Country Chef Challenge at the Minneapolis Farmers Market: Wadi vs. Riebel

Country Chef Challenge pits chefs from Saffron and Butcher & the Boar

This weekend, the knives come out at the Minneapolis Farmers Market. Local chefs Sameh Wadi and Jack Riebel will go head to head in a market cook-off using whatever is in season and available at the market. With both chefs well versed in competition, it should make for a food throw-down not to be missed.

The Country Chef Challenge is a national event sponsored by Country Financial. Minneapolis is one of four cities to host the event, along with Portland, Oregon, Chicago, and Olathe, Kansas.

Saffron's Main Man, Chef Sameh Wadi

Sameh Wadi is the man behind the acclaimed Middle Eastern dinner spot Saffron in Minneapolis and the World Street Kitchen food truck. Wadi also participated in an episode of Iron Chef America, going up against famed Japanese chef Masaharu Morimoto. Although Wadi did not win, he has continued to receive attention on the national stage. Chef Wadi has been a mutli-James Beard Award nominee, including last year when he was the semi-finalist for the James Beard Rising Star Award.

The Man of Pork & Bourbon, Chef Jack Riebel