Chef Bo to Go

Chef Timothy “Bo” Bernard is about to take a nice trip to Philadelphia – all expenses paid by the Campbell’s Soup company. He is one of four finalists for a contest to see which food service chefs from across the nation could come up with a recipe worthy of taking its place on the back of the Campbell’s can.

He entered the contest, “on a whim,” he told me. “I saw this on-line contest and figured, ‘Why not?’”

Chef Bo’s recipe, called Frenchy Fusion Noodle Bowl, was offered to students today for the first time. Think of it like French Onion soup with linguini, bean sprouts, mushrooms, and lean beef. There are a few other ingredients, but discussions of things culinary require an expertise beyond my pay grade – if not my palette.

In a word, this dish is good. It’s filling and has more substance than the French Onion soup you might have before your meal. This was a meal in itself, though not as heavy as typical comfort foods.

Of course next week, the judges, who have more refined palettes will be deciding what they think. Campbell’s is flying Bo to Philadelphia where he will present his recipe in person. If he wins, Campbell’s will give him a $500 shopping spree in the Campbell’s store and perhaps will put his recipe on the back of a can – the one you buy in the store, or perhaps the 50 oz. food service size, used by chefs who cook for hundreds at a time. If he wins, Bo says he’ll bring back $500 worth of stuff for Ferrum College students.

If not, we have a new dish to eat at the dining hall. I highly recommend it.