This Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Hot Springs Convention Center will host an American Culinary Federation-sanctioned competition. Chefs from restaurants in Arkansas and Memphis, Tennessee and students from Pulaski Tech and Ozarka College culinary programs will compete, “Iron-Chef” style, for $8,000 in scholarships and prizes. Contestants will be given 15 minutes to prep and 60 minutes to cook a duck, using any method they wish. They’ll have 10 minutes to plate four servings and another 15 minutes to clean up, completely. Student contestants include Bree Robinson, Parinya Kaewjuntawee, Patrick Kelley and Kevin Mueller. Other contestants include Robert Hall, Executive Chef at Winrock International, Miles McMath, Executive Chef at St. Jude in Memphis, Ernest Dickson, Sous Chef at St. Jude, Coby Smith, Executive Chef at Chenal Foxridge and Cynthia Malik, lead instructor at Pulaski Tech.

The judges will be Patrick Mitchell, Executive Chef at Ben E. Keith Foods, Texas; Robert Meitzer, Executive Chef at Red Rocks Country Club in Colorado; and Larry Matson, culinary director at The International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Dallas.

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The competition is free to the public.