Detroit, MI — Two chefs from prominent Detroit restaurants competed in an epic (but friendly) showdown Thursday night at Eastern Market Shed 5 for Iron Chef Detroit.

In its second year, Iron Chef Detroit is a thrilling, live-cooking competition showcasing two chefs from Detroit restaurants competing in three rounds judged by a panel of local food experts and critics. The culinary event is inspired by the popular cooking competition show. It is a fundraiser for Cass Community Social Services, a Detroit-based non-profit dedicated to fighting poverty, creating opportunities, and building up its community. Funds raised will support things like emergency food distribution, affordable housing initiatives, health care services, and job training programs. Last year, the inaugural Iron Chef Detroit raised over $50,000.

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The kitchen battle pitted last year’s winner and defending champ, Chef Anthony Lombardo of SheWolf, against challenger Chef Andy Hollyday of Selden Standard. The chefs faced off in three rounds while battling against the clock. Hollyday and Lombardo also had to incorporate a secret ingredient into every dish, which ended up being an assortment of Better Made chips! Over 20 food and drink vendors from around Metro Detroit also lined the interior of the shed’s perimeter to serve the masses as we enjoyed the live hosted “broadcast.”

I arrived at Shed 5 a bit early and walked in a few minutes before the event started at 6 p.m. After checking in, I quickly bumped into one of the hosts, local food influencer and force behind the Detroit Sandwich Party, Carlos Parisi, and caught up with him for a few minutes. I snapped a few photos of an early, mostly empty shed hall, fully aware that it would soon be packed with hundreds of foodies, supporters, family, friends, and more. If you need a good reference for the photos above, those were taken about an hour apart!

I took a quick walkabout and met up with one of the organizers to check-in. He arranged for me to meet and grab a quick interview with Faith Fowler, the Executive Director for Cass Community Social Services. I asked her a few questions to learn more about Cass Community Social Services and their work.

“Cass Community Social Services does food, housing, health care, and jobs. We make and serve 700,000 meals a year. We house 350 unhoused people a night. We run a free medical clinic and a program for the developmentally disabled, as well as provide jobs. It’s vocational training and drive treatment for the unemployed,” said Faith.

I followed up by asking Faith about some of the highlights of her job, including what it’s like seeing the crowds for Iron Chef Detroit nearly double since last year.

“It is more fun than a banana split. I mean, people have returned and brought their friends and family because they had such a good time last year,” Faith said. “We had a crowd of 300 last year, and we have 500 this year. We’re about ready to grow out of this shed! It really is a good time. People come out and enjoy themselves, but they also do something good because they come. They help support the mission and work of Cass.”

I wrapped up our interview by asking Faith what she hoped people would have experienced or learned about by the time they’d left the event later in the night.

“Well, it’s just a reminder that we all need the basics, right? We all need food. We all need shelter. We all need showers and clothing, and that’s what Cass provides. So this is a really terrific way to taste some of the best around metro Detroit and help care for our neighbors,” Faith explained.

I began my foodie adventure with the first table next to where guests checked in for the night. The table was hosting DeVries & Co. who served up cups of an Herb Roulé Tomato Bruschetta Dip. These tasty, de-constructed bruschetta cups were a brilliant and crafty Mediterranean/French-inspired snack, utilizing the sharp and pungent French cheese, smooth olive oil, and herbaceous tomato dip to culminate into a wonderful four-bite sampler. The cheese really stood out and complimented the lighter but earthy-seasoned tomatoes with olive and herby influences.

The Meatball Sliders from Supino Pizzeria were certainly eye-catching due to the thick and airy bread used for the buns and sauced meat sandwiched in between. I happily scooped one up and was giddy over how soft the bread was, perfectly buttered and golden brown. Biting into it was incredibly easy, and immediately, I tasted the zest from the marinara sauce. The sauce was solid and soaked into the soft bread, adding another dimension of texture and softened consistency to the already fluffy bread. I recall hearing one of the servers tell another patron that the meat was a blend of beef, turkey, and lamb, which was exceptionally balanced and hearty.

The Chicken Salad Bao quickly caught my attention as I neared the end of the tables on the north side of the shed closer to the main stage, where both chefs were prepping their stations for the ensuing showdown. Anyone who reads my blog knows I’m a big fan of chefs who utilize color in their creations because most people tend to eat with their eyes first, so it definitely plays a role in triggering people’s appetites. The bao buns being whipped up by Basan Detroit did just that, like a moth to a flame; I bee-lined it to the table and selected a very well-crafted bao.

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The Chicken Salad Bao consisted of (obviously) chicken salad with dynamite mayo, a sweet soy sauce, ramen crunch, and a microgreen garnish. The ramen crunch was a great contrast to the exceptionally soft bao bun, which has a superb texture range to establish and experience. The chicken salad was also fantastic; it was very fresh and boosted in flavor, amplified by the dynamite mayo, which added just enough spice. And then you had the sweet/heat duality by adding the sweet and savory soy sauce, just an all-around top-tier bao bun execution by Basan Detroit!

After already having a fair amount of food, I was in need of a drink! Luckily, near the bao bun table was a tasting station for the Detroit City Distillery. This Eastern Market treasure known for creations featuring small-batch whiskies, vodka, and gin was serving up baby shots of Pink Pony Club, a drink consisting of raspberry vodka, lemon, and raspberry syrup. I wasn’t sure if the drink was meant to pay homage to the popular song by Chappell Roan or not, but either way, I thought it was awesome and assumed it did, so I had to try one. It was quite refreshing, like a raspberry lemonade, and definitely packed a punch. I finished mine in a few sips because that drink was not messing around!

Another tasting station that caught my eye was the MGM Grand Detroit table, which featured D. Prime Steakhouse’s Pork Spare Ribs. Having been to D. Prime before during a gambling adventure with some friends, it didn’t take much to convince me to stop by for another solid bite. The rib was cooked perfectly and had absorbed a nice sticky amount of barbecue sauce. I scarfed the meat off the bone in a few bites and was sure glad I grabbed a couple of wet wipes to clean up after this one!

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Of the nearly two dozen vendors, I enjoyed roughly 85% of them and was very full as a result! While I couldn’t capture or fit photos of all the wonderful offerings there were to enjoy, take my word for it when I say every vendor there went all out and provided great food and beverages for those in attendance. A huge shout out to all the restaurants, chefs, and business owners who were there to provide, and a big thanks for all that you do for Metro Detroit’s food scene and communities! For a full list of this year’s vendor participants and their dishes, click here.

The main event kicked off at 7 p.m. with the hosts introducing the judges panel and chefs. Chef Lombardo and Hollyday looked excited and eager to get cooking, with supporters and family/friends flanked along the sides of the stage on metal risers. I popped a squat in the corner on the Hollyday side. I enjoyed three epic rounds of cooking, with Lomardo and Hollyday crafting a unique appetizer, entrée, and dessert, with the secret ingredient incorporated in every dish in some way.

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The event lasted about two hours, during which the three hosts walked around and interviewed nearby viewers, chefs, and judges along the panel, all while providing commentary and updates throughout the cookoff. The scoring remained close throughout, with both chefs churning out some marvelous and genius creations with the Better Made chips woven into their respective dishes. The chefs were great sports and awaited the final decision together alongside their assistant chefs. When the tallying was all said and done, Chef Andy Hollyday of Selden Standard won by nearly half a point!

A new Iron Chef Detroit champion was crowned, with both chefs hugging it out, followed by Faith Fowler presenting Chef Hollyday with a trophy award. The folks still in attendance applauded and cheered, while some began to depart for the evening immediately following the announcement of the winner. It was truly a remarkable evening and a wonderfully curated event. Another shout out to Chefs Lombardo and Hollyday for their participation, and congratulations to Chef Hollyday for winning Iron Chef Detroit II. I’ll be excited to learn how much was raised this year for Cass Community Social Services, as there was a great turnout at the event. I can hardly wait for next year’s Iron Chef Detroit!

For more information about Iron Chef Detroit, click here. If you’d like more details about Cass Community Social Services and the work they do, click here.