Culinary competition pits Saint Leo’s chefs, professors, students in trophy battle March 7
Cheer on your favorite faculty-student and chef teams in the 10th Annual Battle of the Chefs and Professors.
The fast-paced culinary competition heats up at 5 p.m., Tuesday, March 7, in the Dining Hall in the Student Community Center.
Just like the cooking shows on TV, each team will be given the secret ingredient right before the “combat” begins. The teams have no clue what it is until it’s revealed right before the timer goes off.
The teams than have 60 minutes to visit the pop-up grocery store, come up with a dish, prepare and cook the dish, and plate it on 10 plates in order to dazzle the judges. 
Anything can happen when the students/faculty and chefs face off. Will tempers and pots boil over? Will spatulas fly? Who will dish up the wining plate?
Representing the professors are Monika Kiss, Peter Marian, Kelly Atkins, and Tonya Mazur. The faculty members each pick two students to help them compete for the coveted trophy.
Faculty, staff, and students are welcome to be a part of the audience to cheer on their favorite teams and have dinner in the Dining Hall using their meal plan or through the GET app. The public also may attend and have access to the all-you-can-eat Dining Hall for $15
Judges for the Battle of the Chefs and Professors are: University President Ed Dadez and his wife, Terry Dadez; Staci Shelley, general counsel; Dr. Jen Shaw, vice president of Student Affairs; Anthony DeSantis, associate vice president of Student Affairs; James DeTuccio, vice president of Business Affairs/CFO, and daughters, Ashley DeTuccio and Kaitlyn DeTuccio; Dan Konesky, Student Government Union president.
And the professors are throwing some shade:
The punster Marian said, “As reigning two-time champion, I feel the need to defend my title. No mashed potatoes! You butter believe it. Doughnut take this lightly! I don’t know where I’m going to put my third trophy.”
Atkins said the placement of the trophy is obvious: “In my office as my second trophy!”
Kiss said she is bringing her own “special sauce” and good luck charm, her daughter, who she hopes will help her snag a trophy. “So bring it!” she challenged Marian.
Mazur quoted another chef: “As Gordon Ramsay says, ‘Two key ingredients in any successful chef: a quick learner and someone with a sharp brain.’ Do I look worried?”
For more information, contact Justin Bush, director of Dining Services, at (352) 588-8891 or email Justin.Bush@saintleo.edu.
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