Big 105.9's morning show hosts Paul & Young Ron held their annual celebrity cook-off yesterday at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel.
The competition, which was broadcast on the radio and streamed live had Paul Castronovo and Ron Brewer pairing off against each other in a 30 minute battle to cook the best possible dish using a table full of fresh produce like carrots, eggplant, and scallions and a mystery protein.
Since every chef needs a sous chef, the morning show team enlisted the help of a couple of people who just happened to be wandering around the hotel lobby. Maybe you've heard of Guy Fieri and Emeril Lagasse?
Judging the cook-off were newly crowned Iron Chef and restaurateur Geoffrey Zakarian, Bitchin' Kitchen host Nadia G, and Ralph Pagano, Executive Chef at Gulfstream Racetrack.
Right before the cooking got underway, the protein was announced. Each team, consisting of radio host, celebrity chef, and FIU culinary student, now had to figure out a beautiful dish made with ostrich meat.
Emeril Lagasse really put on the trash talk, telling Fieri and Castronovo that "We're having cocktails while you're busy pounding your meat".
In the end, Paul and Guy presented an ostrich saltimbocca with a rosemary red wine reduction over a bed of pasta. While judges Nadia G and Ralph Pagano liked it, Geoffrey Zakarian was less than thrilled, "This ostrich is pounded beyond recognition", said Zakarian. "You should have less softness, less pounding. Don't pound your meat so much", the chef told Paul and Guy.
Ron and Emeril prepared marinated ostrich in soy sauce with steamed vegetables over rice. Though Nadia G. said that the steamed veggies reminded her of jail, Ralph Pagano and Geoffrey Zakarian both enjoyed the ostrich.
When the votes were tallied, Team Castronovo were named the victors, to which a gracious (not) Emeril shouted "This is bullshit" on a live mike. We're wondering if the show had a five second delay.
Here's the entire event on video:
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