The Deseret News Fall Home Show at the South Towne Expo Center, 9575 S. State, will have a variety of cooking demonstrations and competitions this weekend.
Utah's Best Chef Competition is Oct. 9, 4 p.m. Competing chefs will have one hour to create signature dishes with an Iron Chef-style "Mystery Box" ingredient.
The lineup includes Jared Young, executive chef for the LaSalle Restaurant Group (Oasis Cafe, Faustina and Carvers Steaks & Seafood); Jennifer Gilroy, chef/owner of Meditrina; Michael Richey, co-executive chef at Pago Restaurant; Pete Hines, executive chef at Wild Grape; and Jake Blaine, pastry chef for Oasis Cafe.
At 6 p.m. on Oct. 9, Romina Rasmussen of Les Madeleines will demonstrate Savory Bread Pudding; at 7 p.m., chef Bryan Woolley of KUTV will make World Pancakes; and at 8 p.m., Micki Sannar, author of "Olive Oil Desserts," will demonstrate olive-oil recipes.
On Oct. 10, Micki Sannar has a demonstration at noon, and then high-school and college culinary programs will be competing from 1-6 p.m.
Kim Warren, author of "Family Comfort Favorites," will demonstrate Sirloin Steak Chili at 6:30 p.m.; and Bryan Woolley will do cooking demonstrations from 7:30-8:30 p.m.
On Oct. 11, Kathleen King of King Fitness and Training will do a demonstration at noon, and Woolley will do cooking demonstrations from 1-5 p.m.
Admission to the Home Show is $9 for adults, $6 for senior citizens; children 12 and under are free. A $3.50 discount is available at www.saltlakehomeshow.com.
Hungry Jack wants to tap into the meal potential that is sitting in your pantry. The company is sponsoring a "Use Up the Box" recipe contest, with the idea of getting creative with your pantry items.
Through Nov. 9, home cooks can submit original recipes using Hungry Jack mashed potatoes, pancake mix or syrup as an ingredient and write an essay describing how the recipe was inspired by pantry items, at www.useupthebox.com. The winners will receive a year's worth of groceries.
Utah Kernels, 569 N. 1200 West, Orem, is offering $2 off the purchase of tall bags, gift boxes or tins through Oct. 30. If you mention seeing this article, you can also get a free minibag of popcorn with a purchase. (801-224-1081 or www.UtahKernels.com).
The Confluence Literary Festival in Moab is celebrating eating and writing, and local food sustainability. Themed "Eat the West," the event is Oct. 20-25, and includes intensive writing workshops with Slow Food Inc. authors, local food-tasting events, a farmers market and Mountain Film Festival's films about food.
Guests authors from the Slow Food Movement include Gary Paul Nabhan, Deborah Madison, Susan J. Tweit, Ann Vileisis, David Masumoto and Jack Loeffler. The festival will take place in various venues. Ticket prices vary from free to $10. Writing workshops are $75-$475 (www.moabconfluence.org).
The Dinner Market, 1644 W. 10600 South, is offering free delivery on meal orders of $150 or more. The store offers more than 20 assembled soups, sides, desserts and entrees such as Mexican Lasagna and Chicken Pot Pie. Also if you refer a friend who orders 10 meals, you can receive a free meal (Dinnermarket.com or 801-495-5400).
Slow Food Utah's Fifth Annual Feast of Five Senses is Oct. 18, 5:30 p.m., at Viking Cooking School and Showroom, 2233 S. 300 East.
The feast will be prepared by Liberty Heights Fresh, Greg Neville of Lugano, Dave Jones of Log Haven, Adam Kreisel of Tipica, Ali Sabbah of Mazza and Romina Rasmussen of Les Madeleines Patisserie.
From funds raised in past years, the Slow Food organization built a schoolyard garden and created a micro-grant program to sustain local food producers.
Tickets are $100 per person, $25 optional wine pairing for regular seating; kitchen-table seating is $125 per person (www.slowfoodutah.org).
Tulie Bakery, 863 E. 700 South, celebrated its one-year anniversary last week. The bakery, owned by Leslie Seggar, offers pastries, quiche, hot pressed sandwiches, cakes, cupcakes, tarts, cookies and bars.
The selection varies in order to incorporate seasonal ingredients; currently, pumpkin cakes and gingerbread cakes are available. The bakery is open Tuesday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m.-7 p.m.; and Sunday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (tuliebakery.com).
e-mail: vphillips@desnews.com