Chef headed to national cook-off with Utah-raised seafood

Cooking • He's not the only competitor from a landlocked state.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Chef Phelix Gardner of Pago restaurant takes his turn with the judges during a recent competition at Harmon's in downtown Salt Lake. The governor of Louisiana has asked land-locked Utah to send a contestant to The Great American Seafood Cook Off in August. Three Utah chefs battled for the honor, using a Utah-grown/raised fish.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Talisker Executive Chef Clement Gelas, left, and sous chef Justin Rogers test their progress during a recent competition. The governor of Louisiana has asked land-locked Utah to send a contestant to The Great American Seafood Cook Off in August. Three Utah chefs battled for the honor, using a Utah-grown/raised fish.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Talisker restaurant sous chef Justin Rogers lights up mesquite woods chips during a cook off competition at Harmon's in downtown Salt Lake. The governor of Louisiana has asked land-locked Utah to send a contestant to The Great American Seafood Cook Off in August. Three Utah chefs battled for the honor, using a Utah-grown/raised fish.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Briar Handly, left, Executive Chef for Handle alongside sous chef Matt Nelson, assemble the winning entry during a recent competition. The governor of Louisiana has asked land-locked Utah to send a contestant to The Great American Seafood Cook Off in August. Three Utah chefs battled for the honor, using a Utah-grown/raised fish.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
News anchor Mary Nickels takes a few notes as she joins others in judging a recent food competition. The governor of Louisiana has asked land-locked Utah to send a contestant to The Great American Seafood Cook Off in August. Three Utah chefs battled for the honor, using a Utah-grown/raised fish.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
The winning entry by Executive Chef Briar Handly of soon to open Handle in Park City.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
The main attraction, Utah raised trout is prepared for presentation and judging during a recent competition. The governor of Louisiana has asked land-locked Utah to send a contestant to The Great American Seafood Cook Off in August. Three Utah chefs battled for the honor, using the Utah-grown/raised fish.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox, news anchor Mary Nickels and food critic Vanessa Chang, from left, make up part of the judging panel for a recent food competition. to The governor of Louisiana has asked land-locked Utah to send a contestant to The Great American Seafood Cook Off in August. Three Utah chefs are battled for the honor, using a Utah-grown/raised fish.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah trout undergoes its transformation to the dinner plate during a recent competition. The governor of Louisiana has asked land-locked Utah to send a contestant to The Great American Seafood Cook Off in August. Three Utah chefs battled for the honor, using a Utah-grown/raised fish.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Briar Handly, Executive Chef for Handle assembles the winning entry during a recent competition. The governor of Louisiana has asked land-locked Utah to send a contestant to The Great American Seafood Cook Off in August. Three Utah chefs battled for the honor, using a Utah-grown/raised fish.

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Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Chef Phelix Gardner of Pago restaurant takes his turn with the judges during a recent competition at Harmon's in downtown Salt Lake. The governor of Louisiana has asked land-locked Utah to send a contestant to The Great American Seafood Cook Off in August. Three Utah chefs battled for the honor, using a Utah-grown/raised fish. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Talisker Executive Chef Clement Gelas, left, and sous chef Justin Rogers test their progress during a recent competition. The governor of Louisiana has asked land-locked Utah to send a contestant to The Great American Seafood Cook Off in August. Three Utah chefs battled for the honor, using a Utah-grown/raised fish. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Talisker restaurant sous chef Justin Rogers lights up mesquite woods chips during a cook off competition at Harmon's in downtown Salt Lake. The governor of Louisiana has asked land-locked Utah to send a contestant to The Great American Seafood Cook Off in August. Three Utah chefs battled for the honor, using a Utah-grown/raised fish. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Briar Handly, left, Executive Chef for Handle alongside sous chef Matt Nelson, assemble the winning entry during a recent competition. The governor of Louisiana has asked land-locked Utah to send a contestant to The Great American Seafood Cook Off in August. Three Utah chefs battled for the honor, using a Utah-grown/raised fish. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune News anchor Mary Nickels takes a few notes as she joins others in judging a recent food competition. The governor of Louisiana has asked land-locked Utah to send a contestant to The Great American Seafood Cook Off in August. Three Utah chefs battled for the honor, using a Utah-grown/raised fish. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune The winning entry by Executive Chef Briar Handly of soon to open Handle in Park City. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune The main attraction, Utah raised trout is prepared for presentation and judging during a recent competition. The governor of Louisiana has asked land-locked Utah to send a contestant to The Great American Seafood Cook Off in August. Three Utah chefs battled for the honor, using the Utah-grown/raised fish. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Utah Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox, news anchor Mary Nickels and food critic Vanessa Chang, from left, make up part of the judging panel for a recent food competition. to The governor of Louisiana has asked land-locked Utah to send a contestant to The Great American Seafood Cook Off in August. Three Utah chefs are battled for the honor, using a Utah-grown/raised fish. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Utah trout undergoes its transformation to the dinner plate during a recent competition. The governor of Louisiana has asked land-locked Utah to send a contestant to The Great American Seafood Cook Off in August. Three Utah chefs battled for the honor, using a Utah-grown/raised fish. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Briar Handly, Executive Chef for Handle assembles the winning entry during a recent competition. The governor of Louisiana has asked land-locked Utah to send a contestant to The Great American Seafood Cook Off in August. Three Utah chefs battled for the honor, using a Utah-grown/raised fish.

By Kathy Stephenson The Salt Lake Tribune

· July 15, 2014 5:01 pm

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

When chef Briar Handly competes in the 2014 The Great American Seafood Cook-Off next month, he'll be swimming upstream trying to convince judges that steelhead trout from a landlocked state like Utah is as delicious as Louisiana shrimp, Oregon crab or Alaskan salmon.

He's not afraid of the rough waters ahead.

"It's a misnomer that you can't get fresh fish in Utah," said Handly, who recently left Talisker on Main to work on opening his own Park City restaurant, called Handle. "I can get just as fresh a fish as anyone."

Handly and his sous chef, Matt Nelson, proved it on Monday by winning the local qualifying event, preparing steelhead trout from sustainable farms in Koosharem (Sevier County) and Smithfield (Cache County).

Handly's pan-seared steelhead, served with fresh Utah vegetables and a bite of trout sausage, impressed a panel of five local judges, including Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox and KUTV news anchor Mary Nickles. Handly defeated chefs Phelix Gardner, of Salt Lake City's Pago and Finca restaurants, and Clement Gelas, from Talisker in Park City, for the honor.

Now Handly is headed to New Orleans, where he will be one of 19 chefs to compete at the Great American Seafood Cook-Off on Aug. 2. Many of his competitors will come from states known for seafood: Texas, Oregon, Alaska and Louisiana. But a few competing states have borders far from the ocean, including New Mexico and Idaho.

As far as local officials know, no Utah chef has ever been asked to compete in the seafood cook-off, now in its 11th year.

So Utah Gov. Gary Herbert was caught off guard a few months ago when Louisiana Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne asked him to send his best Utah chef to the event. Herbert agreed and asked the Utah Department of Heritage and Arts to organize Monday's cook-off to select a winner.

"Being a landlocked state, the cards are stacked against us," department spokesman Geoffrey Fattah acknowledged. "But it's a great opportunity to represent Utah's talent."

And show off seafood raised in a desert.

kathys@sltrib.com