IN FESTIVAL | Running with a Fork

Rob DeWalt | The New Mexican
Posted: Tuesday, November 15, 2011
LINK TO ARTICLE WITH IMAGES

Want to know what it's like to taste 21 different chicken/trout dishes in one sitting?

Ask me, because that's exactly what happened to me as a judge at the Nov. 5 Chef's Showdown presented by the inaugural Santa Fe Harvest Festival (HarvestFestival.santafe.com) at Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino. The event, a fundraiser for local nonprofit Cooking With Kids, drew curious food enthusiasts, resort guests and gamblers who probably wondered what all the white coats and notepads were doing at the bar...I mean kitchen.

More than 20 local chefs competed to make it to the second elimination round, and it was a serious uphill battle for some of them. Each chef was given a different station — Asian, pizza, etc. — at the hotel's Painted Parrot buffet, and they weren't allowed to use any special ingredients from their restaurant or home kitchens. They didn't have a sous chef to boss around, either.

The competitors each received a basket containing chicken breast, pancetta, rainbow trout, chiles (chipotle, dried red), goat cheese and artichoke hearts, and they were then tasked with making one dish in about 45 minutes. The more ingredients used, the higher the points given, but points could always be deducted later for appearance and taste by myself and fellow judge, Santa Fe Reporter food writer Zane Fischer.

I haven't had chicken or trout since this competition, and I'm not going to embarrass a chef just to tell you why. I will say, however, that the first rule of serving chicken is to actually cook it first. Enough said. The judging was completely blind, so Mr. Fischer and I had no way to cheat, although a few of the plates we sampled could be attributed to particular chefs based on their complexity and presentation.

Emerging victorious from the first round were 12 semifinalists who were then whittled down to four finalists: Rocky Durham of the Santa Fe Community College Culinary Arts program (and many great restaurants and culinary events in and around Santa Fe), Kirstin Griffin of Cafe Café, Eric Hall of Fuego at La Posada Inn and Spa and Steve Lemon of Ó Eating House.

READ MORE ABOUT THE FINAL ROUND

SOME MORE LINKS

COOKING WITH KIDS  | It's about showing up and getting involved with one's own community. What better way than helping to grow smart, healthy citizenry through the vehicle of food.

ESTRELLA DEL NORTE VINEYARD  | My partners in bringing New Mexican wine and food into America's spotlight.

BUILDERS SOURCE APPLIANCE SHOWROOM | The most inspiring appliance showrooms in the Southwest. Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Las Cruces or El Paso. You'll be inspired, surprised and amazed.

NEW MEXICO MAGAZINE | Please read through some of my articles for New Mexico's Department of Tourism rag (or just look at the pictures).

About

Native to Santa Fe, New Mexico, Rocky Durham has cooked professionally on 5 continents. Chef Durham began his culinary career at the age of 13, washing dishes at a French Bistro. The summer job evolved into a 3½ year apprenticeship with Chef Jean Jacques Alexandre of Bordeaux, France. Rocky later went on to study Classical French Technique at Western Culinary Institute in Portland Oregon, where he received his degree, Certificate of High Honors and Certificate of Perfect Attendance. After school Rocky worked in New Orleans at The Royal Sonesta before returning to Santa Fe to assume the role of Chef De Cuisine at Santacafe’.

During his four year term he received numerous awards - most importantly to him - the allegiance of his fellow Santa Feans. In 1999 Rocky moved to England where he opened eight restaurants in eight British cities. The group of restaurants bore the name of his home town, Santa Fe. While fulfilling the role of Executive Chef at these stylish, modern properties Rocky wrote and presented the hit TV show, "Plates From The States," a 50-part series examining the diverse, regional food offerings of the 50 American States. Five years later Rocky returned to Santa Fe where he took the helm as Culinary Director of the Santa Fe School of Cooking.

Today Rocky is a contributing columnist to New Mexico Magazine, an Adjunct Professor at the Santa Fe Community College in the Culinary Arts Program, and an active participation in the Cooking With Kids Program. Rocky works closely with local farms, wineries and breweries promoting his homeland through the vehicle of food.

Santa Fe's Chef Showdown

DURHAM WINS FIRST SHOWDOWN IN FESTIVAL | Running with a Fork

Rob DeWalt | The New Mexican
Posted: Tuesday, November 15, 2011
LINK TO ARTICLE WITH IMAGES

Want to know what it's like to taste 21 different chicken/trout dishes in one sitting?

Ask me, because that's exactly what happened to me as a judge at the Nov. 5 Chef's Showdown presented by the inaugural Santa Fe Harvest Festival (http://harvestfestival.santafe.com) at Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino. The event, a fundraiser for local nonprofit Cooking With Kids, drew curious food enthusiasts, resort guests and gamblers who probably wondered what all the white coats and notepads were doing at the bar...I mean kitchen.

More than 20 local chefs competed to make it to the second elimination round, and it was a serious uphill battle for some of them. Each chef was given a different station — Asian, pizza, etc. — at the hotel's Painted Parrot buffet, and they weren't allowed to use any special ingredients from their restaurant or home kitchens. They didn't have a sous chef to boss around, either.

The competitors each received a basket containing chicken breast, pancetta, rainbow trout, chiles (chipotle, dried red), goat cheese and artichoke hearts, and they were then tasked with making one dish in about 45 minutes. The more ingredients used, the higher the points given, but points could always be deducted later for appearance and taste by myself and fellow judge, Santa Fe Reporter food writer Zane Fischer.

I haven't had chicken or trout since this competition, and I'm not going to embarrass a chef just to tell you why. I will say, however, that the first rule of serving chicken is to actually cook it first. Enough said. The judging was completely blind, so Mr. Fischer and I had no way to cheat, although a few of the plates we sampled could be attributed to particular chefs based on their complexity and presentation.

Emerging victorious from the first round were 12 semifinalists who were then whittled down to four finalists: Rocky Durham of the Santa Fe Community College Culinary Arts program (and many great restaurants and culinary events in and around Santa Fe), Kirstin Griffin of Cafe Café, Eric Hall of Fuego at La Posada Inn and Spa and Steve Lemon of Ó Eating House.

Dessert: Apple tamales with "gringo-mole" masa and apple crème anglaise and antelope-shaped sesame tuile cookies.

READ MORE ABOUT THE FINAL ROUND