The first conversation was even on the local airwaves when Chef Christian Kefauver said he was confident such an hour-long culinary segment was possible.
So, he made it happen. Each Tuesday afternoon on The Watchdog, 98.1 FM WKKX and 97.7 FM WVLY, from 4-5 p.m., the “Pointe Restaurant at Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack Culinary Showcase” airs, and it also is broadcast on Facebook on The Watchdog Timeline.
Kefauver, the chair of the Culinary Arts Department at West Virginia Northern Community College, even recruited colleague Chef Gene Evans as well as Chef Rocco Basil for the majority of the shows that have been aired since June 2017. Chef Matt Welsch from the Vagabond Kitchen and Chef Jeramy Tirpak from Good Mansion Wines also have been asked to appear on the show.
“When I was asked, I thought it would be a lot of fun and that it would be a great way to promote our Culinary Arts Department here at the college,” he explained. “And that’s exactly what it has proven to be, and it’s raised a lot of awareness about everything we do here.
“Plus, I knew it would be a challenge to get an entire meal prepared in an hour, but now it’s seems like a pretty easy task as long as we’re able to do our prep before the show,” Kefauver said. “The goal is for people to listen, and to give those listeners some new ideas for dinners at their homes. We make them pretty simple, and all of the ingredients are available at one of the grocery stores in the area.”
The Cast
The chefs often have sous chefs, and culinary students from WVNCC have served the role as well as guests, including Jessica Rine, executive director of the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley and a culinary columnist for LEDE News.
“The students learn a lot from being on the show because there’s real pressure involved to do everything the right way, but quickly because that’s exactly how they will have to do in a restaurant,” Kefauver said. “When we cook at home, we do it on our pace, but when you’re at work, you’re preparing meals for people who are hungry and want their food as quickly as possible.
“And when we have guests on the show, it’s a lot of fun because sometimes they know what they are doing, and other times they don’t have a clue and have to learn just like our students,” he said. “I am grateful that Chef Gene and Chef Rocco help me out because there are Tuesdays when I am busy doing one of my other jobs, and it’s a lot of work, too, so that’s why it’s good to take a break.”
Helping Local Folks
The culinary shows evolved into semi-annual cooking contests featuring Chef Chris, Chef Gene, and Chef Rocco and six others from around the Wheeling area. The four events raised nearly $10,000 for the United Way, and the funds were utilized to offer food items to local residents before Thanksgiving and Christmas through a partnership between the United Way and the Information Helpline.
Chef Gene was crowned the grand champion in “The Watchdog Chef Showdown” in December after competing against two other finalists, Chef Rocco, and Chef Ryan Butler from the Wheeling Brewing Company in Centre Market.
“I never thought I would be able to fit 20 audience members into our big kitchen, but that’s exactly what we have done for those events,” said Kefauver. “Those shows have been three hours with the first hour previewing the folks in the competition, and the other two hours were for the cooking and the judging.
“Those shows have benefited people in this area, and that’s why all of the work is worth it,” he added. “And who knows what we’ll come up with in the future?”
