(PUEBLO, Colo.) — On Friday, April 19, the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce and Visit Pueblo hosted their 2024 Spice Up Spring Original Recipe Competition.
In this competition, local restaurants and food trucks are challenged to showcase their culinary skills by creating innovative recipes inspired by the iconic Pueblo Green Chile pepper’s versatility. Entries are accepted in four categories: Cocktail, Appetizer, Entrée, and Dessert.
The contestants for the 2024 competition included:
Peppe’s at Milberger Farms
Romero’s Cafe
Cinfully Delicious
Feelin’ a Little Philly
Park East
Papa Mario’s
Twenty-One Steak
Three guest judges presided over the competition: Chef Mo Montgomery of Fuel & Iron Food Hall, Matthew Kroschel of KKTV, and Richard Schneider of Raquelita’s Tortillas. Judging criteria included visual presentation, Pueblo Chile flavor, and overall satisfaction.
In a first for the competition since it started in 2018, one participant secured victory across all four categories. Twenty-One Steak was the first-place winner in the 2024 Spice Up Spring original recipe competition. Its winning dishes were:
Appetizer: Crispy Pueblo Chile braised pork belly on top of a potato au gratin
Entrée: Rajas Puebla, a modified version of the Cuban beans and rice dish Congri
Dessert: Brownie petit gateau with Pueblo Chile jelly
Cocktail: Pina Picante, featuring candied Pueblo Chile pineapple garnish
Twenty-One Steak will be awarded with a customized Pueblo Green Chile Proud Plaque, a $250 cash prize for each category, and will have their winning recipes published in the 30th Anniversary Pueblo Chie and Frijoles Festival Cookbook.
