Star Chefs ICC- Hot Diggity Dog

The annual International Chefs Congress took over the Brooklyn Expo Center again this year and Day One was all about the wiener at Hot Diggity Dog day.  Five different restaurants from all over the country showcased their spin on this American staple.

Matt Gennuso from Wurst Kitchen in Providence had two different styles; the Classic Frank with house kraut & Dijon mustard and the Smoked Hot Link with a sweet bacon jam.

Bill Kim from the Belly Shack in Chicago created the Belly Dog; an all beef hot dog with egg noodles and pickled green papaya.

Phillip Gilmour from nearby Hi Hello in Brooklyn concocted a crazy Icelandic Hot Dog made with Meat Hook Lamb, remoulade, sweet brown mustard, ketchup, chopped onions and fried shallots on a Martins potato bun.

I absolutely loved Michael Hudman & Andrew Ticer's Beef and Cheddar Frank on a salty warm pretzel roll from Porcellino's out in Memphis, TN.

But it was the Spicy Okra Dog with choron sauce and scallions from Benjamin Thompson at The Rock Barn out in Arrington, VA that completely stole the show.

This was AMAZING...spicy and smoky...it was like eating an incredible jalapeno popper inside a delicious hot dog.  It sounds weird but worked in every way.

After lunch the Main Stage took on some incredible guests like José Andrés of Minibar in Washington, DC with Richard Blais as the event MC.  It was just a taste of the future of food and drink and a great kickoff to the three day culinary conference.

The Rock Barn
2387 Oak Ridge Road
Arrington, VA 22922

Wurst Kitchen
960 Hope Street
Providence, RI 02906

Hi Hello
247 Starr Street
Brooklyn NY 11237

Porcellinos
711 West Brookhaven Circle
Memphis, TN 38117

Belly Shack
1912 North Western Avenue
Chicago, IL 60647