Pickle(d) Perfection Achieved
November 2, 2015
ALBANY, NY…The Downtown Albany Business Improvement District (BID) announces the winners of Food Fight | Pickle(d) Edition held on Saturday, October 17, 2015 from Noon to 3:00 PM throughout the streets of downtown Albany. The pickle competition consisted of 17 venues providing the public with pickle(d) items over the course of three hours. Judging for Food Fight was conducted by Kelly Hillis, proprietor of Greenwich-based Puckers Gourmet Pickles.
The winners are as follows:
- "You are the Bread to My Butter Pickle Award" (Best Use of a Cucumber Pickle): dp An American Brasserie | Yono’s | Chef Steve Kerzner for Crispy Pickled Croquette
- "Your Downtown Dill is a Thrill Award" (Best Use of a Pickled Ingredient): Ama Cocina | Chef James Frese for Spicy Pickled Golden Beets
- "You Can Pickle That Award" (Most Creative Use of a Pickle or Pickle(d) Ingredient): tie between Charter (Hilton) | Chef Anthony Verni for Goat Cheese Pannacotta with Pickled Beets and Pistachio and Jack’s Oyster House | Chef Larry Schepici for Veal Osso Bucco Pierogie with Pickled Veal Tongue, Pickled Root Vegetables, and Braised Veal Sauce
- The public was also invited to participate in the Spear-It Award (People’s Choice). The winner was dp An American Brasserie | Yono’s. Second place went to Ama Cocina, and third place was a tie between The Capital American Eatery & Lounge and Jack’s Oyster House
The 17 business that participated during the event were: Aji Steak Stone & Sushi, Ama Cocina, The Barrel Saloon & Texas BBQ, The Capital Eatery & Lounge, Charter (Hilton Albany), Cider Belly Doughnuts, Dali Mamma, Dawn’s Victory Sports Café, The Hollow Bar + Kitchen, Jack’s Oyster House, Maurice’s Pearl Street Delicatessen, The Merry Monk, Olde English Pub, Pearl Street Pub, Public House 42, Yono’s | dp’s American Brasserie.
“It was a brine of the times in downtown Albany as Saturday brought the Food Fight and 1,000 people to the streets of our District with this pickle-centered event that gives chefs a unique way to show off their culinary creativity,” said Georgette Steffens, executive director of the Downtown Albany BID. “The ability to introduce, or reintroduce, Downtown to people is instrumental in spreading the word about projects and people behind our vibrancy. As Albany’s newest neighborhood, we are continually welcoming residents, employees, and visitors to an area that boasts a 97 percent residential occupancy rate, and has welcomed 15 new retailers so far this year alone.”
“The chefs of downtown Albany definitively raised the pickle bar with this event,” said Hillis. “Each portion was incredibly creative, and nicely balanced, making for an enjoyable event and a very difficult decision process. These restaurants were willing to step out of the box, and served up crisp, fresh, delectable choices. I will definitely be back to experience these restaurants, and would encourage everyone to do the same.”
Photos from the event can be seen here.
From international corporations, regional giants and locally owned proprietors, downtown Albany is more than business as usual. Accented by the powerful currents of the Hudson River to the motivating forces in the State Capitol, downtown Albany stands in good company with some of the greatest names in business today. Over 250 companies call downtown Albany home and signs like IBM, Microsoft and Windstream are seen throughout our historic streets. Since 1996, the Downtown Albany Business Improvement District (BID) has worked to restore, promote and maintain the character and vitality and improve the quality of life and overall image of Downtown for those who work in, live in and visit the Capital City of the most famous state in the world. The Downtown Albany BID is a private, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. For more information about the Downtown Albany BID please visit downtownalbany.org | @AlbanyBID or call 518.465.2143.
